EPW1
JOB TITLE: Business Improvement Specialist (Fabrication)
SITE LOCATION: Paignton
Hours: Monday-Friday 37.5 hours per week
REPORTS TO: Business Improvement Director
Job Purpose:
1. Responsible for driving improvement and providing ongoing support across our core fabrication and manufacturing processes, including PVC and aluminium window, door, and patio door production.
2. This role leads and supports improvement initiatives across cutting, machining, assembly, glazing, finishing, transport and other related operations.
3. You will work closely with production teams to identify opportunities, implement solutions, and deliver measurable performance improvements that align with the business’s operational goals.
Key Accountabilities (Fabrication Focused):
4. Ensure full compliance with company policies and safe systems of work across all fabrication areas, including cutting, machining, welding, assembly, glazing, packing, and dispatch.
5. Demonstrate a positive, proactive attitude and collaborate effectively with maintenance, production, quality, planning, and other departments to strengthen a unified team culture.
6. Lead and support development and improvement projects aligned with the fabrication operational strategy, making use of A3 problem solving and Obeya methodologies.
7. Challenge existing fabrication practices and apply creative, innovative thinking to solve problems and remove barriers to performance.
8. Support continuous improvement of manufacturing systems and optimise production layouts to improve product flow and reduce bottlenecks.
9. Provide visibility, control, and monitoring of key process parameters across fabrication operations (e.g., weld quality, machine performance, material utilisation, takt time).
10. Drive measurable improvements in OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), scrap reduction, cycle times, product flow, and productivity per FTE (Full Time Equivalent) within window, door, and patio door manufacturing.
11. Ensure KPI targets for Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, and Environment are consistently met across all fabrication departments.
12. Provide data driven justification and analysis to support the successful delivery of fabrication improvement projects.
13. Communicate project scope, expected benefits, and changes to processes or systems clearly and effectively to all relevant teams.
14. Work closely with colleagues to resolve day to day fabrication process issues, ensuring stability and standardisation.
15. Identify and eliminate wasted time, motion, and cost within manufacturing processes.
16. Produce accurate reports and analysis to demonstrate improvements achieved and highlight further opportunities.
17. Maintain compliance with all organisational policies, management systems, and standard operating procedures, including statutory Health, Safety, Environmental, and Quality requirements.
18. Foster strong, positive working relationships with colleagues and contractors, encouraging a culture of mutual respect and professionalism.
19. Represent the organisation professionally at all times, protecting and enhancing the company’s reputation.
20. Actively promote and role model the Epwin Core Values throughout all activities.
Key Experiences and Skills Required:
21. Good practical understanding of business improvement, 5S workplace organisation, visual management, A3 problem solving, project management, lean manufacturing and operations excellence is required.
22. Proven experience in manufacturing operations and performance improvement.
23. Strong understanding of MES systems and production flow optimisation.
24. Ability to lead cross-functional improvement projects and engage stakeholders.
Desirables Skills, Qualifications and Experience Required:
25. Lean Six Sigma – Green Belt.
26. Experience within a Business Improvement role previously.
Personal Attributes:
27. Leadership – strong, consistent, clear, inspire others, integrity, ability to drive through change.
28. Empowering Others – Delegation of trust, correct controls, feedback, communicate accountability and responsibility.
29. Action orientated – Able to deal with problems in appropriate time frames.
30. Driven by results – Decisive, confident addressing problems and opportunities, challenging activities to improve performance, demonstrate willingness to challenge accepted methods and standards.
31. Effective communication – Clear concise written and spoken, ability at all levels, customer, supplier and internal.
32. Strategic agility – recognition of a changing need and speed of response, rapid reaction to challenges.
33. High Standards – demonstrating a motivation to improve standards and thereby making a real difference, challenging inadequate solutions.
34. Integrity and trust – demonstrating a sense of commitment to openness, honesty, loyalty and high standards in undertaking the role.