Continuous Improvement Graduate – apetito UK
Join a team where you will be a key change agent, leading initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, optimise production processes and empower employees with the skills and tools to drive meaningful improvements across our manufacturing operations.
Responsibilities
* Champion continuous improvement methodologies, implementing best practices to enhance manufacturing performance and maximise efficiency.
* Identify, develop and implement solutions to optimise processes, mitigate potential issues and drive sustainable operational improvements.
* Analyse process capabilities and collaborate with support functions to ensure stability, consistency and standardisation across manufacturing operations.
* Foster a proactive and high‑performance culture, motivating and aligning staff toward operational excellence.
* Act as a visible and engaged presence on the shop floor, driving a positive culture shift with energy and pace.
* Train, coach and mentor individuals and teams in Lean principles and process improvement techniques to strengthen organisational capability.
* Take a hands‑on approach to leadership, guiding and influencing diverse teams to achieve first‑time‑right quality products safely and efficiently.
* Work autonomously, collaborating with the leadership team to shape and execute strategic improvement programs.
* Provide data‑driven recommendations to identify and capitalise on improvement opportunities within the business.
* Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to reduce production costs while maintaining exceptional customer service, high‑quality standards and optimised production capacity.
* Assist in developing and maintaining a robust framework of tools and methodologies that empower the site to drive continuous improvement.
* Uphold high standards of Food Safety, authenticity, legality, and quality, ensuring compliance with factory protocols.
* Implement and monitor corrective actions, resolve non‑conformances and proactively address customer complaints.
Essential Qualifications
* Hold, or be studying towards, a degree in Engineering/Mathematics/Sciences related discipline with the expectation to receive a 22 or higher (graduating by August 2026).
* Confident working with large data sets and able to analyse them to determine any patterns or trends to support further work or solution.
* Comfortable of being “hands on” and working on the shop floor to further understand the problem and find solutions.
* Interaction with shop floor staff at all levels.
* Organisational and time management skills.
* Make and keep accurate records.
* Strong attention to detail.
* Team player, able to collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders to achieve shared objectives.
* Confident to lead discussions and bring ideas together from different departments.
* Passion for food manufacturing.
Desirable Qualifications
* Project Management experience.
* Working in a food production environment.
Personal Qualities
* Excellent analysis, problem management and interpersonal skills.
* A completer finisher.
* Self‑motivated and able to own and manage workload with minimal supervision - a proven self‑starter.
* Able to demonstrate a structured approach to work as well as being able to work well in team environment and deal with people professionally at all levels.
* Is effective at using oral and written forms of communication.
* Competitive salary - accredited Living Wage employer.
* 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays.
* Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year.
* Discretionary annual bonus scheme.
* Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 4%.
* Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary.
* Subsidised canteen.
* Free parking.
* Free turkey or voucher at Christmas.
* apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts.
Company Overview
apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, health care and education settings. Our meals are expertly crafted by our dieticians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness. Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK’s largest ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.
Commitment to Inclusion and Sustainability
We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds. Our company is an accredited Living Wage employer and we are on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential. We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040. Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI.
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