Job Title: Continuous Improvement Lead Department: Operations Location: High Wycombe (UK) Reporting To: Plant Manager Company Overview Synergy Flavours, a division of the Carbery Group, is a global leader in flavourings, extracts, and essences. With locations in 8 countries and customers in over 50 countries, we combine innovation, sensory science, and application expertise to deliver high-quality taste solutions across the food and beverage industry. Guided by our purpose of enriching lives, we help our customers meet evolving consumer needs, whether through sugar reduction, clean label innovation, or enhanced nutritional profiles, while fostering sustainability and collaboration. Your Role in Synergy’s Success The primary purpose is to lead initiatives that enhance efficiency, quality, and innovation across our operations. The CI specialist will identify opportunities for process optimization, apply engineering principles to solve complex challenges, and implement sustainable improvements that drive measurable impact and will partner with cross-functional teams to streamline workflows, reduce waste, and strengthen performance, fostering a culture of continuous learning and operational excellence. The role will support Production and Engineering to support data-driven decision making with a hands-on approach. How You Will Contribute: Develop, Manage and Execute the Site Continuous Improvement Plan Develop, manage and execute the site continuous improvement plan, in conjunction with the Leadership Team and the Global CI platform. Track financial impact of initiatives, develop and conduct accountability meetings, and take the lead on the CI tracker reports. Ensure sustainability and effectiveness of the production monitoring and improvement process across the site. Maintain a pulse on the site’s lean maturity level to help its evolutionary journey, with the help of external resources. Engage with Carbery-Synergy sites in identifying and sharing best practices. Provide Coaching through Hands-on Execution Coach leaders on how to maximise the benefits of the production monitoring & improvement process by asking the right questions, recognising opportunities and driving improvement actions. Lead and coach teams to improve results for safety, quality, delivery, cost, throughput, and inventory. Enhance Lean Culture and Promote Engagement Promote lean thinking through training, coaching and mentoring at all levels of the organisation (operators, shift leads, managers and support functions). Develop and deliver standard training material across the site. Involve employees in problem solving and in workshops; ensure their ideas are heard. Lead by example by being visible on the floor. Celebrate wins and recognise employees/teams for their contributions. Develop a platform for capturing details of all CI initiatives. Ensure learnings and best practices are shared cross functionally Develop and drive the implementation of standardised ways of working to ensure that all employees are engaged on the CI Journey. Key Ingredients for Success Essential requirements: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Food Science or Business Studies. Minimum of 5 years’ broad based manufacturing experience. Substantial experience of continuous improvement approaches (e.g. TPM, lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping, Visual Controls, 5S) Effective communicator with all stakeholders, both internally and externally. Ability to deal with complexity and change, prioritise effectively, and deliver within short timescales Desirable Requirements: Capability to take a broader responsibility in the future Background in Engineering Recognised qualification in lean, such as a Green Belt or Lean Six Sigma Our commitment to our People We are a diverse and growing workforce of over 1,000 people across eight countries globally. As we continue to grow, we want to ensure that Carbery Group continues to be a place where people are supported to develop and feel that they can do their best work. We are committed to driving growth, developing future capability and delivering results through our dedicated teams. We offer competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and an inclusive workplace where your skills, perspectives, and experience help shape the future of our industry. Join us and be part of a team that values collaboration and makes a meaningful impact - from local communities to global markets. Carbery Group is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering a supportive work environment.