Continuous Improvement Manager
Ampthill, Bedfordshire
Permanent, 37.5h, 4 day working week Monday to Thursday
Salary: £70,000-£86,000 + benefits
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Change Manager (Six-Sigma Black Belt certified) to lead high-impact, data driven and complete business transformation initiatives across the organisation. The role will focus on driving structured change and improving operational performance. The successful candidate will bring strong stakeholder engagement skills, data-driven decision making capability, a proven track record of delivering measurable business outcomes and ensuring sustainable adoption of change. A great opportunity for the successful candidate to join the team and drive business wide initiatives that shape our next generation digital future and continue to grow our culture of continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Change & Transformation Delivery
* Lead end-to-end delivery of complex business transformation initiatives aligned with strategic objectives
* Develop and execute a roadmap for change initiatives aligned with business strategy
* Develop and implement structured change management strategies and plans
* Apply lead six-sigma methodologies to improve business performance and reduce waste
* Identify risks, issues and dependencies across transformation programmes
* Ensure adoption of new processes, systems, and ways of working across impacted teams
* Change Champion for “change culture” through storytelling, data, and thought leadership across the enterprise.
Process Improvement
* Analyse current-state processes and design future state operating models
* Deliver measurable and sustainable improvements in efficiency, cost, quality, and customer outcomes
* Lead root cause analysis using six-sigma tools and frameworks
* Facilitate continuous improvement workshops and stakeholder sessions
IT Programme Support (desired)
* Support delivery of large scale IT transformation programmes
* Support delivery of AI transformation
* Ensure business readiness for system implementations
* Align process changes with technology rollouts
* Coordinate between business stakeholders, project teams, and technical delivery functions
Stakeholder Engagement
* Build organisational capability in continuous improvement and change management.
* Build strong relationships across business units and leadership teams
* Communicate change impacts clearly and effectively
* Facilitate workshops, steering groups and governance forums
* Influence senior stakeholders to support transformation objectives
Governance & Reporting
* Track and communicate transformation benefits and KPIs
* Provide structured programme updates to senior leadership
* Ensure adherence to change management frameworks and provide governance standards
* Support benefits realisation planning and monitoring
Required skills, qualifications and experience
* Six-Sigma Black Belt certification
* Working knowledge of structured change frameworks (eg Prosci, ADKAR or similar)
* Proven experience delivering large-scale business transformation programmes
* Strong change management and stakeholder engagement capability
* Experience leading end to end process improvement and organisational change initiatives
* Demonstrated ability to deliver measurable operational improvements
* Excellent analytical and problem solving skills
* Strong facilitation and communication skills
Desirable
* Experience supporting large-scale IT transformation programmes
* Experience supporting AI transformation programmes
* Experience working in complex matrix organisations
* Exposure to agile or hybrid delivery environments
* Qualifications
* Six-Sigma Black Belt certification
* Degree level education or equivalent experience preferred
* Key Competencies
* Strategic thinking
* Influencing and stakeholder management
* Analytical and data-driven decision thinking
* Leadership without authority
* Continuous improvement mindset
* Programme delivery discipline
Business Environment
Lockheed Martin (UK) Ampthill is a rapidly changing, dynamic part of the Lockheed Martin Corporation with both domestic and international customers. It consists of business areas focusing on Platform Integration, Ground Based Air Defence, Special Projects and Weapons, which provide a variety of products and services to the Ministry of Defence and other customers. We are looking for talented individuals to join the company, in return we offer an exciting and challenging career path and excellent work/life balance with a 4 day week (Mon-Thurs) and flexible working arrangements.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Lockheed Martin is committed to upholding principles of equal opportunity, fostering a work environment that is aligned with our core values of integrity, respect, and exceptional performance. We recognize the importance of leveraging the unique talents and experiences of all our employees to drive innovation, deliver superior solutions, and maximize value for our customers. Our focus is on identifying the most qualified candidate for each role, regardless of their background. If you are interested in a position, we invite you to share how your skills and perspectives could bolster our team and encourage you to apply, even if you feel your qualifications do not fully meet all the job criteria outlined in our advertisement. Furthermore, Lockheed Martin is dedicated to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive for all individuals. We are prepared to accommodate reasonable adjustments for applicants as needed. If you require assistance or adjustments to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact recruitment@global.lmco.com