Job Description Summary

Job Description

The Lean Leader will provide tactical and operational support within the Stafford Manufacturing facility, contributing to the development and sustainment of Lean, industrialisation, manufacturing and inventory strategies aligned with business goals.

The successful candidate will partner with site and functional leadership to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence, enabling effective supply chain and manufacturing processes, improved capacity, and reliable customer delivery.

The role will focus on areas including order entry, engineering and production scheduling, manufacturing industrialisation, production flow and cycle times, capacity improvement, visual management and daily management.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that positively impact Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People (SQDCP).
• Lead and coach the implementation of site-wide Daily Management, from Level 0 through Level 3.
• Drive the application of Lean principles and methodologies, including Kaizen, structured problem solving, Moonshine projects and other continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional teams of hourly and salaried employees during Kaizen, Lean and Work-Out events.
• Develop and continuously improve Value Stream Maps (VSMs) to identify opportunities for process, productivity and flow improvements.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing strategies, including setup reduction, workplace organisation, standardised work, process and workflow optimisation, visual management and inventory reduction.
• Establish and maintain Lean performance management and visual management systems to improve SQDCP performance.
• Analyse operational issues and performance variances, identify root causes and implement sustainable corrective and improvement actions.
• Develop, review and maintain improvement plans, ensuring actions are followed through to measurable results.
• Work with the site Moonshine team to support production preparation and 3P activities where required.
• Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing capacity, cycle times, production flow and overall operational efficiency.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality and other functions to ensure Lean initiatives support wider business objectives.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university,preferably in Engineering, or a relevant trade qualification combined with significant hands-on manufacturing experience
• Demonstrated experience in a production or manufacturing environment with responsibility for driving process improvements.
• Proven experience leading Kaizen events and developing end-to-end Value Stream Maps.
• Experience implementing and sustaining Daily Management systems.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Ability to coach, mentor and influence teams to embed a Lean culture within an environment with varying levels of Lean maturity and acceptance.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing management processes, including production and inventory control, quality management systems and standard cost systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes and translate findings into practical improvements.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with both senior leadership and shop-floor teams.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional programs and projects.

Desired Characteristics:

• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma and/or Black Belt certification.
• Experience in small- to medium-takt-time manufacturing environments, particularly within heavy industrial or large-assembly operations.
• Experience driving measurable improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People performance.
• Strong influencing and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to build engagement across different levels of the organisation.
• Practical, hands-on approach to continuous improvement and a strong focus on delivering sustainable results.

Additional Information