Ford & Stanley Select
Continuous Improvement Lead | Mansfield | £40,000-£45,000 | Permanent
The Opportunity
If you're the kind of person who sees a process and instantly thinks, "I can make that better," this role is right up your street.
You'll be the driving force behind operational excellence across a busy manufacturing environment, supporting production teams, improving performance, strengthening health & safety standards, and leading continuous improvement initiatives that deliver real, measurable impact.
This is a hands-on, highly visible role where you'll work closely with shop-floor teams, supervisors, and senior leadership. You'll influence how work is planned, how performance is measured, and how improvements are embedded across the operation. If you thrive in fast-paced environments and enjoy balancing strategic thinking with practical, sleeves-rolled-up involvement, this is a fantastic opportunity to shape how production operates.
Continuous Improvement Lead Key Responsibilities
Team Support & Coordination: Work closely with production teams across multiple workstations to maintain flow, resolve issues, and support day-to-day operations.
Performance Monitoring: Track output, operational standards, and performance against plan, ensuring issues are identified and addressed quickly.
Continuous Improvement Leadership: Lead CI initiatives focused on productivity, quality, waste reduction, and process optimisation.
Problem Solving: Troubleshoot machinery, material, and operational challenges to minimise downtime and maintain efficiency.
Equipment & Maintenance Oversight: Ensure machinery is maintained, safe, and operating effectively.
Health & Safety Leadership: Promote and enforce H&S procedures, including pre-start checks, near-miss reporting, and safe working practices.
Training & Development: Deliver operational and health & safety training to production teams.
Fire Officer Duties: Act as designated Fire Officer for assigned areas.
Operational Planning: Support production planning and operational decision-making alongside senior management.
Absence & Record Management: Monitor attendance and maintain accurate operational records.
Communication: Maintain clear, consistent communication between management and production teams.
Data & KPI Analysis: Review operational KPIs to identify trends, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities.
Ideal Continuous Improvement Lead
Qualified: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (minimum).
Experienced: 5+ years in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, or similar roles within manufacturing or production.
Proven: Demonstrable track record of delivering measurable improvements across productivity, quality, waste, or process efficiency.
Technically Strong: Solid understanding of manufacturing processes, CI methodologies, and root cause analysis.
Influential: Able to engage teams, challenge the status quo, and drive positive cultural change.
Balanced: Comfortable switching between strategic improvement projects and hands-on shop-floor involvement.
Resilient & Pragmatic: A proactive problem-solver who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments.
Great Communicator: Strong stakeholder engagement and organisational skills.
Location
Mansfield (Full-time on-site due to the nature of the role).
Salary
Up to £45,000 depending on experience.
Ford & Stanley Talent