Operational Excellence Manager

Operational Excellence Manager An excellent opportunity for an Operational Excellence professional to join a growing and transforming, customer focused manufacturing organisation operating across pharmaceutical, healthcare and nutritional product sectors. This business has experienced significant growth in recent years and continues to invest heavily in its manufacturing operations. As a key site within a larger international group, the operation is focused on delivering exceptional customer service, operational performance and sustainable growth in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This newly created role offers the opportunity to drive meaningful change, improve operational effectiveness and embed a culture of continuous improvement across the site. Working closely with leaders across the business, you will identify opportunities, challenge existing processes and implement initiatives that deliver measurable business impact. The Opportunity • Lead operational excellence and continuous improvement activities across the manufacturing operation. • Drive efficiency, productivity and process improvement initiatives throughout the site. • Identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve performance and enhance service delivery. • Champion Lean methodologies and continuous improvement principles across all functions. • Deliver sustainable improvements through data analysis, problem solving and process optimisation. • Support site leadership in developing and implementing improvement roadmaps aligned to business objectives. • Work collaboratively across operations, supply chain, engineering, planning and quality teams to deliver change. • Influence stakeholders at all levels to successfully implement new processes and ways of working. • Benchmark internal and external best practice, bringing new ideas and successful approaches into the business. • Support the ongoing development of a high-performance culture focused on operational excellence and continuous learning. About You We are looking for a proactive and influential Operational Excellence professional who thrives in manufacturing environments and enjoys driving change through collaboration and engagement. You will bring: • A minimum of 5 years' experience within a medium to large FMCG manufacturing environment. • A proven track record of delivering operational improvement, Lean or continuous improvement programmes. • Experience driving measurable improvements in efficiency, productivity, cost, quality or service performance. • Strong stakeholder engagement and change management skills. • The ability to influence, challenge and build credibility across multiple functions and leadership levels. • Experience using Lean tools and structured problem-solving methodologies. • Lean Yellow Belt certification as a minimum, with Green Belt or higher considered advantageous. • Strong analytical skills and the ability to turn data into actionable improvement initiatives. • A hands-on, pragmatic approach with a passion for continuous improvement and operational performance. • Experience within GMP-regulated manufacturing environments would be advantageous but is not essential. Why Consider This Role? This is a unique opportunity to join a business that is actively investing in growth, transformation and operational excellence. You'll have the autonomy to shape improvement activities, influence site performance and make a visible impact within a strategically important manufacturing operation. For an individual who enjoys identifying opportunities, implementing change and delivering tangible business improvements, this role offers significant exposure, ownership and long-term career potential. Opex, operations, operational, manufacturing, production, continuous, improvement, GMP, change, transformation, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, healthcare, customer, client