Our client is looking for a Continuous Improvement Co-ordinator to join their team to support their business in embedding practical, sustainable lean manufacturing across their Production environment.
This role exists to help move our client from reactive improvement activity to a more structured and sustainable lean manufacturing approach.
The role will support Production Managers and supervisors to improve standard work, visual management, WIP control, problem solving and day-to-day operational discipline. It will also help build understanding, engagement and capability across the manufacturing team so that improvements are sustained over time.
This role is expected to deliver measurable operational benefit through waste reduction, rework reduction, improved labour effectiveness, better use of space and stronger operational control.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the implementation of lean manufacturing principles across manufacturing activities in a practical and structured way.
- Work with Production Managers and supervisors to improve daily operational discipline and embed continuous improvement into routine practice.
- Help develop, document and improve standard work at key production stages.
- Introduce and improve visual management so that production status, abnormalities, standards and priorities are more visible and easier to manage.
- Support WIP reduction activity and improve the use of factory floor space through better organisation, flow and control.
- Facilitate and support root cause problem solving, helping teams define issues clearly, identify root causes, implement corrective actions and reduce recurrence.
- Support the rollout of improvement activity in priority areas including rework reduction, scrap reduction, waste reduction, equipment optimisation, SMED and error proofing.
- Work with managers and supervisors to improve process flow, reduce delay, reduce firefighting and improve labour effectiveness.
- Support the development of skills matrices, team capability and supervisor confidence in leading improvement activity.
- Help educate and build understanding of WGLL through coaching, communication, practical support and visual standards.
- Track, measure and report on improvement activity and outcomes, ensuring benefits are visible and supported by data where possible.
- Identify opportunities for small-scale improvement projects and support their delivery in a controlled, practical and prioritised sequence.
- Build strong working relationships across operations to support engagement, consistency and sustainability of improvements.
- Promote a culture where problems are made visible, standards are followed, waste is challenged and continuous improvement becomes part of everyday work.
Experience
- Experience working in a manufacturing, production or operational environment.
- Previous experience supporting or delivering continuous improvement, lean manufacturing or operational improvement activity.
- Experience of working with frontline teams, supervisors and managers to improve processes and ways of working.
- Experience of identifying waste, inefficiency or repeat issues and supporting practical corrective action.
- Experience of using problem solving methods and improvement tools in a hands-on operational setting.
- Experience of helping to introduce or improve visual management, standard work or process controls would be beneficial.
- Experience in timber manufacturing or a make-to-order production environment would be helpful but is not essential.
Key Skills ands Qualifications
- Good understanding of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methods.
- Practical knowledge of tools such as root cause analysis, 5 Whys, visual management, standard work, waste reduction and process improvement.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to plan, prioritise and follow through.
- Able to work in a practical, hands-on way with teams across the factory.
- Good communication skills, with the ability to explain improvement activity clearly and support others to adopt new ways of working.
- Able to influence and build credibility with managers, supervisors and shopfloor teams.
- Comfortable working with data, measures and operational information to identify issues and track progress.
- Proactive, resilient and solutions-focused, with a strong sense of accountability.
- Good attention to detail and a disciplined approach to maintaining standards.
- Lean or continuous improvement qualification desirable, but practical manufacturing improvement experience is equally important.
