Head of Site Continuous Improvement/Lean

Pod Talent; Bayern; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20% bonus

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Pod Talent is pleased to be the exclusive retained partner for a globally recognised, multi-billion manufacturing business, on the search for Head of Site Continuous Improvement/Lean at one of its strongest performing plants.

Operational excellence is embedded here; you will lead site CI, coach teams with empathy, and set a 1–2 year vision while reporting to the Plant Director from a central Bavaria site. This role offers a competitive package with a 20% bonus.

Qualifications

• Strong continuous improvement or lean leadership background.
• Hands-on Lean, TPM and Six Sigma experience.
• Coaching style with accountability and empathy.
• Shop floor credibility with preventative maintenance knowledge.
• Fluent German and English.

Responsibilities

• Set CI/operational excellence vision with a clear site roadmap.
• Advance preventative maintenance to lighthouse level and manage spare parts.
• Turn KPI data into action to raise productivity and asset use.
• Coach leaders and operators on problem solving on the shop floor.
• Lead the CI/Opex team and represent the site in the global network.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

TPM

Coaching

Shop floor leadership

German

English

Education

Engineering degree

Operations Management degree

Job description

Head of Site Continuous Improvement/Lean

Location: Bayern

Sector: Manufacturing and Engineering

Job Type: Permanent

Salary: €90k - 115k per year

Contact: Seb Taylor

Job ref: JOB-7346

Expiry date: 03-Dec-2026

Head of Site Continuous Improvement/Lean
Location: Central Bavaria/ Nuremberg | Site Based
Package: €90,000 - €115,000 + 20% bonus + package

Pod Talent is pleased to be the exclusive retained partner for a globally recognised, multi-billion manufacturing business, on the search for Head of Site Continuous Improvement/Lean at one of its strongest performing plants.

Operational excellence is already part of the daily language here. Years of disciplined execution have embedded the Production System across a large, highly automated site. Shop floor ownership programmes have lifted equipment reliability fivefold and delivered throughput 15 point gains within six months.

The next ambition is lighthouse status in preventative maintenance, with further gains in productivity and asset utilisation. The business wants a strong leader ideally with a blend of production and operational excellence experience and genuine strategic depth. Someone who can set a one to two year vision, coach teams with empathy, hold them to account, and tell reported progress from real progress.

Your Role

Reporting to the Plant Director and sitting on the Site Leadership Team, you’ll own operational excellence for the whole site and lead a growing team. You’ll spend as much time on the shop floor with production leaders as in the meeting room, with the autonomy to shape direction at a site that has the track record and appetite to back your ideas.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the CI/operational excellence vision for the site, with a clear roadmap and consistent delivery against the site master plan
• Take preventative maintenance to lighthouse level, driving progress in autonomous maintenance and spare parts management
• Turn KPI data into action, lifting productivity and asset utilisation across a large, multi-line operation
• Coach production leaders and operators, building problem solving capability and ownership on the shop floor
• Lead the CI/Opex team and represent the site within the global network

What You’ll Bring

• A strong continuous improvement. operational excellence or lead background, ideally mixed with experience in production. Open to any industry but high volume fast moving manufacturing environments would be advantageous
• Hands on experience with Lean, TPM, Six Sigma or similar systems, applied at a strategic level as well as on the lines
• A coaching style that combines mentorship and support with the confidence to challenge and hold people accountable
• Shop floor credibility backed by real depth in preventative and autonomous maintenance, so you know what good looks like and can coach towards it
• Fluent German and English, ideally with a degree in Engineering, Operations Management or a related field

What We Offer

• The chance to lead operational excellence at a top performing, mature site with real autonomy and an engaged workforce
• Genuine influence over strategy, working alongside a leadership team that backs its people
• Multiple routes to progression for high achievers, and a great business to build a career in if you aspire to become a plant or factory director and further
• A competitive package with a 20% bonus and strong benefits

Pod Talent is dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams with our clients. So if you are excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply as we are always on the lookout for great talent!