Head of Site Continuous Improvement/Lean

Pod Talent; Nürnberg; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20% bonus

Strong benefits

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Pod Talent is pleased to be exclusive partner for a global manufacturing leader seeking a Head of Site Continuous Improvement/Lean at a top-performing plant in Germany. You will own operational excellence across the site, coach a growing team on problem solving, and drive a roadmap to lighthouse status in preventative maintenance while improving productivity and asset utilisation.

This role blends shop floor leadership with strategic direction and offers strong benefits, a competitive bonus, and

Qualifications

• Strong CI/operational excellence or lead background, ideally with production experience.
• Hands-on experience with Lean, TPM, Six Sigma, applied at strategic and line levels.
• Coaching style that mentors and holds people accountable.
• Shop floor credibility with maintenance knowledge and hands-on problem solving.
• Fluent German and English; degree in Engineering, Operations Management or related field.

Responsibilities

• Set the CI/operational excellence vision for the site with a clear roadmap and master plan.
• Take preventative maintenance to lighthouse level, driving autonomous maintenance and spare parts management.
• Turn KPI data into action, improving productivity and asset utilization across a large multi-line site.
• 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.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

TPM

Leadership

Coaching

English proficiency

German proficiency

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

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

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. Pod Talent is dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams with our clients.