Continuous Improvement Analyst

jlp; Darwen; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Herbert Parkinson, part of the John Lewis Partnership, is recruiting for a permanent role at our Darwen office near Manchester. The role offers 38.75 hours per week, with a salary between £43,100 and £64,700 depending on experience, plus a night premium of £4.75 per hour for hours 22:00-06:00.

You will lead process improvement initiatives in manufacturing, engage stakeholders, and help deliver CI programs; essential skills include Six Sigma/Lean and Green Belt accreditation.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a manufacturing/operational environment.
• Experience in process improvement using Six Sigma/DMAIC/ Lean.
• Green Belt Accredited.
• Stakeholder management & influencing at multiple levels.
• Able to plan and prioritise work effectively; multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Promote a positive Health & Safety culture, ensuring high standards of housekeeping.
• Report all accidents, Near Misses & areas for improvement promptly.
• Identify waste & support business improvement initiatives.
• Support Product Development Technician to optimise process efficiency.
• Provide robust analysis to drive end-to-end improvements.
• Engage stakeholders to establish process ownership and timelines.
• Provide measures and reporting to demonstrate impact of initiatives.
• Support CI tool learning and drive continuous improvement on site.
• Pursue personal development with a clear skills gap plan.

Skills

Manufacturing/operations experience

Process improvement (Six Sigma / DMAIC

Green Belt Accredited

Stakeholder management

Project prioritization

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

At Herbert Parkinson, a proud and historic part of the John Lewis Partnership, we are embarking on an exciting transformation journey to secure our long-term success. By investing in state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities, streamlining our operations, and creating broader, more fulfilling roles for our Partners, we are building a more sustainable and agile future. Join us as we continue to deliver exceptional quality and service for our customers while empowering our partners to thrive.

In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £4.75 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.

Expected salary - £43,100- £64,700 (dependent on experience)

Contract type - This position is a Permanent role. 38.75 Hours per week

Location - This role is based at our Herbert Parkinson Office in Darwen Nr Manchester.

Key responsibilities

• Promote a positive Health & Safety culture, ensuring high standards of housekeeping are maintained.
• Report all accidents, Near Misses & areas for improvement in a timely manner
• Identify waste & undertake business re-engineering opportunities, supporting & delivering the pipeline of business improvement initiatives
• Support the Product Development Technician in bringing a product concept to life; optimising process efficiency & understanding true cost to make
• Provide robust analysis and insight to challenge, shape and inform end-to-end solutions to drive improvements within your workstreams
• Support & engage with relevant stakeholders to establish process ownership to drive agreed priorities to timescale & budget
• Provide a suite of measures & reporting to key stakeholders to demonstrate impact and influence of process initiatives
• Support facilitated learning of CI tools & techniques to embed CI principles & drive a continuous improvement culture on site
• Invest in your own personal and professional development. Ensure a realistic & achievable performance plan is in place, with a clear skills GAP analysis to drive your development

Essential skills/experience you'll need

• Experience of working in a manufacturing / operational environment
• Demonstrable experience in process improvement using a recognised methodology (Six Sigma/DMAIC/ Lean. Proceed Engineering).
• Green Belt Accredited
• Stakeholder management & influencing skills; able to connect and influence at multiple levels
• Able to plan and prioritise work effectively; working on multiple projects at the same time

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Previous experience of a working in the textile industry

#LI-CS1

Closing Date:

November 5, 2026

Pay:

£43,100.00 - £64,700.00 Annual

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hours of Work:

38.75

Job Level:

Partnership Level 8

Where You'll Be Working:

Herbert Parkinson, Harvest Mill, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0HR

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

We're the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We're not just employees, we're Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there's never been a more exciting time to join us.

We're ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we're free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It's important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you'll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.