Continuous Improvement Analyst

John Lewis Partnership; Darwen; Remote; GBP 43,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

John Lewis Partnership’s Herbert Parkinson site in Darwen is transforming its manufacturing capability to secure long‑term success and to create broader, more fulfilling roles for Partners.

The role leads continuous improvement, applying Six Sigma/DMAIC and Lean methods to optimise processes, reduce waste, and deliver value across workstreams. It is a permanent, full‑time position based at Darwen with a salary between £43,100 and £64,700 depending on experience.

Qualifications

• Experience in a manufacturing/operational environment.
• Proven experience in process improvement using Six Sigma, DMAIC or Lean methodologies.
• Green Belt accreditation or equivalent.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across multiple levels.
• Able to plan and prioritise work while handling multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Promote a positive Health & Safety culture and maintain high housekeeping standards.
• Identify waste and drive business improvement initiatives to deliver value.
• Support product development by optimising processes and understanding true cost to make.
• Provide robust analysis and insight to inform end-to-end solutions and improvements.
• Engage with stakeholders to establish process ownership and manage priorities to timescales & budget.

Skills

Manufacturing/Operations

Six Sigma DMAIC

Green Belt

Stakeholder management

Prioritisation

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.

• 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

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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.