Continuous Improvement Lead

CUPONING PULICIDAD S.L.; Bradford; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional water services provider based in Bradford is seeking a Continuous Improvement Lead. This role focuses on enhancing service delivery through coaching and operational assessments. The ideal candidate has a strong background in continuous improvement and excellent analytical skills. Hybrid working is available, with travel across Yorkshire required to support various teams.

Benefits

Flexible working patterns

Job share options

Accessibility support

Qualifications

• Experience in continuous improvement in utilities or engineering sectors.
• Ability to engage and influence others.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage maturity assessments for asset maintenance processes.
• Coach and mentor teams for improvement initiatives.
• Observe operations and document process improvements.

Skills

Continuous improvement

Operational excellence

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Coaching

Education

Lean Six Sigma qualification

Tools

MS Excel

Power BI

Job description

Overview

Continuous Improvement Lead – 12-month fixed term contract / secondment with potential for extension. Location: Buttershaw, Bradford. Hybrid working (minimum 1 office day per week plus flexibility to travel around Yorkshire regularly, shadowing our field teams). Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Continuous Improvement Lead to join the Engineering Continuous Improvement Team at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers. Could this be you?

What We Do

We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, ensuring over 5.4 million people can rely on our services with clean and safe drinking water and properly managed wastewater. We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to protect Yorkshire’s water 24/7, 365 days a year. New environmental legislation, investment, and changing customer expectations create opportunities within the water industry. The Engineering Continuous Improvement Team is a key part of how we plan to meet these expectations.

You will play a key role in delivering maturity assessments and driving continuous improvement across our end-to-end asset maintenance process. This role involves regular travel across Yorkshire, working out in the field, at different office locations, and occasionally from home. You’ll be instrumental in supporting teams to achieve their best, with a strong emphasis on coaching and capability building.

Where You Fit In

As our Continuous Improvement Lead you will:

• Manage the full delivery of maturity assessments in structured stages, adapting timing to operational needs.
• Initiate contact and introduction meetings with Team Leaders, sharing presentations and planning assessment kick-off dates.
• Confirm assessment scope, logistics, and outputs with Team Leaders; plan site visits, 1-1 discussions, and team meetings.
• Map and document workflow processes (from job initiation to closure) and produce a comprehensive assessment plan.
• Observe day-to-day operations, tools, and behaviours in the field; conduct one-to-one and group discussions; attend or review team meetings using structured guides.
• Capture observation notes, team insights, and identify improvement opportunities.
• Coach and mentor Team Leaders and team members, supporting them to identify strengths, address gaps, and develop improvement skills.
• Empower teams through coaching to own and sustain improvement actions, fostering a culture of feedback, learning, and collaboration.
• Interview Team Leaders/Deputies to explore leadership behaviours, performance management, and problem-solving; review improvement measures and document leadership insights.
• Generate and prioritise action plans, assigning ownership and target dates collaboratively.
• Deliver playback presentations to Team Leaders and stakeholders, presenting scores, strengths, themes, and agreed actions; confirm action ownership and follow-up.

What Skills & Qualifications You Will Need

• A passion for improving how we do things at Yorkshire Water
• Proven experience in continuous improvement, operational excellence, or a similar role ideally within utilities, engineering, or asset-intensive environments.
• An ability to engage and influence colleagues, building relationships and bringing people along the journey
• Experience of identifying problems and opportunities and solving them
• An ability to extract data from our corporate systems and turn it into insightful analysis using MS Excel and Power BI
• The ability to understand user requirements and translate them into user stories for technical development, working within the Agile Framework
• Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Demonstrated coaching ability, with a passion for developing others and enabling sustainable change
• Analytical mindset with the ability to observe, assess, and document processes objectively
• Confident in presenting findings and driving action plans
• Proficient in using assessment tools, spreadsheets, and digital collaboration platforms
• Willingness to travel regularly across Yorkshire and work flexibly in the field, in offices, and from home as required.

You Will Also Benefit From Having

• Knowledge of Yorkshire Water above-ground assets
• Understanding of our performance commitments and regulatory obligations
• Awareness and experience of the Yorkshire Water corporate systems used to plan, schedule and deliver work
• A recognised qualification in improvement, such as Lean Six Sigma Yellow, Green or Black belt

We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and support flexible working patterns and job share options where possible to help you balance work and home life. If you have an accessibility need or disability, please mention this in your application so we can discuss reasonable adjustments.

How to Apply

If you’ve got experience in Continuous Improvement and want to help us deliver great service for our customers whilst looking after the environment, apply today to discover what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you.

Accessibility: We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require adjustments, please include this information in your application and we will discuss accordingly.

Pre-employment checks: A Basic Disclosure Check may be required prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also undergo security vetting (Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check). All roles are subject to a medical questionnaire and additional medicals when required.

No agencies please

LNKD1_UKTJ