Continuous Improvement Lead

James Walker; Cockermouth; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

James Walker, Cockermouth, is seeking a Continuous Improvement Lead to drive Lean and Six Sigma initiatives across manufacturing operations. The role focuses on embedding a culture of continuous improvement, coaching teams, and delivering measurable benefits in safety, quality, cost, and delivery.

You will lead projects using DMAIC/DFSS, analyse KPI trends, and partner with multiple functions to sustain change and unlock productivity.

Qualifications

• Certified Six Sigma Black Belt with hands-on Lean deployment.
• Experience working to ISO standards.
• Advanced problem-solving and data analysis skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the site’s continuous improvement strategy aligned with business goals.
• Identify, prioritise, and deliver improvement projects that enhance safety, quality, cost, delivery, and people performance.
• Lead cross-functional teams through structured improvement initiatives.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence throughout the organisation.
• Champion Lean methodologies and identify non-value-added activities and waste across the value stream.
• Lead DMAIC and DFSS projects to improve process capability and reduce variation.
• Coach and mentor Green Belts, supervisors, and operational teams in Lean and Six Sigma.
• Analyse operational performance data (KPIs) and report project status, benefits and improvements.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and HSE teams to drive improvements.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Problem solving & root cause analysis

Facilitation & coaching

Stakeholder management

Project management

Manufacturing/operations experience

Statistical software & data analysis

Education

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification

IOSH Managing Safely (Desirable)

Tools

Statistical software

Job description

Continuous Improvement Lead

Cockermouth

About James Walker

James Walker is part of the James Walker Group of Companies, who are a successful global Industrial organisation supplying high performance sealing products and solutions. With state-of-the-art material technology skills, the James Walker Strategic Business Unit (SBU) of the James Walker Group specialises in the provision of sealing solutions (elastomers, polymers, composites, engineering plastics, high nickel alloys).

Our worldwide group of companies has operations, sales and service entities across Europe, Middle East, India, Australia, New Zealand, SE Asia, South Africa and North and South America

Your Role

As a Continuous Improvement Lead you will lead and facilitate continuous improvement activities across manufacturing operations, embedding Lean and Six Sigma principles to improve operational performance, increase customer satisfaction, and support the achievement of business objectives.

Acting as a change agent, the role develops organisational capability through coaching, mentoring, and engaging teams in a culture of continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Continuous Improvement Leadership

• Develop and execute the site's continuous improvement strategy aligned with business goals.
• Identify, prioritise, and deliver improvement projects that enhance safety, quality, cost, delivery, and people performance.
• Lead cross-functional teams through structured improvement initiatives.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence throughout the organisation.

Lean Manufacturing Deployment

• Champion Lean methodologies including:
• Identify and eliminate non-value-added activities and waste across the value stream.

Six Sigma Project Leadership

• Lead DMAIC and DFSS projects to improve process capability and reduce variation.
• Utilise statistical analysis tools to identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.
• Deliver measurable savings and operational improvements through data-driven decision-making.
• Maintain governance of project pipelines and benefits realisation.

Coaching and Capability Building

• Coach and mentor Green Belts, supervisors, and operational teams in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Facilitate problem-solving workshops and Kaizen events.
• Deliver training programmes to build continuous improvement capability across the business.
• Develop a culture of accountability, ownership, and data-based decision-making.

Performance Analysis and Reporting

• Analyse operational performance data (KPI's) to identify trends and opportunities.
• Produce regular reports on project status, financial benefits, and operational improvements.
• Present findings and recommendations to site and senior leadership teams.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and HSE teams to drive improvements.
• Influence stakeholders at all levels to gain commitment and sustain change.
• Support strategic business initiatives and transformation programmes.

Key Success Measures

• Improvement in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Reduction in manufacturing costs.
• Increased productivity and throughput.
• Reduction in defects, scrap, and rework.
• Improvement in customer quality metrics.
• Lead time reduction.
• Achievement of project savings targets.
• Employee engagement in continuous improvement activities.
• Increased Lean and Six Sigma capability across the organisation.

About you

Preferred Skill & Experience

• Experience of working to ISO standards

Essential Skill & Experience

• Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (or equivalent).
• Advanced problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Knowledge of statistical software and data analysis tools.
• Project management experience.
• Strong facilitation, coaching, and influencing skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience within a manufacturing or operational environment

Preferred Qualifications

• IOSH Managing Safely (Desirable)

Essential Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (Essential)