Continuous Improvement Manager

Warner Hotels; Hemel Hempstead; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality company in Hemel Hempstead seeks a Continuous Improvement Manager to oversee efficiency initiatives and manage change across operations. The ideal candidate has over 5 years of experience in business transformation with a strong understanding of hotel operations. This role involves strategic planning and hands-on project execution, offering the chance to impact service quality and productivity.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in business transformation or operational improvement.
• Experience within hospitality or service industries preferred.
• Proven track record of leading cross-functional projects.

Responsibilities

• Manage efficiency initiatives from concept to implementation.
• Conduct assessments into operational workflows to uncover inefficiencies.
• Lead end-to-end execution of efficiency initiatives.

Skills

Process mapping and analysis

Data analysis and reporting using Excel

Problem-solving

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Effective time management

Tools

Power BI

Change management frameworks

Job description

The UK’s leading provider of adult short break experiences, Warner Hotels, is a collection of unique properties in great locations across the UK. All short breaks at a Warner Hotel include breakfast, dinner and specified entertainment and activities, ensuring guests make the most of their time away. Situated in stunning locations nationwide including Heythrop Park in the Cotswolds, Studley Castle in Warwickshire, Thoresby Hall in Nottinghamshire and The Runnymede on Thames, each hotel offers its own personal character that makes every Warner Hotels stay unique.

If you want to know about the requirements for this role, read on for all the relevant information.

We are looking to recruit a Continuous Improvement Manager. This role is responsible for managing efficiency initiatives from concept through to implementation handover, ensuring they deliver tangible value in service quality, cost control, and productivity. This role blends strategic thinking with hands‑on project delivery and change management. It requires a strong analytical mindset, cross‑functional collaboration, and the ability to influence at all levels of the business.

Key Responsibilities

Efficiency Identification & Analysis

• Conduct deep‑draft assessments into operational workflows, guest services and back‑office functions to uncover inefficiencies.
• Use data‑driven insights to benchmark performance and identify areas for cost reduction, time savings, and service enhancement.

Innovation Strategy & Solution Design

• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ideate and design innovative solutions that improve productivity, sustainability, and guest experience.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, automation tools, and process redesigns for applicability within the hotel environment.

Project Management & Implementation

• Lead the end‑to‑end execution of the identification and planning of efficiency initiatives—from concept validation and stakeholder alignment to rollout and post‑implementation review.
• Develop detailed project plans, KPIs, and timelines, ensuring delivery on scope, budget, and impact.

Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management

• Act as a change champion, communicating the vision and benefits of innovation initiatives across departments.
• Identify training, support, and feedback loops to ensure successful adoption and cultural integration.

Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

• Track and report on the outcomes of implemented initiatives, using metrics to assess ROI and inform future strategy.
• Maintain a continuous improvement mindset, regularly revisiting processes for refinement and scalability.

The role is based at head office for a minimum of three days per week but also involves national travel to hotel sites to engage teams and review implementation. What sets it apart is its end‑to‑end ownership of innovation projects and its mandate to challenge the status quo. It acts as a catalyst for continuous improvement and future‑focused transformation within the hotel portfolio.

Knowledge

• Broad understanding of hotel operations including front office, housekeeping, food & beverage, finance, procurement, and IT.
• Working knowledge of departmental workflows to identify inefficiencies and design practical, impactful solutions.
• Cross‑functional awareness to collaborate effectively across teams and ensure initiatives align with business goals.
• Familiarity with departmental KPIs and service standards to measure success and guide improvements.
• Ability to connect strategic goals with operational realities, ensuring innovations are both visionary and executable.
• Confident with change management principles to support adoption and cultural integration of new processes.
• Analytical and systems‑thinking mindset to understand how departments interrelate and influence overall performance.

Skills

Technical Skills

• Process mapping and analysis
• Data analysis and reporting using Excel, Power BI, or similar tools
• Understanding of hotel systems
• Change management frameworks experience

Additional Core Skills

• Problem‑solving: Ability to diagnose root causes and design effective, scalable solutions
• Strategic planning: Aligning innovation initiatives with long‑term business goals
• Project management:
• Stakeholder engagement: Influencing and collaborating across departments and levels
• Communication: Translating complex ideas into clear, actionable plans
• Effective time management.

The role is both strategic and operational. Strategic in identifying long-term innovation opportunities and aligning them with business objectives. Operational in executing initiatives, managing change, and reviewing delivery on the ground.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in business transformation, operational improvement, or innovation roles
• Experience within hospitality or service industries is preferred, with exposure to hotel operations highly beneficial
• Proven track record of leading cross‑functional projects and delivering measurable outcomes