Continuous Improvement Manager

In The News; Hounslow; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

In The News is seeking an experienced Continuous Improvement Manager to own the site CI strategy in London, driving Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence across Engineering, Supply Chain, Technical, Production, Finance and HR. You will lead cross-functional projects, build dashboards and coach teams to deliver measurable improvements.

The role requires strong background in food manufacturing or FMCG, excellent data skills, and proven ability to influence at all levels of the business.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering CI programmes in food manufacturing or FMCG.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence.
• Experience leading cross-functional improvements and embedding change.
• Highly analytical with data interpretation and advanced Excel skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site's Continuous Improvement strategy to deliver measurable ops improvements.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence across all departments.
• Run structured problem-solving workshops using Lean tools (Root Cause Analysis, 5 Whys, Standard Work).
• Analyze operational data and KPIs to identify gaps, wastes, and productivity gains.
• Manage cross-functional improvement projects from concept to implementation.
• Develop performance dashboards and report progress to the Leadership Team.
• Coach managers and teams to build CI capability and accountability.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Operational Excellence

Root Cause Analysis

5 Whys

Process Mapping

Data Analysis

Stakeholder Management

Coaching & Development

Cross-functional Leadership

Advanced Excel

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Data Dashboards

Job description

Location: North-West London

Overview: We are seeking an experienced and driven Continuous Improvement Manager to join a leading food manufacturing business in London. Reporting directly to the General Manager, you'll take ownership of the site's Continuous Improvement strategy, driving Operational Excellence and embedding a culture of Lean Manufacturing across the business.

As a key member of the Leadership Team, you'll work cross functionally with Engineering, Supply Chain, Technical, Production, Finance and HR to improve safety, quality, service, cost and people performance. This is a fantastic opportunity for a hands on CI professional who thrives on delivering measurable improvements, leading change and developing teams to achieve operational excellence.

About you…

• Proven experience delivering Continuous Improvement programmes within a food manufacturing or fast paced FMCG environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence and structured problem-solving methodologies, including Root Cause Analysis, 5 Whys and Process Mapping.
• The Continuous Improvement Manager will have experience leading cross-functional improvement projects and embedding sustainable cultural change.
• Highly analytical with strong data interpretation skills and advanced Microsoft Excel capability.
• Excellent communication, coaching and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the business.

What will you be doing?

• Leading the site's Continuous Improvement strategy, ensuring projects align with business objectives and deliver measurable operational improvements.
• Driving Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence initiatives across all departments to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost and people performance.
• Leading structured problem-solving workshops using Lean tools such as Root Cause Analysis, 5 Whys, Standard Work and Visual Management.
• Analysing operational data and KPIs to identify performance gaps, waste reduction opportunities and productivity improvements.
• Managing cross-functional improvement and transformation projects from concept through to implementation, ensuring benefits are delivered and sustained.
• Developing performance dashboards, reporting progress to the Leadership Team and building robust business cases for improvement initiatives.
• As Continuous Improvement Manager, you will be coaching managers and teams to develop Continuous Improvement capability and embed a culture of accountability and operational excellence.
• Building strong working relationships across Engineering, Supply Chain, Technical, Finance, HR and Operations to drive collaboration and continuous improvement across the site.

So, what can they offer you?

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and growing food manufacturing business where Continuous Improvement is at the heart of its operational strategy.

You’ll become a key member of the Leadership Team with genuine influence over the site's future direction, leading business wide improvement initiatives that deliver tangible operational and financial benefits. The business is committed to investing in its people, systems and processes, providing the autonomy and support needed to make a real impact.

Whether your passion lies in Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, change management or developing high-performing teams, this role offers the opportunity to shape the future of a busy manufacturing site while progressing your own career within a successful and ambitious organisation.

We are keen to speak with experienced Continuous Improvement Managers, Operational Excellence Managers, Lean Managers, CI Managers, Manufacturing Excellence Managers, Lean Six Sigma Managers, Operational Improvement Managers, Project Managers or Operations Managers from the food manufacturing or FMCG sectors who are based in London, Croydon, Dartford, Bromley, Watford, Enfield, Slough, St Albans, Chelmsford or the surrounding areas.

We are only able to consider candidates who have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications we receive, we can only contact successful applicants.