Continuous Improvement Manager

REFRESCO; Kegworth; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

28 days annual leave + bank holidays

Eye-care vouchers

GroceryAid support

Cheer benefits platform

Job summary

Refresco is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager for our Kegworth site in the United Kingdom. You will lead the company's CI strategy, driving performance and embedding a culture of continuous improvement across manufacturing operations.

You will identify and close performance gaps, deliver hands-on project leadership, and coach teams to sustain improvements in quality, safety, service and cost. This role offers a permanent, full-time position with 38 hours per week.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering operational improvement programmes in fast-paced manufacturing (FMCG preferred).
• Strong analytical skills and data-driven decision making.
• Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels to achieve sustainable improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead continuous improvement projects from concept through implementation and handover.
• Identify opportunities to improve quality, safety, service, efficiency and utility consumption.
• Drive improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and waste reduction.
• Coach & develop colleagues in CI tools and methodologies across the site.
• Analyse operational data and trends to prioritise actions and outcomes.
• Support health & safety improvements and risk reduction initiatives.

Skills

Change agent

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Project management

OEE improvement

Cross-functional work

Job description

Career Opportunities: Continuous Improvement Manager (17530)

Requisition ID17530-Posted07/08/2026-United Kingdom-Kegworth

This is an exciting opportunity to join Refresco and play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence across our manufacturing operations. You'll be at the forefront of continuous improvement initiatives, leading change, enhancing efficiencies, and delivering measurable improvements in safety, quality, service, and cost. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you'll influence positive change and help embed a culture of continuous improvement throughout the business.

Continuous Improvement Manager
Permanent
Refresco Kegworth
Full Time, 38 hours per week

What's in it for you?

• Annual bonus and regular pay reviews
• Early Friday finish to kick-start your weekend
• 28 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase additional leave, increasing your allowance to 31 days plus bank holidays
• Life assurance coverage
• 24/7 virtual GP access for you and your family
• Free eye-care vouchers and discounted glasses
• Employee referral scheme with bonuses for successful referrals
• GroceryAid support services offering financial, legal, wellbeing and practical guidance
• Cheers benefits platform providing discounts, free perks, and wellbeing tools
• Free onsite parking and discounted products

About The Role

As Continuous Improvement Manager, you will lead the implementation of Refresco's Continuous Improvement methodology, driving site performance and helping achieve strategic business objectives. You will identify opportunities for improvement across quality, safety, service, efficiency, and utility consumption, delivering sustainable results through practical, hands‑on project leadership and coaching.

• Act as a leading change agent across the site, identifying and closing performance gaps against key operational targets.
• Embed a culture of continuous improvement throughout the business, ensuring sustainable improvement tools and practices become part of everyday operations.
• Lead and deliver improvement projects from concept through to implementation and handover, ensuring delivery to agreed timelines, budgets, safety and quality standards.
• Implement and champion Refresco's Continuous Improvement methodology across all operational areas.
• Analyse operational data, trends, and reports to identify improvement opportunities and prioritise actions.
• Lead and support cross-functional teams to deliver performance improvements and strategic objectives.
• Drive improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), waste reduction, operational efficiency, product quality, customer service, and utility consumption.
• Use strong operational knowledge and project management expertise to deliver complex improvement initiatives successfully.
• Coach and develop colleagues across all levels of the business, building continuous improvement capability and creating a lasting legacy of skills.
• Support improvements in health and safety performance through proactive problem-solving and risk reduction initiatives.
• Facilitate innovative thinking and promote best practice sharing to continuously improve operational performance.
• Ensure continuous improvement activities contribute to achieving site strategic goals and long-term business success.

About You

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in delivering operational improvement programmes within a fast‑paced manufacturing environment, ideally FMCG. You will have a passion for driving change, strong analytical skills, and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels to achieve sustainable business improvements.

We want someone who will lead and role model the Refresco core values of Agile, Responsible, Excellent, Passionate and Entrepreneurial. Find out more about our values here:

Refresco is the global independent beverage solutions provider for Global, National and Emerging brands, and retailers with production in Europe, North America, and Australia. Refresco offers an extensive range of product and packaging combinations from juices to carbonated soft drinks and mineral waters in carton, PET, Aseptic PET, cans, and glass.

Refresco continuously searches for new and alternative ways to improve the quality of its products and packaging combinations in line with consumer and customer demand, environmental responsibilities, and market trends.

Refresco is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and has more than 13,500 employees. www.refresco.com

Our drinks on every table. That's the Refresco vision.

We're the proud owners of six drinks manufacturing sites within the UK, employing over 1,800 colleagues who produce private label soft drinks and fruit juices for many of the UK's leading retailers.

Whether it's packed in cartons, bottles or cans, we ensure that our products are made to the highest quality standards and delivered to our customers when and where they need them.

Refresco believes that equal opportunity for all is fundamental to our company's values and all our applicants can expect fairness and transparency in our recruitment process.