Continuous Improvement Manager

The Compleat Food Group; Poole; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading food company as a Continuous Improvement Manager in Poole where you'll drive operational excellence. This role involves leading projects, reducing waste, and enhancing quality across the site, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. You will play a pivotal role in building capability, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring impactful results aligned with company goals. The position invites innovative thinkers ready to make a difference.

Benefits

33 days holiday (including bank holidays)

Employee Volunteering Days

Online retail discounts

24/7 Access to Grocery Aid

Qualifications

• Formal qualification in Lean, Six Sigma, TPS, or equivalent CI methodology preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in manufacturing or supply chain.
• Green or Black Belt certification in Lean Six Sigma – Desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead improvement projects by identifying performance gaps.
• Collaborate with teams for data-driven improvement opportunities.
• Coach and mentor staff in continuous improvement tools.

Skills

Problem-solving

Team Collaboration

Data Analysis

Education

HNC/HND or relevant degree in operational discipline

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Join our CI Team in Poole!

We are thrilled to offer an exceptional opportunity for an experienced site Continuous Improvement Manager to champion continuous improvement and operational transformation.

In this pivotal role, you’ll lead the charge in identifying and closing performance gaps, boosting efficiency, reducing waste, and enhancing quality and safety across our site operation.

You’ll embed a culture of continuous improvement by building capability at every level of the organisation. From leading high-impact projects to standardising data-driven processes, your influence will be felt across the site, helping us deliver smarter, safer, and more sustainable results, aligned with both our site and divisional goals.

Who We Are

At The Compleat Food Group, we're on a mission to create delectable food that not only brings joy to your taste buds but also extends love to our planet. We fondly refer to it as 'Food to Feel Good' because we believe in savouring every bite whilst making a positive impact.

Our team of over 5,000 remarkable individuals forms the core of all that we undertake. Their genuine passion drives the creation of delectable products for UK consumers, prominent retailers, and our thrilling market-leading brands such as Wall's Pastry, Squeaky Bean, and Unearthed.

Working Hours

The working hours are Monday to Friday between 08:00 to 17:00. We offer hybrid and flexible working. There may also be a requirement to attend work during nights.

Your Duties Will Include

• Deploy and champion the company’s Operational Excellence Maturity Assessment within your site
• Collaborate with operational teams to identify, prioritise, and execute improvement opportunities using data analysis, process observation, and industry best practice
• Establish current state performance, capture key metrics, and develop project flight plans to close identified gaps
• Apply structured project governance, including regular reporting on progress and benefit realization for site MPPs
• Facilitate and lead cross-functional teams to deliver improvement outcomes
• Leverage knowledge of equipment, processes, and systems to enable the successful delivery of complex site initiatives
• Gather and present data effectively to drive decision-making and facilitate change
• Coach and mentor colleagues in lean principles and CI tools, including
• Enable sustainable capability by embedding CI knowledge within teams
• Deliver hands-on support to initiatives as required, working both independently and as part of broader teams
• Provide analytic support to enable an understanding of Current state, baseline performance and capture existing issues
  
  

Your Skills And Experience

• Ideally a Formal qualification in Lean, Six Sigma, TPS, or equivalent CI methodology
• Minimum HNC/HND, relevant degree, or completed apprenticeship in an operational discipline
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience within manufacturing, supply chain, or transactional environments
• Proven track record in delivering CI projects and leading cross-functional teams
• Green or Black Belt certification in Lean Six Sigma – Desirable
• Project management experience or training – Desirable
• A solid understanding of continuous improvement approaches
• Great at bringing people together, guiding discussions, and encouraging positive change
• A natural problem-solver
• Confident with tech, especially Excel, PowerPoint, and process mapping software—you use them to turn data into clear actions
  
  

Benefits

• 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 2 Employee Volunteering Days per year
• Online and High-street retailer discount scheme
• Employee well-being and community support groups
• Informal and Formal training opportunities with personalised online LMS platform
• Charity Initiatives and Team events
• 24/7 Access to Grocery Aid (Free Financial, Emotional and Practical Support)
• Physical Wellbeing Benefits – Free on demand exercise hub and various gym discounts.
• Online Wellbeing benefits
• Free Financial wellbeing – mortgage calculators, budget tools, financial aid tools
• Holiday Discounts via Online Retail Discount
  
  

The Compleat Food Group fosters an inclusive, respectful culture where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued. We welcome diverse talent, knowing it drives exceptional results and a better workplace.

We are committed to Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect, we ensure all colleagues can thrive by bringing their whole selves to work. As an equal opportunity’s employer, we provide all the support you need to succeed.

Contact us with any questions about Diversity & Inclusion or accessibility during the application process.

Recruitment Agencies

We have a small, active and trusted Preferred Supplier List to assist us if required. We do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions. We only accept CV submissions for roles released to you directly by our Talent Acquisition team.

If you would be interested in working with us, please send a message to [e-mail] and should we have any roles we need additional support with we will reach out to you.

Apply now