Global Operational Excellence Lead

ENGINEERINGUK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

RS is seeking a Global Operational Excellence Lead to drive OPEX/CI programmes across global teams. This role requires Lean and Continuous Improvement expertise, Black Belt-level initiatives, and a focus on financial processes.

You will lead complex, cross-functional projects, embed a culture of continuous improvement, and coach stakeholders to ensure benefits realisation, governance, and sustainable BAU improvements across regions.

Qualifications

• Black Belt or advanced Green Belt with proven CI delivery across global teams.
• Experience translating strategy into actionable OPEX plans with measurable outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management and leadership of cross-functional, matrix teams.
• Ability to coach and embed a culture of continuous improvement at scale.
• Proficiency with standard process-improvement tools and MS Office suite.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver OPEX/CI programmes and Black Belt projects within governance and Hoshin plans.
• Drive Lean Management System adoption and CI maturity across regional teams.
• Identify opportunities via value stream mapping and structured problem solving to reduce waste.
• Ensure governance and reporting for benefits realisation, KPIs and risks.
• Build stakeholder relationships and champion CI/OPEX across BAU operations.

Skills

Black Belt

Lean / CI

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Data-driven decisions

Tools

Lean Management System

Process improvement platforms

Microsoft Office

Job description

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View more categories View less categories Sector Supply Chain and Procurement Role Manager Contract Type Permanent Hours Full Time

Location

This is a hybrid role, offering a combination of being able to work remotely and from our Manchester, Corby or London office.

Contract Type

18 months FTC

The Opportunity

As the Global Operational Excellence Lead, you will lead high-impact transformation programmes that drive operational excellence, improve customer outcomes and deliver measurable business value.

Working across global teams, you will champion Lean and Continuous Improvement methodologies, lead complex Black Belt-level initiatives, and identify opportunities to enhance efficiency, scalability and future-state ways of working. With strong strategic and stakeholder leadership, you will influence change, build capability, and help embed a culture of continuous improvement across the organisation wiht a heavy focus on all Financial processes.

What You Will Be Doing

• Lead and deliver OPEX/Continuous Improvement programmes and Black Belt projects in line with governance frameworks, strategic objectives and Hoshin plans, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery and sustainable business outcomes.
• Drive Lean Management System adoption, CI maturity and capability development across regional teams through coaching, training, certification, communities of practice and embedding a culture of operational excellence.
• Identify, prioritise and execute process improvement opportunities through value stream mapping, automation and structured problem solving, reducing waste, defects and inefficiencies while increasing customer value, scalability and process performance.
• Ensure robust performance management, governance and reporting by tracking strategic objectives, benefits realisation, KPIs, risks and project progress, enabling data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships and act as a CI/OPEX champion, promoting best practices, sharing success stories, supporting change adoption and ensuring improvements are embedded and sustained in BAU operations.

What You'll Bring

• Strong Continuous Improvement/Operational Excellence professional with Black Belt (or advanced Green Belt) expertise and a proven track record of translating strategy into actionable plans and delivering results on time and in full.
• Extensive experience leading complex, cross-functional and global improvement programmes, managing priorities effectively, and delivering outcomes through others in matrix environments.
• Skilled in stakeholder management, influencing and partnering with senior leaders, with excellent communication, coaching and training capabilities across all organisational levels.
• Passionate change agent and process improvement champion who challenges the status quo, drives customer-focused solutions, and promotes a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Highly resourceful, analytical and resilient self-starter with strong interpersonal skills, adaptability, and proficiency in Microsoft Office tools and process improvement platforms

We Are RS

At RS, we are making amazing happen for a better world.

As a global product and service solutions provider, we help industrial customers operate more efficiently and sustainably. Operating in 33 markets, we support around one million customers worldwide with more than 875,000 stocked products, access to over five million additional products, and a range of service solutions designed to help businesses thrive.

What sets us apart is our people. More than 8,500 colleagues around the world bring technical expertise, digital innovation, and a customer first mindset to everything we do. Guided by our values - We are one team, We deliver brilliantly, We do the right thing, and We make every day better, we're creating an environment where our people can grow, contribute and make a meaningful impact.

Join us and help make amazing happen.

Rewards

Our Reward Strategy Philosophy is designed to offer market competitive base salaries and provide all of our people the opportunity to participate in a short-term incentive, enabling them to share in the success of the Company.

Our total reward package is more than just the cash; our recognition and benefit offering provide the opportunity for us to recognise, reward and enable the wellbeing of our people at all stages of their journey with RS. Our rewards and benefits vary by country, but include:

• Financial - pension/retirement; life assurance; salary finance (payroll deduction loan scheme)
• Wellbeing - medical plans; health screening; critical illness; disability insurance; holiday / paid time off; employee assistance programme; discounted gym/health club membership
• Lifestyle - transportation assistance schemes (e.g., cycle to work, travel loans, car leasing); onsite catering/lunch vouchers; retail discounts
• Spotlight - our global recognition programme provides a platform to highlight and recognise people role modelling our values

Ready to Make Amazing Happen?

Join over 8,500 colleagues and help us shape the future of our industry. Whoever you are, wherever you are - it all starts here.

Company

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