Head of Operational Excellence

JR United Kingdom; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job description

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Head of Operational Excellence, United Kingdom

Client:

Lakeland Dairies

Location:

United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

EU work permit required:

Yes

Job Views:

6

Posted:

24.04.2025

Expiry Date:

08.06.2025

Job Description:

Head of Operational Excellence:

Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society Limited (The Group) is the second largest dairy processor on the island of Ireland. The business is complex and ambitious with a milk supply pool of 2 billion litres of milk, drawn from over 3,200 family farms across 16 counties.

With the most modern dairy manufacturing facilities in 6 locations on a cross-border basis, the Group supplies to a broad customer base including some of the world’s foremost ‘blue chip’ companies across the dairy food ingredients, foodservice and consumer food channels on a domestic Ireland, UK, European and global basis. Internationally we export some 240 different products to over 100 countries worldwide.

The Group’s Agribusiness Division (Lakeland Agri) operates a state-of-the-art Animal Feed Manufacturing Facility and is a leading and innovative provider of the highest quality feeds and agricultural inputs to dairy, beef, and sheep farmers across the north and south of Ireland.

The Role:

The Head of Operational Excellence will drive continuous improvement, operational efficiency and business transformation within the organisation, ensuring that all operations are efficient, effective, and aligned with the company's strategic goals.

This role is essential for creating and maintaining the company's competitive edge and for fostering a culture of excellence across the Supply Chain.

The Role Holder will do this by leading the design and execution of initiatives and processes aimed at improving productivity, minimising waste and enhancing quality. This role will develop the capability of the organisation in terms of using the best tools/methodologies and demonstrating the behaviours expected to deliver a sustainable cultural change.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the operational excellence initiatives, providing direction, support, and development opportunities to the team.
• Develop and implement operational excellence policies and procedures to ensure consistency and excellence across all operations.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement at all levels.
• Oversee the analysis and optimisation of operational processes working closely with Head of Site Operations to identify and agree priority areas of focus.
• Actively identify and address obstacles to cross-functional collaboration between divisions to ensure alignment and smooth execution.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant health and safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor and report on operational performance metrics, identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions as needed. Lead the operations group review to identify pipeline of opportunities and to prioritise accordingly.
• Collaborate with other departments, including production, supply chain, and procurement, to ensure that operational standards are maintained throughout the organisation.
• Develop a maturity assessment tool to assess the progress and adoption of the Operational Excellence programme.
• Manage resource allocation within the operational excellence team to optimise productivity and efficiency.
• Lead change management projects to ensure successful implementation of new processes.
• Stay up to date with industry trends and advancements in operational excellence thinking, updating and implementing best practices within the organisation.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, Business or a related discipline.
• Significant experience in operations management, operational excellence, process optimisation or transformation.
• Experience analysing complex supply chains and driving process improvement.
• Demonstrated experience in providing advisory expertise and shaping decision making through strategic engagement and influence.
• Proficiency in Lean Sigma Six tools and techniques.
• Proven leadership experience in managing cross-functional teams and change initiatives.
• Proficiency in process mapping, KPI development and performance management.

To apply for this role, please e-mail your CV and cover letter quoting reference OPS00252 to Gemma Lambe, Group Head of Talent Acquisition at [emailprotected].

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 2nd May 2025.

Lakeland Dairies Ltd is committed to having an inclusive workplace where every employee feels they belong. If you require accommodations to be made during the recruitment process or have questions relating to accessibility, please contact us at 049 4364200 or email [emailprotected].