Head of Process Excellence

pladis; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

pladis UK&I is seeking a Head of Process Excellence to lead the development and deployment of best-in-class process management across R&D and manufacturing. You will embed Lean Six Sigma, SPC and robust trial design to improve performance, unlock productivity and support new assets and technologies.

You will partner with Engineering, Operations and QA to drive cross-functional improvement programmes, build capability, and report progress with clear evidence to senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a science, engineering, food science or manufacturing field.
• Significant experience in process improvement, process engineering or operations leadership within manufacturing or R&D.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Six Sigma, SPC, process capability and root cause analysis.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver complex programmes.
• Excellent analytical skills with ability to translate data into action.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a process excellence strategy aligned to UK&I priorities and roadmaps.
• Lead Lean Six Sigma-driven improvement across quality, cost, capacity and waste.
• Embed SPC and data-driven performance management to reduce variation.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations and site teams to design experiments for new assets and processes.
• Drive cross-functional delivery with senior stakeholders and track benefits.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Statistical Process Control

DOE (Design of Experiments)

Cross-functional leadership

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, Food Science or Manufacturing

Tools

DOE

Job description

Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.

As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don't compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.

To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led, resilient and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility, we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact

What will this role achieve?

The Head of Process Excellence will lead the development and deployment of best-in-class process management across R&D and manufacturing, driving continuous improvement, operational efficiency, waste reduction and technical capability. This role will shape the process excellence strategy for UK&I, embedding Lean Six Sigma, statistical process control and robust trial design to improve performance, unlock productivity and support the successful implementation of new assets, technologies and ways of working.

What will be your key deliverables?

• Strategic leadership: Develop and execute a process excellence strategy aligned to UK&I business priorities, productivity ambitions and R&D technical roadmaps.
• Continuous improvement: Lead the use of Lean Six Sigma tools to assess current processes, identify inefficiencies and deliver sustainable improvement across quality, cost, capacity and waste.
• SPC and data-led performance: Embed statistical process control and performance management routines to improve process capability, reduce variation and enable better decision-making.
• Technical DOE leadership: Partner with engineering, operations and site teams to design experiments that optimise machinery settings, process parameters and new technology integration.
• Cross-functional delivery: Work closely with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain and R&D teams to align priorities and deliver process improvement initiatives at pace.
• Capability building: Establish and oversee training programmes that strengthen capability in Lean Six Sigma, SPC, root cause analysis, trial design and continuous improvement.
• Waste reduction: Identify and eliminate waste in all forms, including overproduction, waiting, transport, extra processing, inventory, motion and defects.
• Executive reporting: Define KPIs, track benefits and present progress, risks and recommendations to senior stakeholders in a clear, evidence-based way.

Bring your experience.

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, Food Science or Manufacturing,
• Significant experience in process improvement, process engineering or operations leadership within a manufacturing or R&D environment.
• Strong practical knowledge of Lean Six Sigma, statistical process control, process capability and root cause analysis - minimal green belt
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence senior stakeholders and deliver complex improvement programmes.
• Strong analytical skills, with experience interpreting process data, building KPIs and translating insight into action.
• Experience supporting new machinery, technology implementation or capital investment projects from a process excellence perspective.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex technical topics for different audiences.

Desirable

• Master's degree or equivalent professional qualification.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent certification.
• Experience in food, bakery, snacking or FMCG manufacturing environments.
• Experience leading DOE activity and optimising process parameters for new equipment or technology platforms.
• Track record of delivering measurable productivity, waste reduction or process capability improvements across multiple sites.

Our Values

Purpose led - We're energised and guided by our purpose to bring happiness with every bite

Agile - We're ever evolving, we never stand still, always improving for our customers and our consumers.

Positive - We're highly motivated optimistic, courageous, and we inspire each other to be better

Resilient - We're persistent in the face of setbacks, quick to adapt, learn and move forward

Collaborative - We gain strength from operating as one pladis, winning and succeeding together

Best mix of ingredients

pladis is an equal opportunities employer, like every great recipe we're a thoughtful mix. A happy and inclusive place to work that's as diverse as our consumers and the communities we support, live and work in, all around the world. Where every voice is heard, and d