Industrial Operational Excellence Manager

Thales Group; Crawley; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Annual bonus

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

Thales Group in Crawley, United Kingdom, seeks an Industrial Operational Excellence Manager to lead Lean, digital transformation, data analytics and performance management. You will oversee Lean Leaders, Digital Engineers and Data Analysts, delivering measurable improvements through Kaizen, Gemba Walks and data‑driven decision making.

The role requires a degree in Engineering or Manufacturing, strong Lean expertise (Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S), and experience leading business transformation in

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or Manufacturing or related discipline.
• Experience in complex manufacturing environments.
• Strong Lean expertise (Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S or equivalent).
• Experience leading business transformation and digital initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead Lean, Digital, Data and Performance functions across the organisation.
• Drive continuous improvement through Kaizen, Gemba Walks and structured problem-solving.
• Develop and deliver the digital transformation roadmap.
• Build high-performing teams through coaching and leadership.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to improve operational performance.
• Manage transformation projects, budgets and business cases.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

Kaizen

5S

Digital Transformation

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Education

Engineering/Manufacturing degree

Job description

## Industrial Operational Excellence ManagerApplyremote type: On-Sitelocations: Crawleytime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Yesterdayjob requisition id: R0335097Location: Crawley, United KingdomThales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.**Head of Industrial Excellence****Lead Transformation. Drive Performance. Shape the Future of Manufacturing.**We are looking for an experienced **Head of Industrial Excellence** to lead our continuous improvement, digital transformation, data analytics, and performance management activities.Leading a multidisciplinary team of Lean Leaders, Digital Engineers and Data Analysts, you will champion Lean principles, embed a culture of operational excellence, and deliver measurable business improvements through digitalisation and data-driven decision making.**Key Responsibilities** Lead Lean, Digital, Data and Performance functions across the organisation Drive continuous improvement through Kaizen, Gemba Walks and structured problem-solving Develop and deliver the digital transformation roadmap Build high-performing teams through coaching and leadership Partner with senior stakeholders to improve operational performance Manage transformation projects, budgets and business cases**About You*** Degree qualified in Engineering, Manufacturing or a related discipline* Proven experience in complex manufacturing environments* Strong Lean expertise (Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S or equivalent)* Experience leading business transformation and digital initiatives* Exceptional leadership, coaching and stakeholder management skills* #LI-AH1If you're passionate about operational excellence, digital innovation and leading transformational change, we'd love to hear from you.#IndustrialExcellence #Manufacturing #Lean #ContinuousImprovement #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #EngineeringJobs #OperationsExcellenceAt Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!