Lean Manufacturing & Digital Transformation Lead

The University of Sheffield; Chester; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

25 days annual leave

£6,000 development budget

Leadership training opportunities

Job summary

The University of Sheffield invites applications for a KTP Associate based with Leader Optec Limited, primarily at their St. Asaph site with time at AMRC Cymru in North Wales.

You will drive a three-pillar transformation: Lean shopfloor, a digital ERP platform, and leadership development to enable continuous improvement. You will work with academic and industrial supervisors, engage across levels of the business, and have access to funded management training and a development budget as part of a

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management or related discipline.
• Experience with manufacturing processes and digital systems across functions.
• Lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies (Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Kanban).
• Familiarity with Agile or sprint-based project delivery.
• Experience in leadership development and embedding change within an organisation.
• Strong written and verbal communication with stakeholders across all levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the three-year KTP project workplan including setup, process mapping, lean shopfloor assessment, digital production tracking and agile planning tools.
• Define KPIs with Senior Management Team and develop a roadmap for continuous improvement and digital transformation.
• Baseline assessment of existing manufacturing processes to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for operational improvement.
• Lead shopfloor engagement to embed Lean, Agile and continuous improvement principles and establish improvement workshops.
• Research and evaluate digital platforms for bespoke business tools and ensure scalability and maintainability.
• Develop and implement improved resource planning, scheduling tools and a skills matrix for data-driven production planning.
• Develop digital job cards and production tracking capabilities with dashboards and system integration.
• Create an information hub connecting sales, procurement and operations to automate workflows.
• Engage, train and support staff across Leader Optec through workshops and one-to-one sessions.
• Manage project delivery including timescales, budget, risks and reporting to stakeholders.
• Contribute to dissemination of outcomes through publications and talks at events.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Project coordination

Communication skills

Change management

Data-driven decisions

Education

Engineering degree or related

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

The University of Sheffield invites applications for a KTP Associate based with Leader Optec Limited, primarily at their St. Asaph site with time at AMRC Cymru in North Wales.

You will drive a three-pillar transformation: Lean shopfloor, a digital ERP platform, and leadership development to enable continuous improvement. You will work with academic and industrial supervisors, engage across levels of the business, and have access to funded management training and a development budget as part of a