Lean Transformation Lead

Baker Hughes Company; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical care

Pension scheme

Life insurance

Disability programs

Tailored financial programs

Wellbeing activities

Job summary

Baker Hughes in Newcastle upon Tyne seeks a Lean Transformation Lead to drive Lean maturity and operational excellence across Engineering Design and Project Execution. You will partner with site leadership, engineering teams and global FPS colleagues to deliver structured continuous improvement and measurable business outcomes.

The role involves leading Lean initiatives, facilitating workshops, and coaching teams while traveling internationally as needed.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in Lean, Operational Excellence, or Business Transformation within engineering, manufacturing, supply chain or project execution.
• Experience leading or supporting Lean transformation programmes in complex technical environments.
• Strong facilitation, coaching, stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Engineering Lean Journey programme and shape future OE priorities.
• Develop Lean strategies, roadmaps and improvement plans aligned with objectives.
• Partner with engineering leaders to identify opportunities and translate into initiatives.
• Facilitate Lean workshops, Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping and problem-solving sessions.
• Coach teams in Lean principles, methods and continuous improvement behaviours.
• Support root-cause analysis, process optimization and elimination of non-value-added steps.
• Establish governance, metrics, visual management and Lean maturity assessments; support cross-site initiatives.

Skills

Lean

Operational Excellence

Continuous Improvement

Business Transformation

Stakeholder Management

Facilitation & Coaching

Data-driven Decisions

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Science/Tech

Tools

Kaizen

Value Stream Mapping

Root Cause Analysis

A3 Problem Solving

DMAIC

Visual Management

Job description

Lean Transformation Lead

Are you passionate about leading Lean transformation and operational excellence within a complex engineering environment? Do you enjoy partnering with technical teams to drive continuous improvement and deliver sustainable business results?

Join our innovative team At Baker Hughes Flexible Pipe Systems (FPS), we design and manufacture industry-leading flexible pipe technologies that support offshore energy projects around the world. Our Newcastle facility has been operating for more than 25 years, delivering engineering excellence and innovative solutions for some of the industry's most demanding applications. As part of our continued transformation journey, we are looking for a Lean Transformation Lead to support Engineering Design and Project Execution teams in driving continuous improvement, Lean maturity, and operational excellence across the organization.

Partner with the best

As a Lean Transformation Lead, you will be a trusted advisor to Engineering and Project Execution teams, helping them embed Lean principles into everyday work practices. You will support the delivery of our established Lean Journey programme while shaping the future roadmap, strategy, and priorities for operational excellence. Working closely with technical teams, site leadership, Supply Chain Lean professionals, and global FPS colleagues, you will help improve productivity, quality, delivery performance, and customer outcomes through structured continuous improvement initiatives.

As a Lean Transformation Lead, you will be responsible for:

• Supporting the continued delivery and evolution of the Engineering Lean Journey programme while helping define future operational excellence priorities.
• Developing Lean strategies, roadmaps, and improvement plans aligned with Engineering, Project Execution, site, and business objectives.
• Partnering with engineering leaders and cross-functional teams to identify improvement opportunities and translate them into structured initiatives.
• Facilitating Lean workshops, Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping exercises, and problem-solving sessions to drive measurable business improvements.
• Coaching and mentoring teams in the practical application of Lean principles, methods, and continuous improvement behaviours.
• Supporting root cause analysis, process optimization, workflow improvements, and the elimination of non-value-added activities.
• Establishing governance, performance metrics, visual management systems, and Lean maturity assessments to measure progress and sustain results.
• Collaborating with global FPS Lean teams and supporting cross-site improvement initiatives, including occasional international travel.

Fuel your passion

To be successful in this role, you will:

• Have significant experience in Lean, Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, or Business Transformation within Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, or Project Execution environments.
• Have experience leading or supporting Lean transformation programmes within complex technical organizations.
• Demonstrate strong practical knowledge of Lean methodologies and tools, including Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Root Cause Analysis, A3 Problem Solving, DMAIC, and Visual Management.
• Possess excellent facilitation, coaching, stakeholder management, and communication skills with the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Have experience working with engineering and project teams to improve processes, quality, delivery performance, and operational effectiveness.
• Demonstrate a track record of delivering measurable and sustainable business improvements through Lean initiatives.
• Be comfortable using operational metrics and data-driven insights to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Be willing to work primarily from the Newcastle office and travel internationally when required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Technology, Operations Management, Business Improvement, or a related discipline.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification or equivalent advanced Lean qualification.
• Formal training in Lean methodologies such as Value Stream Mapping, A3 Problem Solving, DMAIC, Standard Work, Visual Management, 6S, and Root Cause Analysis.

Work in a way that works for you

We recognize that everyone is different and that the way people work and deliver at their best varies from person to person. In this role, we can offer the following working pattern:

• Primarily site-based at our Newcastle upon Tyne facility.
• Opportunity to work from home 1 day a week.
• Occasional international travel to other FPS global locations.

Working with us

Our people are at the heart of what we do at Baker Hughes. We know we are better when all our people are developed, engaged, and able to bring their whole authentic selves to work. We invest in the health and wellbeing of our workforce, train and reward talent, and develop leaders at all levels to bring out the best in each other.

Working for you

Our inventions have revolutionized energy for over a century. To continue advancing tomorrow's energy solutions, we know we must push the boundaries today. We reward those who embrace change with a package that reflects how much we value their contributions.

Join us, and you can expect:

• Contemporary work-life balance policies and wellbeing activities.
• Comprehensive private medical care options.
• A highly competitive pension scheme.
• Safety net of life insurance and disability programs.
• Tailored financial programs.
• Additional elected or voluntary benefits.

The Baker Hughes internal title for this role is: Lead Engineer, Technical Support & Management, Engineering Operations and Transformation

At Baker Hughes, we are transforming the future of energy. With operations in over 120 countries, we are developing and deploying industry-leading technologies and services to take energy forward. For more than a century, our inventions have revolutionized energy. Today, we are bringing our expertise to make oil and gas safer, cleaner and more efficient. Our people are the trusted experts, relied on to solve customer challenges big and small. We invest in the health and well-being of our workforce, train and reward talent, and develop leaders at all levels to bring out the best in each other. We believe in creating an environment of diversity and inclusion, without bias. We know we are better when all of our people are developed, engaged, and able to bring their whole authentic selves to work. We're makers, inventors, and leaders who aren't afraid of the tough challenges. We believe pushing boundaries will help to lead the way for a new energy future.