Operational Excellence Coordinator

DS Smith; Bedford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sustainable packaging company in Bedford is seeking an Operational Excellence Coordinator. In this hands-on role, you will drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and reduce losses in manufacturing operations. Candidates should have a solid background in Continuous Improvement with strong problem-solving abilities and proficiency in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. This position offers a competitive salary and various benefits, including a pension scheme and 25 days of holiday.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Qualifying Sick Pay scheme

Pension scheme & Life insurance

Share Save scheme

Income Protection

25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

Employee Assistance Programme

Virtual GP

Occupational Health

Free Flu vaccine

Cycle to Work

Shopping discounts

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Continuous Improvement / OPEX within a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on problem solving and performance improvement skills.
• Ability to challenge existing processes and propose realistic solutions.

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritise opportunities for performance improvement.
• Provide technical leadership for operational change.
• Analyse performance data to recommend sustainable solutions.
• Lead improvement projects and track their progress.
• Develop and deliver training on continuous improvement tools.

Skills

Continuous Improvement

Lean methodologies

Six Sigma methodologies

Data analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Collaboration

Education

Experience in manufacturing or conversion environment

Formal qualification in improvement methodologies (desirable)

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Operational Excellence Coordinator

Blunham (Onsite)

About DS Smith

DS Smith is a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services. With sustainability, innovation and people at the heart of everything we do, we are committed to operational excellence and continuous improvement across all our manufacturing sites.

The Role

Are you a hands‑on Continuous Improvement professional with a strong manufacturing background and the ability to influence people at all levels?

As a Conversion OPEX Coordinator, you will play a key role in driving operational excellence across the site. Reporting to the Operations Excellence Manager, you will proactively identify, lead and support continuous improvement initiatives aimed at reducing loss, improving efficiency and embedding a strong performance‑driven culture within the conversion operation.

This is a highly visible, site‑based role where you will work closely with operations, engineering, and leadership teams to translate data into meaningful actions that deliver sustainable results.

Key Responsibilities

• Actively seek out, identify and prioritise opportunities to reduce performance loss across manufacturing through structured continuous improvement and effective planning
• Provide hands‑on, face‑to‑face technical leadership to support operational change, challenge existing ways of working and embed best practice
• Drive accurate, consistent and granular performance data capture across the site to enable robust, data‑driven improvement programmes
• Analyse production, quality, waste, efficiency and downtime data to identify root causes and recommend practical, sustainable solutions
• Lead and support improvement projects, tracking progress and benefits through clear reporting and governance
• Produce regular performance and project reports, presenting findings, progress and recommendations to the site leadership team
• Support the development and delivery of training on continuous improvement tools, problem‑solving techniques and standardised operating procedures
• Work collaboratively with operational teams to develop, document and embed new best‑practice processes and ways of working
• Play an active role in the site’s waste reduction and sustainability agenda, ensuring initiatives are inclusive, data‑led and aligned to business priorities
• Share best practice across teams to drive consistency, engagement and long‑term performance improvement
• Ensure all improvement activities are carried out in full compliance with DS Smith’s Health, Safety and Environmental standards, promoting a strong safety‑first culture at all times

About You

You will be a proactive, confident and people‑focused improvement professional who enjoys being on the shop floor and influencing change through collaboration and data.

• Proven experience in Continuous Improvement / OPEX within a manufacturing or conversion environment
• A strong background in hands‑on problem solving, waste elimination and performance improvement
• Experience using Lean, Six Sigma or other structured improvement methodologies (formal qualification desirable but not essential)
• High levels of IT literacy, particularly Microsoft Excel (data analysis, trends, reporting), Word and PowerPoint
• The ability to analyse complex data, interpret findings and translate them into clear, actionable recommendations
• Confidence to challenge existing processes constructively and propose realistic, sustainable solutions
• Strong communication, facilitation and influencing skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels
• Excellent people skills, with a collaborative approach that builds trust and encourages buy‑in
• A solid understanding of Manufacturing Health & Safety regulations and safe systems of work

What we can offer you

• Competitive salary
• Qualifying Sick Pay scheme
• Pension scheme & Life insurance
• Share Save scheme
• Income Protection
• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Virtual GP, Occupational Health & free Flu vaccine
• Cycle to Work and shopping discounts

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre‑based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world‑leading organisation and do your best work with us!

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.