Operational Excellence Practitioner

Close Brothers; Doncaster; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Close Brothers is seeking an Operational Excellence professional to lead process improvement and transformation initiatives within its Retail Division, bridging Analysts and Managers and delivering hands-on projects while coaching others in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.

Ideal candidates will have experience in process improvement, preferably in Financial Services or a regulated environment, with strong problem-solving and analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate across IT and

Qualifications

• Proficient in applying Lean and Six Sigma tools and techniques.
• Experience facilitating workshops and leading small project teams or workstreams.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience in identifying opportunities for process automation and supporting the delivery lifecycle.
• Able to work autonomously and as part of a team, building effective networks across the business.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support process improvement and re‑engineering initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Scope, document, and analyse business processes to identify opportunities for simplification, automation, and efficiency gains.
• Facilitate workshops and working groups to drive engagement and gather insights.
• Conduct root cause analysis and present findings and recommendations to stakeholders at various levels.
• Support the delivery of targeted process reviews and assist in setting and tracking performance targets.
• Coach and train colleagues on best practices and Operational Excellence toolsets.
• Collaborate with IT, business teams, and third‑party suppliers to ensure successful implementation of improvement initiatives.

Skills

Lean methodology

Six Sigma

Stakeholder engagement

Workshop facilitation

Problem solving

Autonomous working

Tools

Tableau

Alteryx

Job description

Overall Summary

At Close Brothers we look to recruit individuals from all different backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don’t tick every box. We celebrate diversity, promote inclusivity and are open to discuss flexible work options to help you balance your work and home life.

Overall Summary

At Close Brothers we look to recruit individuals from all different backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don’t tick every box. We celebrate diversity, promote inclusivity and are open to discuss flexible work options to help you balance your work and home life.

Join the Close Brothers Retail Division where you will play a key role in delivering process improvement and transformation initiatives across the business by bridging the gap between Analyst and Manager, providing hands‑on delivery of projects while also supporting and coaching others in Operational Excellence methodologies.

Working as part of the Operational Excellence team our ideal team member will have previous experience in process improvement, ideally within Financial Services or a similar regulated environment with excellent problem‑solving and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support process improvement and re‑engineering initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Scope, document, and analyse business processes to identify opportunities for simplification, automation, and efficiency gains.
• Facilitate workshops and working groups to drive engagement and gather insights.
• Conduct root cause analysis and present findings and recommendations to stakeholders at various levels.
• Support the delivery of targeted process reviews and assist in setting and tracking performance targets.
• Coach and train colleagues on best practices and Operational Excellence toolsets.
• Collaborate with IT, business teams, and third‑party suppliers to ensure successful implementation of improvement initiatives.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE/ARE:

• Proficient in applying Lean and Six Sigma tools and techniques (Green Belt certification or equivalent preferred).
• Experience facilitating workshops and leading small project teams or workstreams.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience in identifying opportunities for process automation and supporting the delivery lifecycle.
• Able to work autonomously and as part of a team, building effective networks across the business.

IT IS NOT ESSENTIAL BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAVE:

• Exposure to project management and/or consultancy environments.
• Experience with cloud‑based BPM suites and BPMN best practices.
• Familiarity with data visualisation tools (e.g., Tableau, Alteryx).
• Involvement in strategic projects such as Target Operating Model development, customer experience improvement, or cost optimisation.
• Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt certification (or working towards).

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We recognise that candidates may have specific needs that require adjustments to ensure they have a fair and equal opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities. Candidates who require the job description or application form in an alternative format, or any other adjustments, are encouraged to email us at [e-mail] or request a call back.

About Us

At Close Brothers we support employees to balance their work life priorities and in this role you will be able to enjoy a mixture of hybrid working.

Close Brothers is a leading UK merchant banking group providing lending, deposit taking and securities trading. We employ approximately 3,000 people, principally in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Close Brothers Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250.

To find out more about Close Brothers, please visit our careers page:

https://www.closebrothers.com/careers

To find out more about life at Close Brothers:

https://www.closebrothers.com/life-close-brothers#374017299-899295541

To find out more about our benefits:

https://www.closebrothers.com/employee-benefits

To find out more about our commitment to creating an inclusive environment:

Our Responsibility - Diversity and inclusion ¦ Close Brothers Group