Operational Excellence Specialist

Abbott Laboratories; Witney; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary & benefits

Defined contribution pension

Share ownership opportunities

Wellness initiatives

Employee engagement activities

Job summary

Abbott Laboratories in Witney is seeking an Operational Excellence Specialist to join the Product Return investigation team. You will drive continuous improvement across operations, coaching Lean principles, delivering training, and implementing PDCA-driven changes to improve efficiency and quality at the new Witney production facility.

You will design lean principles into processes from day one, develop data-driven insights with Excel and Power BI, and lead cross-functional initiatives in

Qualifications

• Completed secondary education or equivalent.
• Experience across Operations, Technical, Quality, and/or Financial environments.
• Strong communication, decision-making, facilitation, and collaborative leadership skills.
• Practical experience with Lean Six Sigma and modern manufacturing excellence tools.

Responsibilities

• Act as a Continuous Improvement change specialist, coaching colleagues on Lean principles, tools, and project execution.
• Responsible for set-up, facilitation, and delivery of Lean training across the department.
• Develop and enhance Operational Excellence systems using structured PDCA methodology.
• Deliver OpEx initiatives that strengthen departmental processes and elevate OpEx maturity.
• Independently identify, lead, and execute small to medium improvement projects using DMAIC.
• Manage project resources, timelines, risks and milestones; present findings to stakeholders.
• Develop, deploy, and maintain digital tools (e.g., Power Apps) to improve visibility and efficiency.
• Facilitate meetings and workshops to drive engagement and problem-solving.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Data analysis (Excel)

Power Apps

Power BI

PDCA

DMAIC

Facilitation

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Secondary education or equivalent

Tools

Power Apps

Power BI

Excel

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION: Join Abbott as an Operational Excellence Specialist – based in Witney

About Abbott Abbott is about the power of health. For more than 135 years, we’ve been helping people reach their potential — because better health allows individuals and communities to achieve more. With a diverse, global network serving customers in more than 160 &countries, we create innovative solutions across the spectrum of health, advancing technologies that help people live their best lives.

The Opportunity We have an exciting opportunity for an Operational Excellence Specialist to join our Product Return investigation team in Witney. In this role, you will act as a key change agent, driving Continuous Improvement (CI) activity across our Operational areas. You will help develop a culture of excellence by supporting teams with Lean Six Sigma tools, data-driven decision-making, and enhanced operational processes — all while maintaining and uplifting quality and compliance standards. This position offers the exciting opportunity to assist in the set-up of a new facility at the Witney Campus. This new building allows the incumbent to help design lean principles into the facility and processes from day one. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone passionate about problem solving, process optimisation, and empowering teams to work smarter.

Responsibilities

• Act as a Continuous Improvement change specialist, coaching colleagues on Lean principles, tools, and project execution.
• Responsible for the set-up, facilitation, and delivery of Lean training across the department.
• Develop and enhance Operational Excellence systems using structured PDCA methodology — including benchmarking, current state assessment, future state proposals, and implementation support.
• Deliver Operational Excellence initiatives that strengthen the departmental processes and elevate the departments OpEx maturity.
• Independently identify, lead, and execute small to medium improvement projects using DMAIC methodology.
• Manage project resources, timelines, risks, and milestones; present findings and outcomes to key stakeholders.
• Develop, deploy, and maintain digital tools (e.g., Power Apps) to improve operational visibility and efficiency.
• Facilitate meetings and workshops to drive engagement, alignment, and problem-solving.

Education & Experience

Education: Completed secondary education or equivalent.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience across Operations, Technical, Quality, and/or Financial environments.
• Strong communication, decision-making, facilitation, and collaborative leadership skills.
• Practical experience with modern manufacturing excellence tools & techniques, including Lean Six Sigma.
• Ability to perform data analysis using Excel; familiarity with basic Power BI dashboards and interpretation of trends/KPIs.

What We Offer

• A competitive salary and benefits package.
• A class-leading defined contribution pension scheme.
• Share ownership opportunities.
• A supportive and inclusive work environment that encourages career growth and development.
• Access to a wide range of wellness initiatives and employee engagement activities.

The base pay for this position is N/A In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.

JOB FAMILY: Manufacturing DIVISION: ADC Diabetes Care LOCATION: United Kingdom > Witney : Production Facility ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS: WORK SHIFT: Standard TRAVEL: Yes, 5 % of the Time MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE: Not Applicable SIGNIFICANT WORK ACTIVITIES: Not Applicable

Abbott is about the power of health. For more than 135 years, Abbott has been helping people reach their potential — because better health allows people and communities to achieve more. With a diverse, global network serving customers in more than 160 &countries, we create new solutions — across the spectrum of health, around the world, for all stages of life. Whether it’s next-generation diagnostics, life-changing devices, science-based nutrition, or novel reformulations, we are advancing some of the most innovative and revolutionary technologies in healthcare, helping people live their best lives through better health. The people of Abbott come to work each day with relentless energy, enthusiasm and a promise to enhance the health and well‑being of millions of people. They push the boundaries to help manage and treat some of life’s greatest health challenges.

An equal opportunity employer, Abbott welcomes and encourages diversity in our workforce.

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