Plant OPEX & Continuous Improvement Lead

Schwarz Produktion GmbH & Co. KG; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days annual leave

Healthcare plan

Life assurance

Pension scheme

Employee assistance

24/7 helpline

Job summary

Schwarz Produktion GmbH & Co. KG is seeking an Operational Excellence Manager at our Derby plant. You will lead continuous improvement initiatives, coach teams in Lean and OPEX methods, and align site goals with corporate strategy. The role requires 2–5 years in production and willingness to travel in Europe.

The position offers a permanent contract, 37.5 hours per week, and a comprehensive benefits package including generous annual leave and health coverage.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent role experience) plus 2–5 years in a production environment.
• Proficiency in Lean and OPEX methodologies (Kaizen, DMAIC) and value stream mapping.

Responsibilities

• Lead deployment of continuous improvement strategies across the plant with cross-functional teams.
• Coach employees on operational excellence tools and sustain an OPEX philosophy.
• Support plant leadership in strategic planning and target-setting.
• Implement OPEX initiatives using methods such as Value Stream Mapping, SMED, 5S, Ishikawa.
• Align plant requirements with the corporate OPEX strategy.

Skills

Lean

OPEX

Kaizen

DMAIC

Value Stream Mapping

KPIs

Google Workspace

Travel

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Google Workspace

Job description

Schwarz Produktion GmbH & Co. KG is seeking an Operational Excellence Manager at our Derby plant. You will lead continuous improvement initiatives, coach teams in Lean and OPEX methods, and align site goals with corporate strategy. The role requires 2–5 years in production and willingness to travel in Europe.

The position offers a permanent contract, 37.5 hours per week, and a comprehensive benefits package including generous annual leave and health coverage.