Value Stream Supervisor

Smith+Nephew; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension schemes

Share options

Hybrid working

Employee discounts

Job summary

Smith Nephew is seeking a Value Stream Supervisor to lead a large manufacturing team within the packaging operations department. You will drive efficiency, quality, and continuous improvement across the value stream, working with stakeholders to execute strategic plans and improve operational performance.

The role emphasizes hands-on leadership, lean principles, and delivering year-on-year improvements while ensuring alignment with regulatory and business objectives.

Qualifications

• Supervision/management background in manufacturing.
• Flexibility to work shifts.
• Data-driven and analytical problem solver.
• Exposure to lean manufacturing and operational excellence principles.

Responsibilities

• Line management for direct manufacturing team (Line Leaders, Operators, Technicians).
• Drive value-stream steps, future implementation plan, and Operational Excellence roadmap.
• Accountable for area P&L and year-on-year improvements.
• Manage costs across product families including labour, safety, quality and administration.
• Lead Kaizen initiatives and continuous improvement projects.
• Perform financial analysis, reconciliations, and monitor OEE, labour efficiency and spending.

Skills

People management

Lean manufacturing

Data-driven

Shift flexibility

Analytical thinking

Tools

Kaizen & OEE

Job description

Life Unlimited. At Smith+Ne

We’re on a mission to push the boundaries of innovation, and we need a dedicated expert to help us achieve our goals.

We're currently searching for a Value Stream Supervisor who can drive strategic plans and collect crucial clinical and economic evidence for S+N's manufacturing processes.

This role is essential for accelerating the global launch of our new products, ensuring their adoption, and maintaining access to approved products in compliance with regulations.

In this hands‑on role, you'll be instrumental in improving the value of our business as you lead a large team of people within our packaging operations department, implementing operational excellence and lean manufacturing principles.

Your responsibilities will include leading all aspects of People, Safety, Quality, Cost, and Delivery, as well as eliminating Waste and continuously improving process efficiency.

We're seeking someone with a strong background in fast-paced manufacturing environments, coupled with large scale people management exposure, who is passionate about driving operational efficiencies and continuous improvement.

What will you be doing?

As a Value Stream Supervisor at S+N, you will be at the forefront of our manufacturing operations, ensuring efficiency, quality, and continuous improvement. Your role will involve leading a large team and collaborating with various stakeholders to drive our strategic goals.

• Line management responsibility for the direct manufacturing team, including Line Leaders, Operators and Process Technicians.
• Driving critical steps within the value-stream maps, future implementation plan, and the Operational Excellence roadmap.
• Accountable for Tier 2 level actions and the profit & loss of the operation, including driving year-on-year improvement.
• Responsible for the costs of the product families, as well as Tier 1 & 2 level activities, including : Labour, Safety, Absence, Quality and Administration.
• Leading area Kaizen activities or improvement projects.
• Conducting financial analysis, reconciliation, and continuous improvement, including recoveries, OEE, MUV, labour efficiency, and spending.

What will you need to be successful?

Our successful candidate will be someone with a supervision/management background within a manufacturing environment, with flexibility to work shifts as the need arises. They will be resilient, data driven and an analytical problem solver with exposure to lean manufacturing and operational excellence principles.

You. Unlimited.

We believe in creating the greatest good for society. Our strongest investments are in our people and patients we serve.

Inclusion and Belonging: Committed to welcoming, celebrating and thriving on inclusion and belonging. Learn more about our Employee Inclusion Groups on our website (www.smith-nephew.com)

Your Future:

• Generous annual bonus and pension schemes, Save As You Earn share options.

Work/Life Balance:

• Flexible vacation and time off, paid holidays and paid volunteering hours, so we can give back to our communities!

Your Wellbeing:

• Private health and dental plans, healthcare cash plans, income protection, life assurance and much more.

Flexibility:

Hybrid working model (for most professional roles).

Training:

• Hands-on, team-customised, mentorship.

Extra Perks:

• Discounts on gyms and fitness clubs, salary sacrifice bicycle and car schemes and many other employee discounts