Lean Manager

Brink’s Inc; Utrecht; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Brink’s Inc is seeking a Lean Manager to lead Operational Excellence initiatives across Northern Europe, including Netherlands, Czech Republic or Romania, with 50%+ travel. You will partner with country leadership to drive productivity, reduce waste, and embed continuous improvement across multiple sites.

You will champion Lean methods, guide cost productivity programs, and build capability to sustain long-term performance, working closely with senior teams to realise ambitious productivity

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience applying Lean, CI, and operational excellence in manufacturing, engineering, logistics, or supply chain.
• Track record of delivering measurable cost savings and performance improvements.
• Hands-on Lean implementation experience in fast-paced, complex environments.
• Strong stakeholder management and change leadership capabilities.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• Lean certification advantageous, but delivery experience is essential.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational excellence and cost productivity programs across multiple countries.
• Identify, prioritise, and deliver high-impact improvement initiatives.
• Lead Kaizen events and breakthrough projects using Lean tools (e.g., VSM, Standardised Work, Root Cause Analysis).
• Facilitate Integrated Deck Building workshops to prioritise cost-saving opportunities.
• Analyse operational and financial data to identify optimisation opportunities.
• Influence senior leaders and operations teams to achieve productivity goals.
• Build Lean capability and create sustainable management systems across the organisation.

Skills

Lean leadership

Continuous Improvement

Operational Excellence

Manufacturing operations

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations Management or related field

Lean certification advantageous

Job description

Lean Manager, Operational Excellence | Northern Europe

Netherlands, Czech Republic or Romania (with 50%+ European travel)

Are you a Lean leader who thrives on solving complex operational challenges and delivering measurable business impact?

We're looking for an experienced Lean Manager to lead Operational Excellence initiatives across multiple European operations, driving productivity, reducing waste, improving performance, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.

This is a highly visible role, partnering with country leadership teams and operational stakeholders to identify opportunities, lead transformational projects, and deliver sustainable cost savings across the business.

We're particularly interested in candidates from:

• Automotive Manufacturing or Automotive Suppliers
• Industrial Manufacturing
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Warehousing & Distribution
• Fulfilment Operations
• Supply Chain & Transportation Operations

You will have a track record of applying Lean methodologies within fast-paced, operationally intensive environments where efficiency, productivity, quality, and service excellence are critical.

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Driving operational excellence and cost productivity programmes across multiple countries
• Identifying, prioritising, and delivering high-impact improvement initiatives
• Leading Kaizen events and breakthrough projects using Lean tools such as Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Standardised Work, Root Cause Analysis and Problem Solving methodologies
• Facilitating Integrated Deck Building (IDB) workshops to generate and prioritise cost-saving opportunities
• Analysing operational and financial data to identify optimisation opportunities
• Influencing senior leaders and operational teams to achieve ambitious productivity goals
• Building Lean capability throughout the organisation and creating sustainable management systems that drive long-term performance

What You'll Bring

• 8+ years of experience in Lean, Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Manufacturing Excellence, or Operations Management
• Demonstrated success delivering measurable cost savings and operational improvements
• Hands‑on Lean implementation experience in manufacturing, engineering, logistics, warehousing, supply chain, or similarly complex operational environments
• Strong stakeholder management and change leadership skills
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities
• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field
• Lean certification advantageous, but practical delivery experience is essential

Why This Opportunity?

This is more than a Lean role. It's an opportunity to influence strategy, partner with senior leaders across Europe, and leave a lasting impact on operational performance.

If you're passionate about driving change, eliminating waste, improving productivity, and creating a culture of continuous improvement, we'd love to hear from you.