Business Improvement Officer

Fives; Richards Bay; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the industrial sector is seeking a Business Improvement Officer for a 24-month contract. This role involves driving strategic process improvement initiatives across various departments, focusing on continuous improvement methodologies and digital transformation using tools like Power BI. The ideal candidate will have a strong analytical mindset and proven experience in project management and stakeholder engagement.

Benefits

Opportunity to drive meaningful business improvements

Exposure to diverse projects

Collaborative work environment

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years proven working experience in a similar role.
• Proficiency in Lean, Six Sigma, or other process improvement methodologies.
• Hands-on experience in Power BI development and data visualization.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multiple business improvement projects across the organization.
• Apply structured continuous improvement methodologies to drive operational excellence.
• Support departmental managers in designing and developing business intelligence tools.

Skills

Project Management

Continuous Improvement

Data Analysis

Stakeholder Management

Problem Solving

Change Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management

Bachelor’s degree in IT

Tools

Power BI

SAP Business One

Job description

Position Summary

Context:

At Fives, we are all driven by a common calling, to prove that industry can do it! We work together daily to make industry an answer to all the major technological, environmental, social and economic challenges of our time.

How do we do that? For over 200 years, we’ve invented and designed the solutions and technologies that substantially and sustainably improve everyone’s daily life.

Fives Services Southern Africa & Fives Services Mzansi are the Fives service centre’s for South Africa and Mozambique, providing support in project execution, engineering and local parts sourcing.

We continually strive to create a company culture that values employees, encouraging work-life balance and professional growth.

It is with you, that industry can do it!

We are currently seeking a Business Improvement Officer on a 24-month contract.

Primary Purpose:

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Business Improvement Officer to join our team and play a pivotal role in transforming how we work. Offering an exciting opportunity to work on diverse projects in Project Management, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Commercial operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in continuous improvement initiatives, business intelligence, and digital transformation, with a specific focus on Power BI dashboard development and supply chain or manufacturing digitization.

Why join us:

• Opportunity to drive meaningful business improvements across multiple departments.
• Exposure to diverse projects, from process optimization to digital transformation.
• A collaborative work environment with the potential to make a lasting impact on the organization
  
  
  

Position Overview:

We are looking for a driven and forward-thinking Business Improvement Officer to play a key role in our company’s ongoing transformation. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on solving complex problems, challenging the status quo, and leading change that delivers meaningful results.

In this role, you will be at the forefront of shaping how we work—driving strategic process improvement initiatives that span across departments such as Manufacturing, Project Management, Supply Chain, and Commercial. You will apply your strong analytical mindset, structured problem-solving approach, and ability to engage teams in designing and implementing effective, streamlined processes.

While highly IT-literate, you will leverage your technology and process improvement skills as a catalyst to streamline operations, enhance data visibility, and support better decision-making—all while driving innovation, promoting digital transformation, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement across the business.

If you're passionate about making a tangible impact, comfortable with technology, and confident leading and influencing others, this role offers the opportunity to leave a lasting mark on a business that is evolving and growing.

Accountabilities:

Continuous Improvement & Process Optimization

• Lead and manage multiple business improvement projects across the organization, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and measurable impact.
• Identify and analyse inefficiencies, gaps, and pain points in processes across functions and design sustainable solutions for improvement.
• Apply structured continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, PDCA, etc.) to drive operational excellence.
• Map existing processes, co-design optimized workflows with stakeholders and ensure implementation and standardization across functions.
• Facilitate workshops and improvement sessions to foster cross-functional collaboration and problem-solving.
  
  
  

Business Intelligence & Data-Driven Decision-Making

• Support departmental managers to design and develop practical business intelligence tools (notably Power BI), enabling effective data visualization, performance tracking, and informed decision-making.
• Translate business needs into data models and analytics tools by integrating data from multiple systems and sources.
• Promote a data-driven culture by training and supporting teams in using dashboards and reports to inform decisions.
• Continuously improve and adapt dashboards based on user feedback and evolving business priorities to ensure ongoing relevance and impact.
  
  
  

Digital Transformation & IT-Driven Solutions

• Collaborate with IT and business units to support digital transformation, including automation, system enhancements, and ERP (SAP Business One) process improvements.
• Champion the digitization of business processes, particularly in areas such as production, warehouse management, inventory tracking, and reporting.
• Collaborate with IT and functional teams to enhance and automate processes through ERP (SAP Business One) improvements and other digital tools.
• Use your IT savviness to propose and implement technology-based solutions that improve efficiency, traceability, and user experience.
• Lead and support initiatives that bridge the gap between operational needs and system capabilities.
  
  
  

Change Management & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a change agent who constructively challenges the status quo, drives adoption of new ways of working, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement across the business.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with stakeholders at all levels to foster collaboration, secure buy-in, and ensure the successful delivery and long-term impact of improvement initiatives.
• Communicate progress, risks, outcomes, and lessons learned to senior management and project stakeholders.
• Ensure consistent documentation and structured follow-up of all stakeholder engagements, decisions, and action items to promote accountability, transparency, and continuity.
  
  
  

Project Delivery & Governance

• Independently manage project scopes, timelines, deliverables, and KPIs to ensure timely and impactful execution.
• Monitor and report on project progress, risks, benefits realization, and lessons learned.
• Support the creation and documentation of standard operating procedures (SOPs), policies, and training materials where needed.
• Document and monitor all project phases, from discovery to implementation, including SOPs, process maps, user guides, and training content.
• Track and report on project outcomes, measure impact, and contribute to strategic reviews and continuous learning efforts.
  
  
  

Relevant Experience:

• Strong project management skills, with the ability to plan, prioritize, and deliver results independently. Minimum 5 years proven working experience in similar role.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with confidence to challenge and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset, with a focus on root cause analysis and problem-solving.
• Proficiency in Lean, Six Sigma, or other process improvement methodologies.
• Hands-on experience in Power BI development, data visualization, and reporting.
• Highly IT literate, with the ability to understand systems, explore digital solutions, and propose tech-enabled improvements.
• Adaptable, proactive, and resilient in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Strong facilitation and coaching skills.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and change management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities.
  
  
  

Education & Qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, IT, or a related field.
• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in continuous improvement, process optimization, or business transformation roles.
• Background in manufacturing, project management, or supply chain environments is preferred.
• Strong background in process optimization, operational efficiency, and change management.
• Proven experience using Power BI or other business intelligence/reporting tools.
• Practical experience with ERP systems, preferably SAP Business One.
• IT-savvy with experience in digital transformation projects, especially in warehouse and supply chain management.