About This Role
This role is the technical authority for continuous improvement methodology across manufacturing, owning the common approach to value stream mapping, A3/PDCA, root cause analysis, FMEA, standard work, visual management, problem-solving governance, and benefit validation. It involves governing a prioritized portfolio of improvement activities, working with process owners to establish baselines, deliver controlled change, and validate sustained benefits. A central purpose of the role is capability transfer, coaching leaders and teams, developing practitioners, and integrating learning into controlled standards, training, and competence evidence.
Responsibilities
- Own and continuously improve Forza's common CI methodology, governance, templates, competence standards, and benefit-validation rules
- Translate the 2031 Manufacturing Excellence vision and maturity assessment into a prioritized CI portfolio focused on the highest-value operational constraints and risks
- Establish a clear baseline, business case, process owner, milestones, and sustainment plan for each material initiative before work begins
- Lead and facilitate complex improvement activity using appropriate methods including value stream mapping, A3, PDCA, 5 Whys, root cause analysis, FMEA, standard work, visual management, SMED, error proofing, and waste reduction
- Strengthen daily management systems so that abnormalities, priorities, ownership, and action status are visible and routinely controlled by line leaders
- Improve manufacturing flow, WIP control, labor effectiveness, space utilization, quality at source, equipment performance, and schedule stability in partnership with operational owners
- Coach Production Managers, supervisors, employees, and graduates in disciplined problem solving and improvement leadership; observe application and provide constructive assurance
- Develop CI capability using a repeatable learning cycle: demonstrate, practice with support, repeat, teach, and own
- Provide technical direction and supervised project opportunities for graduates and other developing practitioners without allowing them to become substitute operational resource
- Ensure every completed initiative leaves a controlled standard, SOP/OPL or method; trained and competent users; a named owner; relevant scorecard measures; and reusable organizational learning
- Work with SHEQ/Quality, Engineering, Business Systems, People, and process owners to ensure changes update relevant standards, risk controls, FMEAs/control plans, training, competence, and change records
- Audit the quality of CI methods, action effectiveness, standard adherence, benefit realization, and sustainment; intervene where improvements have not become normal work
- Build a balanced KPI stack that evolves with maturity from lagging outcomes towards process, behavioral, capability, and predictive measures
- Maintain transparent reporting on portfolio status, risks, resource, realized benefits, and maturity evidence for the Production Director and relevant leadership forums
- Promote a culture where problems are made visible early, knowledge is organizational property, standards are constructively challenged, and prevention replaces firefighting
Requirements
- Significant experience leading continuous improvement or operational excellence activity in a manufacturing environment
- A strong record of delivering measurable and sustained improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, capacity, or cash
- Experience leading cross-functional improvement projects from diagnosis and baseline through implementation, handover, and benefit validation
- Experience establishing or improving daily management, visual controls, standard work, and structured problem-solving routines
- Experience coaching operational leaders and frontline teams so that improvement capability transfers into line ownership
- Experience of controlled change within a quality-management system; ISO 9001-aligned manufacturing experience is highly desirable
- Expert practical knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methods, including VSM, A3, PDCA, 5 Whys, root cause analysis, FMEA, standard work, visual management, SMED, and error proofing
- Strong portfolio and project leadership, with the judgment to prioritize work by risk, customer impact, constraint relief, financial value, strategic dependency, and readiness
- Commercial and analytical capability: able to define baselines, interpret operational data, build benefit hypotheses, and validate realized value without moving loss elsewhere
- Confident facilitation, coaching, and influencing skills across shopfloor, management, and senior leadership audiences
- Strong systems thinking and the ability to connect manufacturing, quality, engineering, planning, supply chain, people, and cost across the value stream
- Disciplined approach to governance, documented information, risk-based thinking, change control, and organizational knowledge
- Practical, visible, and hands-on leadership style, with resilience, constructive challenge, and strong follow-through
- Competent user of standard data analysis and presentation tools; able to make complex operational information clear and actionable
Nice to have:
- Experience developing graduates, CI practitioners, or project teams would be advantageous
- Experience in timber products, bespoke manufacturing, or a high-mix, make-to-order environment would be helpful but is not essential
- Relevant Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement qualification is desirable; degree-level study in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or a related discipline would be advantageous
