The Opportunity
If you’re the kind of person who sees a process and instantly thinks, “I can make that better,” this role is right up your street.
You’ll be the driving force behind operational excellence across a busy manufacturing environment, supporting production teams, improving performance, strengthening health & safety standards, and leading continuous improvement initiatives that deliver real, measurable impact.
This is a hands‑on, highly visible role where you’ll work closely with shop‑floor teams, supervisors, and senior leadership. You’ll influence how work is planned, how performance is measured, and how improvements are embedded across the operation. If you thrive in fast‑paced environments and enjoy balancing strategic thinking with practical, sleeves‑rolled‑up involvement, this is a fantastic opportunity to shape how production operates.
Continuous Improvement Lead Key Responsibilities
Team Support & Coordination: Work closely with production teams across multiple workstations to maintain flow, resolve issues, and support day‑to‑day operations.
Performance Monitoring: Track output, operational standards, and performance against plan, ensuring issues are identified and addressed quickly.
Continuous Improvement Leadership: Lead CI initiatives focused on productivity, quality, waste reduction, and process optimisation.
Problem Solving: Troubleshoot machinery, material, and operational challenges to minimise downtime and maintain efficiency.
Equipment & Maintenance Oversight: Ensure machinery is maintained, safe, and operating effectively.
Health & Safety Leadership: Promote and enforce H&S procedures, including pre‑start checks, near‑miss reporting, and safe working practices.
Training & Development: Deliver operational and health & safety training to production teams.
Fire Officer Duties: Act as designated Fire Officer for assigned areas.
Operational Planning: Support production planning and operational decision‑making alongside senior management.
Absence & Record Management: Monitor attendance and maintain accurate operational records.
Communication: Maintain clear, consistent communication between management and production teams.
Data & KPI Analysis: Review operational KPIs to identify trends, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities.
Ideal Continuous Improvement Lead
Qualified: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (minimum).
Experienced: 5+ years in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, or similar roles within manufacturing or production.
Proven: Demonstrable track record of delivering measurable improvements across productivity, quality, waste, or process efficiency.
Technically Strong: Solid understanding of manufacturing processes, CI methodologies, and root cause analysis.
Influential: Able to engage teams, challenge the status quo, and drive positive cultural change.
Balanced: Comfortable switching between strategic improvement projects and hands‑on shop‑floor involvement.
Resilient & Pragmatic: A proactive problem‑solver who thrives in fast‑paced, evolving environments.
Great Communicator: Strong stakeholder engagement and organisational skills.
Location
Mansfield (Full‑time on‑site due to the nature of the role).
Salary
Up to £45,000 depending on experience.
About Ford & Stanley Group
Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas – recruiting, developing and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom.
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Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.
Ref: Continuous Improvement Lead
Salary description
£40000.00 - £45000.00 per year