Job Description:

Continuous Improvement Manager
Essex | Permanent | Manufacturing
£45,000 - £50,000

Are you passionate about improving processes, solving operational challenges and helping teams work smarter?

We're working with an established manufacturing business that is investing in its operations and looking for a Continuous Improvement Manager to support its journey towards greater efficiency, productivity and operational excellence. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, Production Engineering or Operational Excellence who is looking to take the next step in their career.

You'll work alongside experienced leaders and operational teams, helping to identify improvement opportunities, deliver projects and build a culture where continuous improvement becomes part of everyday working life. Whether you're already managing improvement projects or looking to step into a broader business-wide CI role, this position offers genuine scope to develop and make a visible impact.

The Role
Reporting into the senior leadership team, you'll play a key role in supporting and delivering continuous improvement initiatives across the manufacturing operation.
Working closely with Production, Engineering, Quality and Supply Chain teams, you'll help identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, enhance productivity and drive measurable business improvements. This is a hands-on role that will suit someone who enjoys getting onto the shop floor, working with people and using data to solve operational challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Support and lead continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and operational performance.
• Assist with process mapping, workflow analysis and improvement projects.
• Drive waste reduction and cost-saving initiatives.
• Work with Engineering and Production teams to improve equipment performance and reduce downtime.
• Help develop and monitor key performance measures, including OEE and productivity metrics.
• Facilitate Lean improvement activities such as Kaizen events, 5S and Root Cause Analysis.
• Encourage employee engagement in continuous improvement projects.
• Support the development of standardised working practices and continuous improvement tools.
• Track and report on the progress and benefits of improvement initiatives.
• Promote a positive culture of problem-solving and operational excellence throughout the business.

About You
We're open to speaking with candidates from a range of manufacturing backgrounds who can demonstrate a passion for improvement and a desire to develop their career within Continuous Improvement.

You'll ideally have:

• Experience within a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing tools and continuous improvement methodologies.
• The ability to analyse data and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• A proactive, hands-on approach and a desire to make a difference.
• Experience supporting or delivering improvement projects.
• Lean Six Sigma training or qualifications would be beneficial, but not essential.

Most importantly, we're looking for someone with the right attitude, curiosity and drive to help improve processes and influence positive change.
What's On Offer?

• A genuine opportunity to develop and grow within a well-established manufacturing business.
• Exposure to strategic business improvement projects.
• Support from experienced operational leaders.
• The chance to make a visible impact across the organisation.
• Long-term career progression and professional development opportunities.
• A collaborative environment that values ideas, innovation and continuous improvement.