Continuous Improvement, Health & Safety & Purchasing Lead
£45,000£55,000 DOE |
Workshop-based Lowestoft, Suffolk | Permanent, Full-Time
A long-established specialist manufacturer of high-value, bespoke vehicles is entering a period of operational transformation and were hiring a hands-on Continuous Improvement, Health & Safety & Purchasing Lead to drive that change from the shop floor up.
This is a rare opportunity to take full ownership of CI, H&S and purchasing in a business that is ready for improvement, open to challenge and committed to building sustainable operational discipline.
The Opportunity
This is not a consultancy or desk-based role. You will be on the shop floor daily observing, mapping, improving and coaching. Youll report directly to the CEO and operate with autonomy, shaping how the business works and leaving behind capability that lasts.
What You will Do
Map current-state value streams and quantify waste across all build types
Lead 5S implementation and run structured Kaizen events
Improve production flow, takt time, sequencing, layout and scheduling
Establish standard work and visual management across the workshop
Coach teams in CI tools through live improvement activity
Act as the competent person for Health & Safety, owning risk assessments, work-at-height compliance, COSHH and incident investigations
Conduct H&S audits, maintain statutory documentation and lead toolbox talks
Overhaul purchasing practices: supplier performance, stock control, lead times and alignment with build schedules
Track KPIs across CI, H&S and purchasing, reporting directly to senior leadership
What You will Bring
Proven hands-on CI experience in manufacturing, ideally low-volume or bespoke production
Strong working knowledge of lean tools: VSM, 5S, Kaizen, standard work, visual management and root cause analysis
Practical H&S experience including risk assessments, PUWER, COSHH and Work at Height
Purchasing experience: supplier negotiation, inventory control and aligning procurement with production flow
A shop-floor mindset credible with skilled craftspeople and comfortable in overalls
Structured, data-driven thinking with the ability to baseline and measure improvement
Strong coaching ability and a commitment to building capability, not dependency
Desirable: Six Sigma/Lean qualification, experience in Danaher/TPS-style environments, CIPS or equivalent procurement experience.
Benefits
£45,000 £55,000 salary depending on experience
Direct influence over CI, H&S and purchasing strategy
High autonomy with direct access to senior leadership
Opportunity to lead a two-year transformation programme with measurable impact
Stable, long-established manufacturer with strong demand for its products
Clear progression as operational maturity increases
What Success Looks Like
Within two years, youll have delivered:
Faster, more consistent build processes with reduced rework
Full H&S compliance, including robust work-at-height and COSHH controls
A purchasing function that supports production rather than constraining it
A self-sustaining 5S standard maintained by the teams
A trained group of CI practitioners able to run improvements independently
A culture where problems are surfaced and solved, not worked around
TPBN1_UKTJ
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