At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead continuous improvement initiatives and enhance engineering processes at a key naval base.
- Company: Join Babcock, a global leader in national defence and engineering.
- Benefits: Generous holiday, matched pension scheme, health support, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with excellent career growth and hybrid working options.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on national security while enjoying a flexible work-life balance.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing engineering processes and delivering change initiatives is essential.
The predicted salary is between 54019 - 54019 £ per year.
Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements
Compensation: £54,019 + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Strengthen Engineering Capability at the Heart of National Defence
At Babcock we're working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as Continuous Improvement Lead at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.
The role
As Continuous Improvement Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping and strengthening the facilities engineering capability at HMNB Devonport—a of the most strategically important naval bases in Western Europe. Working within the Engineering Capability Team, you'll help ensure our engineering organisation has the right processes, governance and capability to support complex ship and submarine sustainment programmes. Day-to-day, you'll focus on enhancing engineering processes, driving continuous improvement, and leading change initiatives. You'll work across teams to ensure our engineering processes are efficient, effective, and aligned to business needs, while also leading projects that deliver measurable improvements.
- Leading the measurement, management and continuous improvement of facilities engineering processes.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives, identifying inefficiencies and implementing practical solutions.
- Deliver process improvement projects from capture through to handover and close.
- Reviewing and updating technical and design processes to maintain effective governance.
- Facilitating process working groups and leading the process steering forum.
- Assessing process capability health, identifying risks, inefficiencies and improvement actions.
- Supporting internal and external audits, including ISO9001 compliance activities.
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with a minimum of 2 days in the office/onsite.
Essential experience of the Continuous Improvement Lead
- Proven experience managing or improving engineering or business processes.
- Experience delivering continuous improvement or change initiatives.
- Strong understanding of business management systems / process frameworks.
- Experience analysing processes, identifying vulnerabilities and delivering improvement initiatives.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams and diverse stakeholder groups, including international partners.
- Strong communication skills with the confidence to influence and guide engineering best practice.
Qualifications for the Continuous Improvement Lead
We're open to a range of backgrounds and are more interested in your experience and impact than specific qualifications. Lean, Six Sigma, APM, or similar methodologies – Desirable.
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be a sole UK National who is able to achieve and maintain Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (NNPPI) / Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance for this role. Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held.
What we offer
- Generous holiday allowance
- Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
- Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
- Employee share scheme
- Employee shopping savings portal
- Payment of Professional Fees
- Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
- Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement.
- Be Kind Day enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
- Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.
Babcock
We're Babcock – a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 26,000 people working together to make a difference. Here, you'll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we're building a future that lasts - not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance. We call that lifetime engineering. Join us and see how far we can go, together.
We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email careers@babcockinternational.com with the subject header Reasonable adjustments requirement. We're committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone's free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working - please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.
Closing date: 11/06/2026
Continuous Improvement Lead in Plymouth employer: Babcock International
Babcock is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment at the strategically significant Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth. With a strong focus on employee development, generous benefits including a matched pension scheme and health support, and a commitment to work-life balance, Babcock fosters a culture of continuous improvement and inclusivity, making it an ideal place for professionals seeking meaningful careers in engineering.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Continuous Improvement Lead in Plymouth
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those at Babcock. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to continuous improvement. Think about your past experiences and how they align with the role—be ready to share specific examples!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your passion for continuous improvement during interviews. Talk about projects you've led or been part of, and how you’ve made a difference. Let your enthusiasm shine through!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Continuous Improvement Lead in Plymouth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Continuous Improvement Lead role. Highlight your relevant experience in managing engineering processes and driving change initiatives, as this will show us you're a great fit for the position.
Showcase Your Achievements:When detailing your past roles, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to improve processes. Use metrics where possible to quantify your impact, as this will help us see the value you can bring to our team.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. Avoid jargon and ensure your writing is easy to understand. This will not only make it easier for us to read but also reflect your strong communication skills, which are essential for the role.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This ensures your application goes straight to us and allows you to easily track your application status. Plus, it’s the best way to stay updated on any further steps in the process!
How to prepare for a job interview at Babcock International
✨Know Your Processes
Make sure you have a solid understanding of engineering processes and continuous improvement methodologies like Lean or Six Sigma. Be ready to discuss specific examples where you've successfully implemented improvements in past roles.
✨Showcase Your Collaboration Skills
This role requires working across multidisciplinary teams, so be prepared to share experiences where you've effectively collaborated with diverse stakeholders. Highlight your communication skills and how you've influenced best practices in previous projects.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect questions about process capability health and risk assessment. Brush up on your knowledge of business management systems and be ready to discuss how you've identified inefficiencies and delivered practical solutions in the past.
✨Demonstrate Your Leadership Qualities
As a Continuous Improvement Lead, you'll need to lead initiatives and facilitate working groups. Think of examples where you've taken charge of projects, driven change, and how you managed to get buy-in from your team and stakeholders.
