Operational Excellence Coach in Northampton

We are looking for an organised Operational Excellence to join our Operational Excellence Team.

About the role The Operational Excellence Coach will drive continuous improvement across manufacturing operations by mentoring teams, implementing best practices, and promoting the adoption of lean manufacturing principles. This role is focused on enhancing operational efficiency, ensuring the highest standards of productivity, quality, and sustainability, and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. The Operational Excellence Coach empowers teams to achieve their full potential, while contributing to the overall success and growth of the organisation. Key Responsibilities Safety and Compliance: Ensure that all improvements and operational practices align with safety regulations and compliance standards. Promote a strong safety culture within teams and ensure that safety protocols are adhered to in all continuous improvement activities. Continuous Improvement Leadership: Facilitate the implementation of continuous improvement initiatives, driving process optimization, efficiency, and waste reduction across manufacturing teams. Lead problem-solving sessions and Kaizen events, guiding teams in applying lean principles (e.g., 5S, Six Sigma) to improve processes and resolve issues. Coaching and Development: Mentor and coach teams at all levels to adopt best practices, lean methodologies, and effective problem-solving techniques. Build capabilities within teams by providing training on operational excellence tools, fostering a culture of self-sufficiency in continuous improvement. Process Optimization: Support the identification of key performance indicators (KPIs) for manufacturing operations and ensure their alignment with business objectives. Assist in standardising processes across production lines to improve consistency, reduce variability, and drive efficiency. Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Monitor and analyse operational performance to ensure continuous improvement goals are being met. Provide regular updates and insights on progress toward operational excellence goals, including recommendations for improvement to senior leadership. Collaboration and Cross-Functional Support: Work closely with cross-functional teams (e.g., Quality, Engineering, R&D, Supply Chain) to ensure alignment between manufacturing and other business functions. Share knowledge and best practices across teams and sites, promoting collaboration and ensuring alignment with the overall business strategy. Sustainability and Cost Efficiency: Support efforts to improve sustainability by identifying opportunities for resource optimisation, waste reduction, and energy conservation. Promote cost-saving initiatives without compromising quality, safety, or productivity, ensuring maximum efficiency across manufacturing processes. Change Management: Lead and support the implementation of change management initiatives related to new processes, systems, or technologies. Encourage the adoption of new tools and technologies to continuously enhance manufacturing capabilities. Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices: Actively contribute to the knowledge-sharing process by capturing lessons learned from improvement projects and disseminating them across teams. Identify and implement industry best practices to elevate the organisation’s manufacturing processes and maintain competitive advantage. About you We are looking for someone who has: Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to align manufacturing operations and improvement initiatives with overall business objectives. Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities, focused on identifying root causes and driving effective solutions to foster continuous improvement in manufacturing processes. A certificate in Six Sigma certification (Black Belt or Master Black Belt) Certificate in other process improvement methodologies (e.g. Kaizen, TQM) degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or related field. Demonstrated success as a Operational Excellence Coach, driving initiatives to improve operational efficiency and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement across manufacturing teams. In-depth knowledge and hands-on- experience with Lean, Six Sigma, and other process optimisation methodologies, consistently delivering measurable improvements in performance, quality and productivity. Strong leadership and coaching abilities, with proven capacity to mentor and guide teams through Lean transformations, adopting collaboration and achieving sustainable results. We don’t expect you to tick every box. If you bring the mindset, curiosity and drive to make an impact, we’d love to hear from you. Why join Forterra At Forterra, our people are at the heart of what we do. We offer opportunities to develop your skills, build your career and make a real difference as part of a supportive team. Benefits include: Pension (up to 10% from us) Competitive salary and generous holiday Employee Assistance Programme for yourself and family members Learning, development and career progression – Opportunities to help you grow Aviva Smart Health Life Assurance Scheme Financial Wellbeing Programme Wellhub Wellness Plans & Gym Membership Cycle to Work Scheme Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme Holiday Exchange Scheme Sharesave Scheme & many more! About Forterra At Forterra, we don’t just make products, we make an impact. As a leading UK manufacturer of essential clay and concrete building materials our purpose is to help create lasting legacies. You will be part of a team that values fresh thinking, takes pride in quality, and supports one another to succeed. We create an environment where people feel empowered to bring ideas and grow. We know that diverse perspectives make us stronger. That’s why we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and identities. If you believe you would be a good fit for the role, we would love to hear from you. Our values are at the heart of how we work: Collaborate and Care

– We believe we’re stronger together. Teamwork, open communication and looking out for each other are core to how we operate. We also put safety first – protecting people is always our top priority. Pride in Excellence

– We celebrate achievement and take pride in the quality of our work. Whether you’re directly shaping products or supporting our operations, you’ll play a part in delivering excellence for our customers and the communities that we serve. Innovate to Lead

– You’ll be encouraged to ask questions, bring ideas forward and help us find better, smarter ways of doing things. We never stand still – innovation is part of who we are, from sustainability initiatives and product development. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. We are committed to ensuring that everyone has the support they need to have a fair and positive experience throughout the application process. Ready to join us? If you're ready to join a great team at one of the UK’s leading building products manufacturers, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and build your future with Forterra – your next challenge starts here. Please note that we do not offer visa sponsorship. All applicants must have the right to work in the UK.