Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence Specialist

Gategroup are currently looking for a Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence Specialist to join our Continuous Improvement team. In this role, the job holder will be responsible for identifying, leading, and executing initiatives that improve business processes, drive operational efficiency, and optimize performance across departments. The role is focussed on our Northern UK aviation catering Sites as well as our UK trains sites currently operating in the East of the UK (London to Scotland). You’ll partner with key stakeholders to deliver measurable improvements using Lean, Six Sigma, and change management methodologies.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Highlights and develops business improvement opportunities to benefit quality, cost and delivery.
• Develops, trains, and rolls out standards and best practices using lean manufacturing and Six-Sigma tools and principles.
• Problem solves to identify root causes of selective issues restricting or affecting the business using process improvement and problem-solving tools such as process mapping, kaizen events, value-stream mapping, SMED, Poka-yoke, FMEA, C&E analysis, 5S etc.
• Seeks and analyses data for evidence-based analysis and planning of value-added solutions.
• Develops and implements performance management systems that will help to measure and manage operational performance, compliance and quality.
• Partners with facilities operations managers, shift team leaders (in the operation) and compliance colleagues to plan and execute operational and tactical improvements.
• Drives development and rollout of technology tools into the operation.
• Acts as a mentor to coach and develop staff in the mind-set of lean and continuous improvement.
• Supports adherence to, and sustainment of, the groups global Operational Excellence program (gateOPEX).

Qualifications

Education:

• Educated to GCSE/ O-Level in Maths / Science.
• Lean Six Sigma change related qualified (Blackbelt or Greenbelt certification advantageous).
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or technical related field (advantageous).

Work Experience:

• Previous experience in an operational environment within the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, healthcare, electronics/engineering or automotive industry.
• Previous management or supervisory experience.
• Previous experience in facilitating and applying Continuous Improvement / Lean tools and methodologies over a significant period with proven delivery & results.
• Previous Project Management experience.

Skills & Knowledge:

• Strong understanding of manufacturing systems (BOM’s, ERP, production planning, scheduling, purchasing, supply chain management etc.).
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to develop long term relationships and facilitate sometimes diverse groups of people to work together to achieve shared objectives.
• Excellent organisational skills, detailed, ability to schedule/manage workload & multiple activities within similar timelines.
• Strong characteristics in communications, team building, facilitation/deployment change management.
• Ability to: evaluate, consult, coach, influence, implement, present and deliver.
• Good negotiating and persuasive skills.

Other:

All applicants must have the right to work in the UK, undertake a CRC (Criminal Record Check) and provide 5 years of checkable referencing history. For anytime spent outside the UK exceeding 6 months, you must be able to provide a CRC (Criminal Record Check) for that country.

About the Company:

Gate Gourmet is the world's largest independent provider of catering services for airlines and are the core business behind gategroup, whose eleven associated brands offer customers a comprehensive scope of products and services for virtually any on-board need. We provide more than 200 million meals a year to our 270-plus customers at some 120 airport locations around the globe.