Lean Improvement Leader

At Rolls-Royce we are proud to be a business that has truly helped to shape the modern world and are committed to always being a force for progress; powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere. By joining Rolls-Royce, you'll have the opportunity to work on world-class solutions, supported by a culture that believes individuality is our greatest strength, and all perspectives, experiences and backgrounds help us innovate and enable our high-performance culture.

Position Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Lean Improvement Leader to join our Team in Rolls-Royce in Solihull. As a Lean Improvement Leader, you will play a pivotal role in driving internal performance improvements to meet our exciting growth challenges.

What you will be doing:

• As a Lean Leader, you’ll be at the forefront of driving Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, and a vibrant Lean Culture across our manufacturing plants using the Rolls-Royce Production System.
• In this dynamic role, you will use your leadership, influencing and change management skills to set an ambitious vision for enhanced Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery and People performance.
• You will champion the Hoshin Kanri strategic deployment and the creation of the associated plans to achieve the defined goals.
• Your expertise in lean tools and techniques will develop our lean capability across all levels, as you coach and mentor cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact improvement projects.
• You’ll take ownership of the most significant lean initiatives, using your business acumen and analytical skills to identify opportunities and drive transformative change.
• As a role model for lean leadership, you’ll engage and energise everyone around you, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• The role is part of our wider Lean Leader team, who support the Derby region of manufacturing plants.
• Your initial plant deployment will be based on performance priorities and where you can deliver the most value.
• Identify lean improvement opportunities through appropriate analytical tools and champion the most appropriate opportunities.
• Coach the cross functional teams to deliver lean improvement projects in support of the plan.
• Lead significant lean lighthouse projects that will deliver the required performance improvements using the most appropriate lean tools and techniques.
• Develop lean capability across all levels through the delivery of lean training and coaching.
• Drive the maturity of the Rolls-Royce Production System with cross functional teams to drive improvements in Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery and People performance metrics.
• Coach the business leaders in lean leadership behaviours to engage all employees in lean and create a culture of continuous improvement.

Position Qualifications:

• Experience in lean six sigma or process improvement in operational and transactional environments.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certified.

Preferred Requirements:

• Proven track record in delivery of tangible improvements through the application of lean tools and techniques.
• Leadership experience preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience in influencing without direct authority, leading teams and driving change.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to build rapport across all levels.
• Able to operate in a multinational and multicultural environment.
• Lean Expert or equivalent certification.

Regional Benefits:

• Work in a safety-first environment where doing the right thing and keeping it simple are core principles.
• Join a culture that values making a real difference through your work.
• Develop your career as a mid-career professional blending technical expertise with strong personal qualities.
• Thrive in a role that encourages integrity, accountability, resilience, and curiosity.
• Collaborate and build relationships in a team-focused environment while also working independently.
• Take initiative, lead, and make smart decisions with confidence and support.
• Grow through continuous learning, openness to improvement, and exposure to challenging opportunities.

Our vision is to ensure that the excellence and ingenuity that shaped our history continues into our future. Our multi-year transformation programme aims to turn Rolls-Royce into a high-performing, competitive, resilient and growing company. Join us, and it can be your future vision too.

Rolls-Royce are committed to being a respectful, inclusive, and non-discriminatory workplace where individuality is valued, diverse perspectives fuel innovation, and everyone can thrive.