Operational Excellence Lead

As Operational Excellence Lead, you will play a key role in driving operational excellence, improving site performance, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement across the organisation.

Accountabilities

• Lead the deployment and ongoing development of the DS Smith Way Continuous Improvement programme at site level.

• Partner with central Operations Excellence teams to align improvement priorities and share best practices.

• Champion Lean principles and continuous improvement methodologies, ensuring they are embedded into daily operations.

• Monitor and report site performance KPIs, driving accountability and ensuring delivery of business objectives.

• Lead the site's waste reduction strategy through accurate data collection, analysis, and performance monitoring.

• Provide technical expertise to improve controllable waste performance and reduce raw material consumption, including paper, starch, and water.

• Drive continuous improvements in waste performance through employee engagement, problem-solving methodologies, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Develop and implement cross-functional improvement projects, bringing together teams to deliver measurable business results.

• Support the development of robust audit and process confirmation systems, ensuring opportunities for improvement are identified and actions are effectively implemented.

• Foster a culture of engagement, accountability, and operational excellence, empowering teams to identify and drive continuous improvement opportunities.

• Build capability across the organisation through coaching, mentoring, and the delivery of continuous improvement training programmes.

Requirements

• Strong manufacturing experience gained within a production environment, preferably in a fast-paced industrial setting.

• Good knowledge of Continuous Improvement tools, Lean methodologies and operational excellence practices.

• Experience with quality systems and root cause analysis.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects and managing stakeholders across multiple functions.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence, engage and drive change across the organisation.

• Ability to analyse, interpret and present data effectively to support decision-making.

• Degree-level education with significant industrial experience will also be highly valued.

• Fluency in both Slovenian and English.

• Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent qualification is preferred.

What We Offer

• Permanent employment contract with a 6 months probationary period

• Career opportunity with a successful global company recognised for its commitment to sustainability.

• Competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits.

• A dynamic role offering interesting challenges and the opportunity to make a measurable impact within a fast-paced environment.

• The opportunity to lead transformational improvement initiatives and contribute to operational excellence across the site.

• Professional development opportunities within an international organisation.

Working location: Logatec / Rakek

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