Operational Excellence Manager

Operational Excellence Manager

Our client is an award-winning, market-leading manufacturer and distributor serving customers across the UK and Ireland.  Operating from a modern manufacturing and distribution facility, the business is recognised for its quality, innovation and exceptional customer service.  With a strong reputation and ambitious plans for continued growth, it offers an exciting environment for talented professionals to develop their careers.

This is a senior leadership role with end to end ownership of quality and customer experience, focused on right first time delivery, reduction of cost of poor quality, and continuous improvement across manufacturing and distribution.

The Operational Excellence Manager ensures that customer issues are owned, analysed, resolved, and prevented from recurring. The role retains governance of Quality and appropriate oversight of Health, Safety and Environmental systems, while prioritising business improvement, problem solving and customer impact over administration.

The Job:

• Customer Quality & Experience
• Own all major customer quality issues and complaints end to end.
• Lead containment, investigation, root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Ensure effective communication with customers and internal stakeholders throughout issue resolution.
• Prevent repeat issues through robust system and process improvement.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Champion a right first time and continuous improvement culture.
• Lead CI / Lean projects to reduce defects, waste, rework and cost of poor quality.
• Use structured problem solving tools (e.g. 8D, 5 Why, Pareto, SPC).
• Work cross functionally to improve operational effectiveness and customer outcomes.

Quality Management

• Develop, maintain and continually improve the Quality Management System (ISO 9001).
• Lead internal, external and customer audits; ensure timely closure of actions.
• Ensure product and process quality across manufacturing and distribution.
• Manage non-conformances, deviations and quality risks.

Health, Safety & Environmental Leadership

• Provide leadership and assurance for Health & Safety and Environmental systems.
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure legal and standards compliance.
• Oversee incident investigation and risk mitigation.
• Support sustainability initiatives (waste, energy, environmental compliance).

(Day to day administration may be supported by specialists.)

Supplier Quality

• Own Supplier Quality Assurance framework.
• Lead supplier audits, corrective actions and improvement plans.
• Work with Procurement to reduce supplier related quality risk.

Reporting & Leadership

• Define and report key metrics (customer complaints, defects, cost of quality, CI progress).
• Provide clear insight to senior leadership on risks, trends and improvements.
• Act as a visible leader and role model for quality, accountability and improvement.

The Person:

Education & Qualifications

• Degree (or equivalent experience) in Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing or Business.
• Formal training in ISO 9001 / Quality Management Systems.
• Continuous Improvement / problem‑solving training (Lean, Six Sigma or equivalent).

Experience

• 5+ years in a senior quality, operational excellence or CI role within manufacturing or distribution.
• Proven experience owning major customer quality issues and complaints end‑to‑end.
• Strong background in RCA, CAPA, non‑conformance management and audit leadership.
• Demonstrated delivery of measurable quality and cost improvements.

Knowledge & Skills

• Deep understanding of Quality Management Systems and audits.
• Strong data analysis and reporting capability.
• Structured problem‑solving expertise.
• Ability to influence and challenge at all organisational levels.
• Confident communicator with customers and senior leaders.

Personal Attributes

• Highly customer‑focused with strong ownership mentality.
• Energetic, improvement‑driven and results‑oriented.
• Pragmatic, resilient and comfortable operating in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong values, integrity and professionalism.
• Collaborative leader who builds capability in others.

If you are interested in this position, then please send your CV using the appropriate method, or contact our office for a confidential discussion.