Safran
Head of Continuous Improvement (12 month FTC)
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Safran Nacelles
Safran Nacelles is a worldwide leader in aircraft engine nacelles. Our site in Burnley provides employment to almost 700 people and we are proud to be one of the largest private sector employers in Burnley.
Head of Continuous Improvement
12 month FTC
Burnley
At Safran, excellence is a journey - and we'd love you to be a part of it. As a trusted global leader in aerospace, defence, and space, we are proud to be a company where diversity, innovation, and opportunity come together to shape a sustainable future where we can all succeed together through a shared vision
We offer a range of flexible benefits designed to support you-both in and out of work, including:
- 37 hour working week over 4.5 days with a 1pm Finish on Fridays (Role dependant)
- 25 days' holiday + bank holidays (plus the option to buy an additional 5 days)
- 10% employer pension contribution (5% employee contribution with the option to increase via salary exchange)
- Flex-time scheme that allows you to take two half days or one full day off per month (Role dependant)
- 4X life insurance benefit as a member of the pension scheme
- Non-contributory BUPA private medical insurance plan (Role Dependant)
- Excellent training, education, and development schemes
- Enhanced sickness, maternity, adoption and paternity leave
- Option to purchase Safran shares with additional free shares from the company
- Corporate membership at the Crow Wood Hotel & Spa: Use of fitness suites, classes, pool & sauna, offering 54% discount as a gold member.
- Cycle to work scheme, along with a range of flexible benefits chosen by you!
Your role
As Head of Continuous Improvement, you will lead the development and delivery of the site's improvement strategy, ensuring alignment with wider business objectives and group transformation programmes. You will manage a team of Continuous Improvement professionals, oversee multiple strategic projects, and champion Lean methodologies to deliver sustainable operational excellence.
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Key Responsibilities
- Develop, lead and deliver the annual Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence strategy.
- Create and manage a site-wide improvement roadmap aligned with business objectives.
- Lead Lean Six Sigma and process improvement initiatives across all business functions.
- Prioritise and coordinate improvement projects to maximise business value.
- Manage the site's Balanced Scorecard and performance reporting processes.
- Monitor project performance, benefits realisation, and return on investment.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and optimise business processes.
- Facilitate Lean workshops including Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping, and problem-solving sessions.
- Lead organisational change initiatives from concept through implementation.
- Identify and mitigate project risks while ensuring successful delivery.
- Develop and mentor a team of Improvement Managers, Project Managers, and Engineers.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
- Present progress and recommendations to senior leadership and group stakeholders.
Here, we craft excellence together.
We understand that diversity and inclusion make teams stronger. We are committed to fair and equitable employment practices for everyone.
We know that some candidates may be put off applying for jobs where they don't meet 100% of the criteria outlined in the advert. We encourage anybody to apply if you can demonstrate a variety of skills and experience relevant to the requirements of this role. Please let us know if you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments to the hiring process that may better facilitate your participation.
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Why Safran?
A global presence: Be part of a global aerospace, defence & space business with over 100,000 Colleagues, across 300 sites in 30 countries.
Inclusive & empowering environment: We celebrate our differences and believe they make us stronger.
Innovation at the core: Join our mission to decarbonise aerospace and make the world a safer place. Your ambitions can take us further.
Mobility & training opportunities: We can support your ambitions with training, development, a personalised career plan and mobility opportunities. If you have big dreams, we'll support you to make them a reality.
Get involved:
We have a number of groups and forums across our sites that you can get involved with, including Women at Safran, Diversity at Safran, Sports Clubs, STEM ambassadors, Employee Forum, Charity Partnerships and Wellbeing Programs.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (minimum).
- Proven Continuous Improvement/Operational Excellence leadership experience.
- Strong Lean and process improvement expertise.
- Experience leading and developing teams.
- Project and change management experience.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data interpretation skills.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to influence and engage at all organisational levels.
Desirable Skills & Experience
- Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or a related discipline.
- Experience within aerospace or a regulated manufacturing environment.
- Project Management qualification (PRINCE2, APM, or PMP).
- Experience with ERP systems and performance reporting tools.
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