Continuous Improvement & Operations Manager

About the role

We are seeking a Continuous Improvement / Business Operations Development Manager to lead operational excellence across our aerospace manufacturing site in Manchester. Working closely with senior leadership, engineering, quality and production teams, you will drive the adoption of lean practices and develop scalable processes that enhance productivity and quality.

Key responsibilities

• Lead continuous improvement projects across manufacturing and operational departments.
• Analyse current processes, identify waste and implement efficiency, productivity and quality enhancements.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing principles and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Develop, monitor and report key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Facilitate process mapping and workflow optimisation activities.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality and Engineering teams to improve operational performance.
• Support employee engagement and deliver continuous improvement training programmes.

Required profile

• Proven experience in a Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence or Manufacturing Improvement role within an engineering or aerospace environment.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities.
• Ability to read and interpret technical engineering drawings.

Required skills

• Lean Manufacturing
• Root cause analysis
• Process mapping
• KPI development and monitoring
• Technical engineering drawing interpretation