Continuous Improvement, Health & Safety & Purchasing Lead – Drive Operational Transformation from the Shop Floor Up

A long‑established specialist manufacturer of high‑value, bespoke vehicles is entering a major period of operational transformation — and we’re hiring a hands‑on Continuous Improvement, Health & Safety & Purchasing Lead to drive that change from the shop floor up. This is a rare opportunity to take full ownership of CI, H&S and purchasing in a business that is ready for improvement, open to challenge and committed to building sustainable operational discipline.

About the Role

This is not a consultancy or desk‑based position — it’s a practical, shop‑floor‑focused role where you will observe, map, improve and coach daily. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will operate with autonomy, shaping how the business works and leaving behind capability that lasts. You will lead CI activity, strengthen Health & Safety compliance and overhaul purchasing practices to support production flow.

This role suits someone who thrives in a hands‑on environment, enjoys solving operational problems and takes pride in building disciplined, repeatable processes.

Key Responsibilities

Continuous Improvement Leadership

• Map current‑state value streams and quantify waste across all build types
• Lead 5S implementation and run structured Kaizen events
• Improve production flow, takt time, sequencing, layout and scheduling
• Establish standard work and visual management across the workshop
• Coach teams in CI tools through live improvement activity

Health & Safety Ownership

• Act as the competent person for H&S, owning risk assessments, PUWER, COSHH and Work at Height
• Conduct H&S audits, maintain statutory documentation and lead toolbox talks
• Strengthen compliance and embed safe working practices across all teams

Purchasing & Supply Chain Improvement

• Overhaul purchasing practices to improve supplier performance, stock control and lead times
• Align procurement activity with production flow and build schedules
• Track KPIs across CI, H&S and purchasing, reporting directly to senior leadership

Operational Delivery

• Work closely with skilled craftspeople and production teams
• Identify risks early and support builds through production and commissioning
• Drive structured, data‑driven decision‑making and measurable improvement

About You

You are credible on the shop floor, confident leading change and comfortable challenging the status quo. You bring strong CI expertise, practical H&S knowledge and a commercial understanding of purchasing and supply chain.

• Proven hands‑on CI experience in manufacturing (ideally low‑volume or bespoke)
• Strong working knowledge of lean tools: VSM, 5S, Kaizen, standard work, visual management, root cause analysis
• Practical H&S experience including risk assessments, PUWER, COSHH and Work at Height
• Purchasing experience: supplier negotiation, inventory control, procurement aligned to production flow
• Shop‑floor mindset — comfortable in overalls and credible with craftspeople
• Structured, data‑driven thinking with the ability to baseline and measure improvement
• Strong coaching ability and commitment to building capability, not dependency

Desirable

• Six Sigma / Lean qualification
• Experience in Danaher / TPS‑style environments
• CIPS or equivalent procurement experience

Benefits

• £45,000–£55,000 salary depending on experience
• Direct influence over CI, H&S and purchasing strategy
• High autonomy with direct access to senior leadership
• Opportunity to lead a two‑year transformation programme with measurable impact
• Stable, long‑established manufacturer with strong demand for its products
• Clear progression as operational maturity increases

What Success Looks Like

Within two years, you will have delivered:

• Faster, more consistent build processes with reduced rework
• Full H&S compliance, including robust Work at Height and COSHH controls
• A purchasing function that supports production rather than constraining it
• A self‑sustaining 5S standard maintained by the teams
• A trained group of CI practitioners able to run improvements independently
• A culture where problems are surfaced and solved, not worked around