OpEx Lead

About the role

Our Operational Excellence team strives to improve organisational performance and create a culture focused on continuous improvement, optimisation of processes and systems to achieve better results. It aims to increase efficiency, reduce waste and costs, and improve quality and customer satisfaction.

We are currently looking for an Operational Excellence Lead, who will support the successful delivery of Continuous Improvement objectives for DS Smith`s Recycling Division across all our sites in Europe. In this role, you will implement the operational excellence programme and ensure the objectives are reflected in the regional and country plans. 

Reporting to the Head of Operational Excellence and working alongside the regional teams, the role will require monitoring and co-ordination of the key operational activities that are aligned to Recycling’s strategic goals, ensuring they are on track to deliver the committed results. You will engage, influence, train and mentor people at all levels throughout the organisation in matters relating to operational excellence. A crucial measure of success will be the ability to build relationships and influence with sites, country, and regional teams as well as Divisional and Group cross functional stakeholders across the business. 

Key responsibilities:

• Accountable for Health & Safety whilst at work, operating in line with company procedures to enable a safe working environment; immediately reporting health and safety incidents to management.

• Support the design, development and deployment of Divisional operational excellence improvement programmes.

• Lead the process of identifying best practices and standardisation opportunities in Recycling. 

• Embed a Lean culture within Recycling to constantly strive to eliminate waste, reduce cost, improve efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction.

• Continually review regional implementation progress through activity & benefits tracking and facilitation of regular stakeholder communication and review meetings.

• Support in developing strategy/roadmap to promote and implement efficiency opportunities and develop better ways of working for our largest customer (DS Smith Paper)

•  Lead by example (role model) as an active change agent both supporting and leading improvement projects.

About You:

• Degree or equivalent experience

• Excellent knowledge of Lean, Continuous Improvement & OpEx processes, based on practical experience; ideally Six Sigma/TPS/DSSW L4 qualified

• Ability to lead and deliver strategic and transformational change with a sense of urgency

• Ability to build strong trusting relationships with cross functional and cross geographical stakeholders

• Advocate for best practice identification, validation and deployment across sites sourced from internal functions, sites, divisions and externally across industry sectors

• Ability to lead strategic and tactical projects/initiatives with competing resources and priorities, using information, analysis and insights to identify and unlock strategic business opportunities

• Demonstrable track record in influencing and delivering results in a complex matrix environment

• Broad understanding of Recycling/Paper/Packaging industry (principles, practices, processes, and customer requirements) will be a plus

• Fluency in English and ideally another European language.

Location: Home-based in Spain, Portugal, Croatia or Romania