Safety & Continuous Improvement Manager

Safety & Continuous Improvement ManagerLocation: AylesfordContract: PermanentHours: Full time, 40 hours per week (Monday to Friday)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a proactive and forward-thinking Safety & Continuous Improvement Manager to join a growing manufacturinag business. This is a newly created role, designed to strengthen Health & Safety leadership while driving continuous improvement and lean practices across the organisation.

Reporting to the Operations Director, you will work closely with teams across production, logistics, and office functions to identify improvement opportunities, implement best-practice solutions, and ensure compliance with relevant legislation and internal standards. This is a hands-on, highly visible role with a strong presence on the shop floor, focused on embedding a culture of safety, accountability, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Health & Safety

• Take ownership of the Health & Safety function across the business
• Manage risk assessments, incident reporting, and investigations
• Ensure actions are clearly communicated and effectively closed out
• Support internal and external audits alongside the compliance function
• Drive consistency, visibility, and engagement in H&S practices across all departments

Continuous Improvement & Lean

• Lead and embed continuous improvement and lean initiatives across the organisation
• Support supervisors and teams in implementing improvements without disrupting operations
• Identify inefficiencies and drive waste reduction, efficiency, and improved workflow
• Facilitate lean activities including process mapping, standardisation, and 3S/5S initiatives
• Create structure and ownership around improvement ideas and projects

Training & Development

• Deliver training on lean tools and continuous improvement methodologies
• Coach teams to adopt and sustain lean practices and standard ways of working
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and development

Operational Support

• Conduct regular shop floor reviews and process confirmations
• Ensure adherence to SOPs and highlight any variances
• Work collaboratively with department managers to resolve issues and improve processes

About You

• Proven experience in Health & Safety within a manufacturing, production, or industrial environment
• Practical experience applying continuous improvement or lean principles
• NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent) is desirable
• Lean or Six Sigma exposure (Green/Yellow Belt advantageous)
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Comfortable influencing and driving change without direct authority
• Proactive, hands-on approach with strong problem-solving ability

What's on Offer

• Competitive salary with flexibility for the right candidate
• Company-wide bonus scheme
• Pension and private healthcare
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Supportive, team-focused working environment
• Opportunity to shape a newly created role and make a real impact

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to combine safety leadership with continuous improvement in a role where they can genuinely influence change and drive operational performance.

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