Head of Operations Excellence (Lean)

Job Title: Head of Operations Excellence (Lean)

Location Type: Remote - based in either UK, Italy, France or Germany

Website: https://www.wmfts.com/en/

Group: https://www.spiraxgroup.com/

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions is part of Spirax Group, a FTSE100 and FTSE4Good multi-national industrial engineering Group with expertise in the control and management of steam, electric thermal solutions, peristaltic pumping and associated fluid technologies.

When you join us, you will be integrated into a cooperative and encouraging team, participate in challenging yet critical work, and experience ongoing growth opportunities to help you achieve your full potential. Visit our website to learn more.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a talented and motivated Head of Operations Excellence (Lean) to join our dynamic team.

Key Responsibilities:

This role can be based in either the UK, France, Italy of Germany with circa 50% travel involved.

As Head of Operations Excellence (Lean), you will lead the strategy, execution, and cultural transformation of continuous improvement across our operations globally. This is a strategic and high-impact role, focused on driving operational efficiency, reducing waste, and maximising value through the application of Lean principles. You will be at the forefront of transforming our processes while cultivating a culture of excellence, accountability, and sustainable improvement across all business units.

Key Accountabilities include:

• You will develop and deliver a robust operational excellence strategy that aligns with business and manufacturing objectives.
• You will lead Lean transformation initiatives using proven methodologies such as Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, and A3 Thinking.
• You will drive operational improvements that enhance productivity, reduce cycle times, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction.
• You will coach and develop cross-functional teams and frontline leaders in Lean tools to embed a sustainable continuous improvement culture.
• You will lead change management efforts to ensure adoption and alignment across production sites and support functions.
• You will define clear metrics and KPIs to track performance, demonstrate ROI, and communicate progress to executive leadership.
• You will collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, HR, and Finance to integrate Lean into daily practices and long-term strategies.
• You will assess and benchmark internal and external best practices, using insights to inform strategy and continuously raise the bar on operational performance.
• You will identify and prioritise a portfolio of improvement projects, ensuring alignment with business priorities and measurable value delivery.
• You will act as a key advisor to senior leadership, using data and insights to influence strategic decisions related to operations, investment, and resourcing.
• You will ensure sustainability of improvements by embedding standard work, visual management, and daily management systems across operations.
• You will lead structured problem-solving efforts (e.g., root cause analysis, DMAIC) to address operational issues.

Who you will be working with

In this senior leadership role, you will manage and provide strategic direction to the Head of Lean, ensuring alignment between operational excellence initiatives and broader business objectives. You will work across the organisation, collaborating with:

• Executive leadership to shape and drive divisional strategy.
• General Managers and Production Leaders to identify and deliver site-specific improvements.
• Functional heads across Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, and HR to drive cross-functional alignment.
• Frontline teams and Lean Champions to support local implementation and engagement.
• External experts or partners where appropriate to support benchmarking and best practice adoption.

Skills/Experience:

This is what you’ll need to be successful in this role

• You will bring a strong academic background with a degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field and/or qualified by extensive experience.
• Significant experience in manufacturing operations and a proven track record in leading Lean and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrate success in driving complex, multi-site Lean transformations within a manufacturing environment.
• Hold or have equivalent expertise to a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
• Ability to travel upto 50%
• Experience of applying deep knowledge of Lean tools, principles, and implementation strategies suited to manufacturing environments.
• Significant experience in process improvement transformation.
• Demonstrate confident leadership, coaching ability, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities to identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.
• Experience of leading with a hands-on, collaborative approach and a clear passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence.

At Watson-Marlow, we believe in taking care of our colleagues. We offer a generous benefits package, including:

• A competitive salary
• Flexible working arrangements
• A generous holiday allowance
• Three days’ paid volunteering leave
• Life assurance
• Additional support and benefits through our Everyone is Included Group Inclusion Plan

Everyone is Included at Spirax Group

We are passionate about creating inclusive and equitable working cultures where everyone can be themselves and achieve their full potential. For us, that means supportive teams and strong relationships where everyone’s contribution is valued - across social and cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, genders, gender identities, abilities, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and everything else that makes us human and unique.

We want everyone to be able to make their difference here, so we will always consider requests for flexible working.

We know that everyone needs some extra help from time to time too, so we have introduced a range of additional benefits through our Group Inclusion Commitments. These include

• Gender-neutral parental leave
• 15 days of extra paid caregiver leave
• Paid time off and support for anyone experiencing pregnancy loss or domestic abuse
• Menopause-friendly workplace principles and more

Learn more at spiraxgroup.com/inclusion.

We are also a Disability Confident Committed Employer. If you would like to apply using this scheme, please select this option in our application form.

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

If you require accommodations during the application process, please let us know.

Company Overview

At Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions, part of Spirax Group, we are driven by innovation and are dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is empowered to make a difference. As a world leader in manufacturing peristaltic pumps and associated fluid path technologies for the life sciences and process industries, we offer a wide range of products, including tubing, specialised filling systems and products for single-use applications.

Our shared Purpose is to create sustainable value for all our stakeholders as we engineer a more efficient, safer and sustainable world. Our technologies play an essential role in critical industrial processes and industrial equipment across industries as diverse as Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology, Power Generation, Semiconductors and Healthcare. With customers in 116 countries, we provide the solutions that sit behind the production of many items used in daily life, from baked beans to mobile phones!

Our inclusive culture and Values, unites us, guides our decisions and inspires us everywhere that we operate. We support our colleagues to make their difference for each other as well as customers, communities, suppliers, our planet and shareholders by creating a truly equitable working environment where everyone feels included.