Continuous Improvement Engineer

Contract: Permanent | Full-Time (37.5 hours per week)
Working Pattern: Monday–Thursday 08:00–17:00 | Friday 08:00–13:30

Drive Change. Deliver Improvement. Make a Difference.

Are you passionate about Lean Manufacturing, problem solving and driving sustainable improvements? Do you enjoy working with teams to identify opportunities, implement change and deliver measurable results?

We are looking for a Continuous Improvement Engineer to support the delivery of operational improvements across multiple manufacturing sites. This hybrid role will provide flexibility while requiring regular access to sites across Kent, working closely with operational teams to embed Lean, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and continuous improvement methodologies.

Working alongside the Operational Excellence Manager, you will play a key role in improving safety, quality, productivity, cost and customer service performance through coaching, data analysis, structured problem solving and the delivery of improvement initiatives.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Continuous Improvement professional who enjoys influencing change, developing people and creating long-term improvements within a manufacturing environment.

The Role

As a Continuous Improvement Engineer, you will:

• Support the delivery of Continuous Improvement initiatives across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Drive improvements in safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost and customer service.
• Embed Lean Manufacturing, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Analyse operational performance data, identify improvement opportunities and support teams in implementing sustainable solutions.
• Work with operational teams to develop and deliver Continuous Improvement plans aligned with business objectives.
• Conduct Operational Excellence assessments and identify opportunities using a data-driven approach.
• Coach and support colleagues in structured problem solving, root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
• Deliver Lean and TPM training, coaching and mentoring to colleagues at all levels.
• Facilitate Kaizen activities and encourage the sharing of best practice across sites.
• Support the development of Continuous Improvement tools, standards and training materials.
• Produce reports and updates on improvement activities and performance.
• Support productivity planning using Zero Based Loss methodology.
• Maintain effective operational review processes, including Tier meetings and shift handovers.
• Provide Continuous Improvement support across manufacturing locations as required.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• 3–5 years’ experience in a Continuous Improvement, Process Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering role within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
• Experience working with TPM methodologies, ideally across areas such as Focused Improvement, Autonomous Maintenance, Training & Education, Quality Maintenance or Supply Chain Optimisation.
• A proven track record of delivering successful Continuous Improvement and Kaizen initiatives.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a structured, data-driven approach.
• Experience coaching and influencing teams at all levels.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent organisation skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, with Power BI experience desirable.

Desirable Experience

• Engineering or Manufacturing degree.
• Six Sigma Green Belt (or above), or willingness to work towards.
• Project Management experience.
• Experience within brassware or ceramics manufacturing.
• Knowledge of ERP systems.
• IOSH qualification, or willingness to achieve this.

What You'll Bring

You’ll be someone who:

• Is passionate about continuous improvement and finding better ways of working.
• Uses data and insight to identify opportunities and deliver meaningful change.
• Builds strong relationships and can influence teams without direct authority.
• Enjoys coaching and developing others.
• Takes ownership and delivers results.
• Is curious, adaptable and committed to continuous learning.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to play a key role in improving manufacturing performance across a growing operational environment. With a hybrid working approach and responsibility across sites in Kent, you’ll have the opportunity to combine hands-on site engagement with focused improvement activity.

Drop me your application on nick@thesterlingchoice.com or call 01733 391515