Head of Lean Manufacturing Grtr Birmingham Multi-Site Manufacturing - 02 Feb 2026

Board-Sponsored Operational Excellence Leadership Role

First stage interviews w/c: 09 Feb 2026

OPEX Selection is supporting a UK-based specialist manufacturer in the appointment of a Head of Lean Manufacturing, a newly created senior leadership role with genuine authority, sponsorship and long-term progression.

The organisation was acquired by a US industrial group four years ago and now operates as part of a wider international manufacturing network with an established global business system. While this system is well embedded in other regions, its application within the UK remains at an earlier stage.

Following the appointment of a new UK Board, there is renewed clarity, energy and commitment to operational excellence. Lean is positioned as a strategic enabler, not a support function, and this role has been created to lead that agenda with credibility and impact.

The Role:

Reporting to the Operations Director, you will take ownership of Lean manufacturing across six UK manufacturing sites, working closely with Manufacturing Managers to embed principles, behaviours and capability at site level.

This is a highly visible, people-focused leadership role, combining coaching, influence and hands-on delivery.

• Leading the deployment and embedding of Lean manufacturing principles across multiple sites
• Partnering with Manufacturing Managers to drive engagement, ownership and sustainable change
• Establishing and directly coaching a team of dedicated Lean Coordinators across three sites
• Personally leading high-impact Lean and Six Sigma projects where required, setting the standard for delivery
• Designing and delivering Green Belt training to build internal capability and succession
• Acting as the UK Lean lead, aligned to a wider global business system and supported by both UK and US leadership

The business has previously operated a localised Continuous Improvement structure that was later disbanded. With a new Board in ow place, this appointment represents a deliberate reset, with clearer sponsorship, stronger alignment and a more mature, sustainable approach.

Requirements:

This role will suit a senior Lean leader who enjoys influencing through trust, credibility and collaboration rather than authority alone.

You are likely to bring:

• Proven experience embedding Lean within manufacturing environments, ideally across multiple sites
• Experience working within, or deploying, a structured business or operating system in a manufacturing environment, ideally within an international or group-owned organisation
• Comfortable aligning local operations to global standards while balancing pragmatism, pace and site-level engagement
• A coaching-led, people-centric approach with the confidence to challenge constructively
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, able to influence at all levels
• Experience developing Lean capability within operational teams
• The ambition and presence to progress into a future Board-level role

Why This Opportunity?

• Newly created role with a clear mandate
• Strong sponsorship from a refreshed UK Board and US parent organisation
• Opportunity to shape and embed Lean rather than inherit legacy structures
• Genuine scope to progress to the main Board within a three-year horizon