Operational Excellence Lead

As Operational Excellence Lead, you will play a key role in driving operational excellence, improving site performance, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement across the organisation.

Accountabilities

• Lead the deployment and ongoing development of the DS Smith Way Continuous Improvement programme at site level.
• Partner with central Operations Excellence teams to align improvement priorities and share best practices.
• Champion Lean principles and continuous improvement methodologies, ensuring they are embedded into daily operations.
• Monitor and report site performance KPIs, driving accountability and ensuring delivery of business objectives.
• Lead the site's waste reduction strategy through accurate data collection, analysis, and performance monitoring.
• Provide technical expertise to improve controllable waste performance and reduce raw material consumption, including paper, starch, and water.
• Drive continuous improvements in waste performance through employee engagement, problem-solving methodologies, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Develop and implement cross-functional improvement projects, bringing together teams to deliver measurable business results.
• Support the development of robust audit and process confirmation systems, ensuring opportunities for improvement are identified and actions are effectively implemented.
• Foster a culture of engagement, accountability, and operational excellence, empowering teams to identify and drive continuous improvement opportunities.
• Build capability across the organisation through coaching, mentoring, and the delivery of continuous improvement training programmes.

Requirements

• Strong manufacturing experience gained within a production environment, preferably in a fast-paced industrial setting.
• Good knowledge of Continuous Improvement tools, Lean methodologies and operational excellence practices.
• Experience with quality systems and root cause analysis.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects and managing stakeholders across multiple functions.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence, engage and drive change across the organisation.
• Ability to analyse, interpret and present data effectively to support decision-making.
• Degree-level education with significant industrial experience will also be highly valued.
• Fluency in both Slovenian and English.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent qualification is preferred.

What We Offer

• Permanent employment contract with a 6 months probationary period
• Career opportunity with a successful global company recognised for its commitment to sustainability.
• Competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits.
• A dynamic role offering interesting challenges and the opportunity to make a measurable impact within a fast-paced environment.
• The opportunity to lead transformational improvement initiatives and contribute to operational excellence across the site.
• Professional development opportunities within an international organisation.

Working location: Logatec / Rakek

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