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We are now recruiting for a Site Excellence Lead to join our team at our Lightbody site in Hamilton. 135 years of craft baking skills lie behind the quality of the special branded cakes, sweet snacks and slices we produce in Hamilton and 55 million products are produced each year. Lightbody’s is the UK’s largest supplier of celebration cakes to UK retailers, with Disney, Mars, Universal and Thorntons all within the portfolio of branded cakes made under licence. We also make a variety of supermarkets’ well-loved own-label cakes and in-store bakery bites. To be successful in this role you will be a confident and collaborative leader who motivates others through a clear vision and strong engagement. As a strategic thinker with robust analytical skills, you’ll be committed to data-driven decision-making, balancing the demands of short-term performance with the pursuit of long-term improvement goals. Thriving in dynamic environments, you will be adaptable and responsive to evolving business needs. Are you passionate about driving change, unlocking potential, and making processes better every day? We’re looking for a proactive Excellence Lead to champion continuous improvement and lead site-wide Operational Excellence initiatives across our manufacturing and support functions.
Job Responsibility:
Lead and deliver group-standardised Lean, Excellence, and Practical Process Improvement (PPI) training
Design and deliver targeted workshops to upskill teams and embed sustainable CI behaviours
Deploy standard tiered meeting structures and champion group standards across all site functions
Drive operational excellence by leading and facilitating Lean and CI projects that improve efficiency across labour, materials, and overheads
Identify opportunities for improvement using Lean principles, supported by data and BI systems
Embed a high-performance, decision-making culture at all levels of the organisation
Play a key role in the deployment of MARA, Finsbury’s management system
Work with Engineering and Operations to support the implementation and long-term sustainability of Asset Care (TPM)
Contribute to process standardisation by supporting the implementation of “Process Blueprint” (Leader Standard Work)
Champion cultural change by challenging waste, promoting value-adding interventions, and ensuring best practices are captured, shared, and consistently applied
Lead structured problem-solving sessions, facilitate CI workshops, and act as a visible change agent
Prepare and present OBP updates and progress reports to senior stakeholders and business forums
Drive improvements across safety, quality, service, cost, and people metrics
Manage CI projects from initiation through to compliant, on-time, and on-budget delivery
Promote and maintain strong internal and external relationships that support operational excellence
Actively model FFG’s core values and behaviours, championing a culture of continuous improvement
Requirements:
Minimum 2+ years’ experience in a leadership role within manufacturing
Proven track record in change management and delivering sustainable improvement
Strong influencing, communication, and interpersonal skills
Ability to interpret data and drive data-led decision-making
Highly organised, proactive, and adaptable to changing business needs
Nice to have:
CI/Lean qualifications (e.g., Green/Black Belt)
Experience with TRACC or similar CI platforms
Background in food manufacturing or FMCG
Familiarity with bakery processes and Six Sigma/SPC techniques
What we offer:
Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave
Enhanced Pension Scheme
Death in Service Benefit
Free Employee Assistance Programme (open to colleagues and their families)
Retail discounts accessible via our Benefits Hub platform
Company shop available at sites (heavily discounted, yummy products)
Refer a Friend Scheme (up to £300 per referral – t&cs dependent)
Employee Recognition Awards
Extensive Learning & Development opportunities (including opportunities for sponsored professional memberships and our own in-house development course)