Operational Excellence Lead
Remote (with travel)
We have an exciting and newly created role within our Divisional Reliability Team for an RCA Champion (Operational Excellence Lead).
This is a critical role that will focus on embedding a culture of continuous improvement and operational discipline across our manufacturing sites. The RCA Champion will play a pivotal role in identifying systemic issues and eliminating recurring problems through structured Root Cause Analysis (RCA). By driving the standardisation of best practices, this role ensures that lessons learned are shared, adopted, and sustained across the network. The successful candidate will lead the design and execution of measurable action plans, translating insights into tangible improvements in productivity, quality, waste reduction, and service performance (OTIF). Working closely with local leadership and frontline teams, this role will help foster a mindset of proactive problem-solving, data-driven decision-making, and continuous learning at every level of the organisation.
Key Responsibilities:
- Champion the consistent application of RCA and continuous improvement methodologies across all sites.
- Collaborate with site teams to identify performance gaps and implement corrective actions aligned with KPIs including; Productivity, Quality, Waste Reduction and OTIF
- Lead and facilitate cross-functional workshops and RCA investigations to address recurring issues and prevent reoccurrence.
- Develop and oversee site-level action plans to ensure sustainable performance improvements.
- Monitor progress and performance against improvement targets, providing guidance and support to local teams.
- Promote a culture of accountability, learning, and operational discipline.
- Share and scale successful practices across the network to ensure continuous development and alignment.
About You:
- Proven experience in a continuous improvement, operational excellence, or lean manufacturing role – ideally within a fast-paced industrial or FMCG environment.
- Strong knowledge of RCA tools (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone, A3, FMEA) and problem-solving methodologies.
- A track record of delivering tangible performance improvements and sustaining change.
- Confident communicator with the ability to engage and influence at all levels of the organisation.
- Proactive, analytical, and committed to driving high standards.
- Willingness to travel across multiple sites as required.
Why DS Smith?
At DS Smith, you’ll be part of a business that is driven by purpose, values innovation, and is committed to creating sustainable value. In return for your expertise and commitment, we can offer:
- Competitive salary and benefits package
- Opportunities for personal and professional development
- A collaborative and forward-thinking work environment
- The chance to make a real impact across a dynamic and growing business
Ready to Lead Change?
If you are passionate about continuous improvement and making a measurable impact, we’d love to hear from you.
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What We Do
DS Smith provides innovative packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services with a commitment to sustainability and a circular economy.
Our core purpose is to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, and our expert teams work closely with like-minded partners to incorporate renewable resources for products that minimize our environmental impact, reduce complexity and increase profitability through supply chain optimization
