Continuous Improvement & Health and Safety Manager

Continuous Improvement, Health & Safety & Purchasing Lead£45,000£55,000 DOE |Workshop-based Lowestoft, Suffolk | Permanent, Full-TimeA long-established specialist manufacturer of high-value, bespoke vehicles is entering a period of operational transformation and were hiring a hands-on Continuous Improvement, Health & Safety & Purchasing Lead to drive that change from the shop floor up.This is a rare opportunity to take full ownership of CI, H&S and purchasing in a business that is ready for improvement, open to challenge and committed to building sustainable operational discipline.The OpportunityThis is not a consultancy or desk-based role. You will be on the shop floor daily observing, mapping, improving and coaching. Youll report directly to the CEO and operate with autonomy, shaping how the business works and leaving behind capability that lasts.What You will DoMap current-state value streams and quantify waste across all build typesLead 5S implementation and run structured Kaizen eventsImprove production flow, takt time, sequencing, layout and schedulingEstablish standard work and visual management across the workshopCoach teams in CI tools through live improvement activityAct as the competent person for Health & Safety, owning risk assessments, work-at-height compliance, COSHH and incident investigationsConduct H&S audits, maintain statutory documentation and lead toolbox talksOverhaul purchasing practices: supplier performance, stock control, lead times and alignment with build schedulesTrack KPIs across CI, H&S and purchasing, reporting directly to senior leadershipWhat You will BringProven hands-on CI experience in manufacturing, ideally low-volume or bespoke productionStrong working knowledge of lean tools: VSM, 5S, Kaizen, standard work, visual management and root cause analysisPractical H&S experience including risk assessments, PUWER, COSHH and Work at HeightPurchasing experience: supplier negotiation, inventory control and aligning procurement with production flowA shop-floor mindset credible with skilled craftspeople and comfortable in overallsStructured, data-driven thinking with the ability to baseline and measure improvementStrong coaching ability and a commitment to building capability, not dependencyDesirable: Six Sigma/Lean qualification, experience in Danaher/TPS-style environments, CIPS or equivalent procurement experience.Benefits£45,000 £55,000 salary depending on experienceDirect influence over CI, H&S and purchasing strategyHigh autonomy with direct access to senior leadershipOpportunity to lead a two-year transformation programme with measurable impactStable, long-established manufacturer with strong demand for its productsClear progression as operational maturity increasesWhat Success Looks LikeWithin two years, youll have delivered:Faster, more consistent build processes with reduced reworkFull H&S compliance, including robust work-at-height and COSHH controlsA purchasing function that supports production rather than constraining itA self-sustaining 5S standard maintained by the teamsA trained group of CI practitioners able to run improvements independentlyA culture where problems are surfaced and solved, not worked aroundTPBN1_UKTJ