Operational Excellence / Lean Manufacturing Expert

Job Description:

SECURITY CLEARANCE: You will be subject to BPSS and Export Control checks (including a criminal record check) 

TRAVEL REQUIRED: On site 

LOCATION: Belfast

TYPE: Full time

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

• Financial Reward: Competitive salary, annual profit share, contributory pension, share options, 
• Work / Life Balance: 36 hour week, flexible working around core hours and Friday afternoons off, flexible working

The Operational Excellence / Lean Manufacturing Expert drives the structured deployment of Lean standards, industrial maturity, and continuous improvement across production and support functions in Belfast. Operating in a coaching and "train-the-trainer" capacity, this role develops site leadership and local teams, leads shop-floor improvement task forces, and integrates digital operational solutions (including MES and Smart SQCDP) to deliver tangible performance improvements through the Airbus Operating System (AOS).

Our operational excellence framework ensures seamless alignment between strategic objectives and daily shop-floor activities across all levels of the organization.

The Operational Excellence / Lean Expert contributes directly to operational standards definition and deployment, providing guidance to site management teams on performance improvement opportunities. Bringing deep expertise in Lean principles and proven hands-on manufacturing experience, you will address systemic operational challenges with standardized, sustainable solutions. Collaborating with the global expert network, you will optimize value stream flow, share best practices, and drive high-performance standards across site operations.

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE TEAM:

•  Deployment Architecture & Strategy: Define, structure, and guide the Lean/AOS deployment architecture across plant, manufacturing area, or programme operations, ensuring clear alignment between strategy and operational delivery.
• Leadership Coaching & Development: Coach and mentor site leadership and operational teams to embed standardized ways of working, Lean behaviors, and continuous improvement practices.
• Industrial Maturity & Governance: Lead formal assessments of operational maturity across manufacturing processes, evaluate adherence to Lean standards, and support site governance routines.
• Standardization & Continuous Improvement: Serve as the focal point for operational standards, ensuring consistency across facilities, sharing best practices, and benchmarking performance internally and externally.
• Knowledge Transfer & Capability Building: Design training strategies, deliver Lean modules, and co-lead shop-floor Kaizen events in a train-the-trainer model to build long-term site capability and autonomy.
• Cross-Functional & Digital Integration: Partner with Quality, Logistics, Manufacturing, and Engineering functions while driving the adoption of digital operational solutions (e.g., MES, SQCDP dashboards).

Main Activities:

• Strategy & Executive Coaching: Define operational standards with site leadership; design and deliver targeted coaching, Gemba walks, and mentoring for leadership teams.
• Diagnosis & Task Forces: Lead cross-functional task forces from diagnosis to implementation; conduct Macro-VSM, shop-floor observations, and Hoshin Kanri deployment to eliminate waste and optimize flow.
• Workshops & Capability Building: Facilitate Kaizen, VSM, SMED, and structured problem-solving workshops using a train-the-trainer model to foster an enterprise continuous improvement culture.
• Standards & Governance Development: Contribute to the evolution of operational assessment grids, drive cross-site benchmarking, and integrate sustainability practices into manufacturing operations.

ABOUT YOU

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that sufficient detail is provided to demonstrate how they meet essential job criteria, as this alone will be used for vetting purposes. 

Essential

• Proven track record in Lean manufacturing deployment, operational excellence, and advanced problem-solving delivering measurable business performance improvements.
• 5+ years of relevant Lean / Operational Excellence experience in manufacturing environments, supported by recognized certifications (e.g., Six Sigma Black Belt, APICS, Kepner-Tregoe or equivalent).
• Demonstrated success leading Lean manufacturing workshops including Kaizen, VSM, SMED, and 5S.

Desirable:

• Experience in operations management within best-in-class Lean manufacturing environments, alongside strong coaching and communication skills.
• Proven capability to train and empower managers, engineers, technicians, and operators.
• Strong leadership, change management, and influence skills with the ability to inspire alignment across stakeholders.

Closing date: 19th of November 2026

Please note that meeting the mandatory criteria listed above guarantees consideration for the role, but does not ensure progression to the interview stage. In the event of a high volume of qualified applications, the selection panel reserves the right to shortlist and progress candidates who additionally meet one or more of the preferential (desirable) criteria. 

HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU

Many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways, including part-time. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you need and we’ll always do our best to accommodate your request. 

Please let us know if you need us to make any adjustments for the selection process – you can share this with your Talent Acquisition Partner if you are invited to interview. Examples may include (but not exclusive to) accessible facilities; auxiliary aids; room layout, etc. Any information disclosed will be treated in the strictest confidence.

As a Disability Confident Employer, Airbus UK will offer an interview to any applicant that considers themselves to have a disability or long-term condition under the Equality Act 2010 and meets the minimum criteria of the role (as set out in the job advert). To ‘opt in’, just select the option during your application submission and your application will be considered accordingly.

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This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Company:

Airbus Belfast Limited

Employment Type:

Permanent

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Experience Level:

Professional

Job Family:

Improvement & Performance Management <JF-BI-IP>

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Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all. As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to emsom@airbus.com.

At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible, we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.