Operational Excellence Coordinator

Operational Excellence Coordinator Blunham (Onsite) About DS Smith

DS Smith is a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services. With sustainability, innovation and people at the heart of everything we do, we are committed to operational excellence and continuous improvement across all our manufacturing sites.

Are you a hands‑on Continuous Improvement professional with a strong manufacturing background and the ability to influence people at all levels?

As a Conversion OPEX Coordinator, you will play a key role in driving operational excellence across the site. Reporting to the Operations Excellence Manager, you will proactively identify, lead and support continuous improvement initiatives aimed at reducing loss, improving efficiency and embedding a strong performance‑driven culture within the conversion operation.

This is a highly visible, site‑based role where you will work closely with operations, engineering, and leadership teams to translate data into meaningful actions that deliver sustainable results.

• Actively seek out, identify and prioritise opportunities to reduce performance loss across manufacturing through structured continuous improvement and effective planning
• Provide hands‑on, face‑to‑face technical leadership to support operational change, challenge existing ways of working and embed best practice
• Drive accurate, consistent and granular performance data capture across the site to enable robust, data‑driven improvement programmes
• Analyse production, quality, waste, efficiency and downtime data to identify root causes and recommend practical, sustainable solutions
• Lead and support improvement projects, tracking progress and benefits through clear reporting and governance
• Produce regular performance and project reports, presenting findings, progress and recommendations to the site leadership team
• Support the development and delivery of training on continuous improvement tools, problem‑solving techniques and standardised operating procedures
• Work collaboratively with operational teams to develop, document and embed new best‑practice processes and ways of working
• Play an active role in the site’s waste reduction and sustainability agenda, ensuring initiatives are inclusive, data‑led and aligned to business priorities
• Share best practice across teams to drive consistency, engagement and long‑term performance improvement
• Ensure all improvement activities are carried out in full compliance with DS Smith’s Health, Safety and Environmental standards, promoting a strong safety‑first culture at all times

You will be a proactive, confident and people‑focused improvement professional who enjoys being on the shop floor and influencing change through collaboration and data.

• Proven experience in Continuous Improvement / OPEX within a manufacturing or conversion environment
• A strong background in hands‑on problem solving, waste elimination and performance improvement
• Experience using Lean, Six Sigma or other structured improvement methodologies (formal qualification desirable but not essential)
• High levels of IT literacy, particularly Microsoft Excel (data analysis, trends, reporting), Word and Power Point
• The ability to analyse complex data, interpret findings and translate them into clear, actionable recommendations
• Confidence to challenge existing processes constructively and propose realistic, sustainable solutions
• Strong communication, facilitation and influencing skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels
• Excellent people skills, with a collaborative approach that builds trust and encourages buy‑in
• A solid understanding of Manufacturing Health & Safety regulations and safe systems of work

• Competitive salary
• Qualifying Sick Pay scheme
• Pension scheme & Life insurance
• Share Save scheme
• Income Protection
• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Virtual GP, Occupational Health & free Flu vaccine
• Cycle to Work and shopping discounts

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre‑based products. We…