Operational Excellence / Lean Manufacturing Expert

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom; on-site work required

Salary: Competitive salary with annual profit share, contributory pension, and share options.

Company

hirify.global Defence and Space develops aerospace and defence products and operates manufacturing activities in Belfast.

What you will do

• Drive Lean and hirify.global Operating System deployment across production and support functions.
• Coach site leadership and operational teams through standardized ways of working, Gemba walks, mentoring, and continuous improvement practices.
• Lead operational maturity assessments, governance routines, cross-functional task forces, and shop-floor observations.
• Run Macro-VSM, Hoshin Kanri, Kaizen, VSM, SMED, and structured problem-solving activities to reduce waste and improve flow.
• Define and standardize operational practices, support cross-site benchmarking, and share best practices.
• Integrate digital operational solutions including MES and Smart SQCDP dashboards while partnering with Quality, Logistics, Manufacturing, and Engineering.

Requirements

• Proven experience deploying Lean manufacturing and operational excellence initiatives that deliver measurable business performance improvements.
• 5+ years of relevant Lean or Operational Excellence experience in manufacturing environments, supported by a recognized certification such as Six Sigma Black Belt, APICS, Kepner-Tregoe, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated success leading Lean manufacturing workshops, including Kaizen, VSM, SMED, and 5S.
• Applicants must provide sufficient detail to demonstrate how they meet the essential criteria for vetting.
• Successful BPSS and Export Control checks, including a criminal record check, are required.

Nice to have

• Operations management experience in best-in-class Lean manufacturing environments.
• Strong coaching, communication, leadership, change management, and influencing skills.
• Experience training and empowering managers, engineers, technicians, and operators.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time permanent employment with a 36-hour working week.
• Flexible working around core hours and Friday afternoons off.
• Competitive salary, annual profit share, contributory pension, and share options.
• Support is available for reasonable adjustments during the selection process.
• hirify.global UK is a Disability Confident Employer and offers an inclusive, equal-opportunity workplace.

Hiring process

• Applications close on 19 November 2026.
• Meeting the mandatory criteria guarantees consideration but does not guarantee progression to interview; additional desirable criteria may be used for shortlisting.
• Applicants who meet the minimum criteria and opt in under the Disability Confident scheme will be offered an interview where applicable.