Responsible for the continuous development of the Lean culture across the KP Snacks business, whilst identifying, driving and implementing cost base reduction initiatives. A focus on Lean culture has seen the implementation of visual controls, tiered accountability processes and standard work for leaders, with good practices shared between all of the UK manufacturing sites.As a Smallpeice certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, I worked across the UK to drive business improvement, including being a coach and mentor for Green and Black Belt trainees. I was a member of the pan-European Lean Six Sigma deployment leaders group for the organisation, so shaping the Lean Sigma approach beyond my UK scope. I have been regularly called-upon by the business to run or be involved in strategically important projects including mapping of the S&OP process, benchmarking against other business units and improving the process flow of master data, following the implementation of a new ERP system.As part of the formation of a new manufacturing facility, I led a team accountable for ensuring the smooth transition of products, people and machines from two pre-existing factories, whilst maintaining customer service during the busiest part of the production season.

Responsible for the implementation of lean and continuous improvement projects at one of the organisation's key manufacturing sites. I led multiple improvement activities, including value stream mapping (VSM) on some of the biggest brands, undertook and coached others in Lean sigma improvement projects, and root cause analysis (RCA) and other kaizen events.Working both independently, and alongside working-time specialists, I designed and analysed working pattern options to better suit the ever-changing demand faced within manufacturing, as well as helping design and apply for capital upgrades to improve capacity, efficiency and flexibility.During this period I was site implementation lead for a £4.6M project to upgrade secondary packing capability by installing new wrapping technology. I led the project from the beginning, responsible for agreeing plant performance criteria, designing the area to be "lean first time", managing the implementation Gantt chart and project team, and signing off the site acceptance testing post-commissioning. By attending the construction phase in Germany, I was able to ensure that the system met all health and safety, quality, engineering and performance standards. The solution was delivered on time and within budget, and won the company's Project of the Year award.

I was the site lead for a business-wide change initiative, to modernise ways of working and ensure working patterns were fit for future demand. The project led to the introduction of a 7-day working pattern in the distribution watehouse and a modernisation of the engineering ways of working.

As manufacturing manager for a FMCG factory with GSV of over £100M annually, I was accountable for all aspects of operations including health and safety, quality, cost, delivery and people development. A first-line manager to 15 middle managers, and second-line manager to 120 engineers and production operatives, I set the short and long term direction, controlled the operational budget and developed capital projects, while coaching my managers to improve both their own performance and that of the factory.A senior team member, reporting directly into the factory general manager, I led the factory through some significant organisational change, including developing and implementing an operational management structure that was ultimately adopted throughout the rest of the organisation.I developed commercial awareness through my involvement with sales, marketing and finance teams, both through regular involvement in marketing innovation and strategy, and as a member of project teams designing and developing new products and processes.

Mars Confectionery are renowned for the focus and investment in people, and during my time at the organisation I was fortunate enough to benefit from the broad range of personal and professional development covered in the management training programs.As shift manager, I led and managed a team of engineers and operators, with responsibility for all operational aspects of my shift, including health and safety, quality, cost, delivery and people development. In addition to shift duties, I had specific responsibility for one of the manufacturing departments, leading the cross-shift team to drive continuous improvement.For my final year I held the role of transformation manager in a small team formed to accelerate organisational change, with projects including manufacturing footprint design, operational organisation improvement and performance measurement rationalisation.

Having joined British Steel straight out of university, my first role was as a production management trainee in the continuous annealing department. It is here, through British Steel's management development program, that I learned the foundations of management and leadership within industry, whilst being responsible for improving the consistency of operation of the new production line.In my role as Section Manager Production Development, my main focus was on improving plant line performance across the whole of the primary process area, utilising the organisation's total quality management process to form quality teams, identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.