Senior Lean Continuous Improvement Specialist
Employer: Canal & Rivers Trust
Location: Administratively based working from home, there will be a requirement to attend our operational basis to support teams at Trust locations across England and Wales. It is important that you can reasonably commute to one of our main hubs below. Relevant Hubs: Leeds, Newark, Ellesmere Port, Burnley, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Gloucester.
Working hours: This role follows 37 hours, Monday to Friday working pattern
Salary: £50,000
Closing date: Tuesday, 5 May 2026 at 01:59
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About the Trust
We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?
Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.
Join Our Team: Senior Lean Continuous Improvement Specialist opportunity
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
The Trust is at an early and exciting stage of embedding lean continuous improvement as a core way of working. A central Lean Continuous Improvement team has been established to build the foundations, standards and behaviours needed to support sustainable improvement across the organisation.
The Senior Lean Continuous Improvement Executive will play a pivotal role in this journey, working closely with the Head of Lean Continuous Improvement to establish clear frameworks, shared language and tools, and to support directorates in adopting lean approaches that fit their operational and service contexts. This role helps embed a culture of continuous improvement across the Trust, from frontline operations to central support services.
Working Hours & Location
This role follows 37 hours, Monday to Friday working pattern. Administratively based working from home, there will be a requirement to attend our operational basis to support teams at Trust locations across England and Wales.
It is important that you can reasonably commute to one of our main hubs below. Relevant Hubs: Leeds, Newark, Ellesmere Port, Burnley, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Gloucester.
Role Overview
Rather than applying a one‑size‑fits‑all model, this role is about enabling and supporting varying directorates across the Trust; helping them improve processes, performance and customer outcomes while building internal capability and confidence. You’ll play a key part in shaping how lean is understood, applied and sustained across the organisation for the long term.
This is a highly collaborative role, partnering with colleagues, managers and a network of Lean Champions to drive operational excellence, improve processes, and build lasting capability that makes a real difference.
Key Responsibilities
Lean Delivery & Implementation
Support the implementation and evolution of the Trust’s lean framework, standards and tools.
Work across all directorates to identify improvement opportunities and deliver measurable results.
Design and facilitate improvement projects, workshops and events.
Partnership Working & Stakeholder Engagement
Build strong, trusted relationships with managers, support functions and frontline teams.
Understand directorate priorities, challenges and customer impacts.
Balance support and challenge to drive constructive performance conversations.
Data, Insight & Problem Solving
Use data to help teams understand processes, identify root causes and make evidence‑based decisions.
Support problem solving using tools such as value stream mapping, 4‑step and 8‑step problem solving.
Help teams develop meaningful KPIs and performance management routines.
Produce clear analysis, reports and visualisations to support decision‑making.
Coaching & Capability Building
Coach teams and individuals in lean tools including waste identification, root cause analysis, 5S, visual management and standard work.
Support development of Lean Champions and colleagues through mentoring and structured learning.
Role‑model lean behaviours and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Collaboration within the Lean Team
Work closely with lean colleagues and the Lean Champion network to ensure consistency and shared learning.
Share tools, insights and best practice across the Trust.
Contribute to team planning, prioritisation and development.
Governance & Assurance
Support the preparation of performance and improvement updates for senior leaders and governance committees.
Help monitor delivery and sustainability of improvement actions and benefits.
About You
You’ll bring strong, hands‑on experience of lean principles, tools and techniques, with a proven track record of applying them in real organisational settings. You’ll be confident working with data, challenging existing ways of working constructively, and supporting teams to improve outcomes for both colleagues and customers.
Skills & Qualifications
Technical:
Experience working with lean or continuous improvement tools and methods, with demonstrable examples of applying lean techniques to deliver measurable improvements.
Demonstrable problem‑solving and improvement track record, using structured approaches to identify root causes and implement effective solutions.
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends and support evidence‑based decision‑making.
(Desirable) A recognised lean or continuous improvement qualification.
General:
Experience supporting cultural change and/or capability‑building.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, able to work confidently with colleagues at all levels.
A clear commitment to continuous improvement and enabling improvement in others.
Proven ability to challenge constructively and collaboratively.
Ability to work effectively across diverse teams and functions.
Good facilitation skills, including workshops, meetings or problem‑solving sessions.
Strong organisational skills, managing multiple priorities effectively.
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