Continuous Improvement Lead

Primary Job Function:

As the Continuous Improvement (CI) Lead, your primary responsibility will be to support and drive continuous improvement initiatives within our organisation, with responsibility on an all-island basis.

This is a standalone role with reporting lines locally and into the SHV Group.

You will play a crucial role in identifying, analysing, and implementing process enhancements to optimize productivity, quality, and efficiency across our operations.

You will work closely with Calor’s Senior and Extended Leadership teams to deliver Calor’s Continuous Improvement strategy.

This role will be based in either Belfast or Dublin and will have all Ireland responsibilities.

Functions of the role:

• Lead the delivery of Calor Ireland’s Continuous Improvement programme, acting as the key link between Calor’s leadership team, the global CI team, and the different continuous improvement initiatives ongoing across the business.
• Propose and implement process improvement initiatives, methodologies, and best practices. Collaborate with stakeholders to develop and execute action plans, including process redesign, automation, standardization, and waste reduction.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to evaluate existing processes, workflows, and systems to identify areas for improvement. Conduct thorough analyses, identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for optimization.
• Collect and analyse relevant data to measure performance indicators, such as cycle time, yield, quality, and cost. Use statistical tools and techniques to identify trends, patterns, and root causes of process variations and issues.
• Assist in developing and delivering training programs to enhance the understanding and adoption of continuous improvement principles and methodologies among employees. Provide guidance and support to team members in implementing improvement projects.
• Support site management with driving safety and quality improvements with strong influencing skills.
• Plan, coordinate, and lead improvement projects to ensure their successful execution. Define project objectives, scope, timelines, and resource requirements in line with the site improvement plan. Monitor progress, manage risks, and communicate updates to stakeholders.
• Support organizational change efforts by effectively communicating the benefits, goals, and expected outcomes of improvement initiatives. Facilitate the adoption of new processes and practices, ensuring buy-in from team members at all levels.
• Establish and maintain performance metrics and dashboards to track the effectiveness and impact of improvement initiatives. Regularly report on key performance indicators and present findings to management, providing insights and recommendations for further improvements.
• Represent Calor across the SHV Energy global Continuous Improvement community, presenting positive progress Calor is making on its continuous improvement journey and developing strong relationships across this community.
• Stay up to date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in continuous improvement methodologies. Participate in training programs, workshops, conferences, and professional networks to enhance your knowledge and skills.
• Measure and communicate progress through the definition and utilization of the appropriate KPI metrics and dashboards.
• Any other duties deemed reasonable by the business.

Requirements

• 3rd level education in a relevant area.
• Experience in operations management, industrial engineering, or a related field.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to collect and analyse data using statistical tools and techniques.
• Strong knowledge and experience using continuous improvement methodologies, such as Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or Agile.
• Familiarity with process mapping, value stream analysis, and root cause analysis and ability to leverage these capabilities to deliver financial and non-financial results.
• Experience in helping to implement or run problem solving, performance control or value stream mapping.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders at all levels of the organisation. Ability to present CI proposals to all levels of the organisation.
• Proven ability to train and develop individuals and teams on the methods and tools of CI.
• Demonstrated ability to lead change, influence people and communicate at different levels of the organization.
• Project management abilities, including planning, organization, and prioritization skills.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools, such as Microsoft Excel, PowerBI or other tools/software.
• Adaptability and a continuous learning mindset to keep pace with evolving industry practices.
• Clean driver’s licence; regular travel to different Calor locations around the island of Ireland will be required.

Benefits

Calor is part of the SHV Group, a family-owned Dutch multinational which operates on a networked basis, employing more than 60,000 people worldwide, operating in 27 countries and supplies LPG to tens of millions of customers worldwide.

Calor in Ireland employs over 350 employees across eight sites in Ireland and a further 230 indirectly.

Calor is a leading supplier and distributor of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) in Ireland; with over 80 years’ experience in the gas business, we pride ourselves on our unmatched expertise in the safe supply of butane and propane to our customers. We design and implement bulk and cylinder energy solutions for residential, industrial and commercial customers who want to enjoy everything that this exceptional energy source has to offer but are not on the natural gas pipeline.

Calor Gas is scheduled to be carbon neutral by 2035 and currently has a progressive plan to operate within a sustainable agenda.

Apart from competitive remuneration, the successful candidate will enjoy pension/PRSA benefits, free canteen, free parking, and free company events. There are also extensive career & training opportunities available within Calor Gas and SHV worldwide.