Site CI Manager

At Valeo Foods UK we bring together a family of much-loved UK food brands supported by the scale and ambition of a global investment partner. From Kettle’s bold crunch to Rowse’s natural sweetness, through to Matthew Walker and Barratt Sweets, our portfolio blends heritage, craft and category-leading innovation.

Alongside our branded portfolio, we are also one of the UK’s largest suppliers of private label products, partnering with major retailers to deliver quality and category expertise that meets the needs of millions of households every week.

As a business, we’re on a journey of transformation. We’re strengthening our operations, driving quality and investing in our people. It’s an exciting, fast-moving environment where heritage meets new thinking, and where every colleague contributes to shaping the future of food across the UK.

Join us and play your part in building the next chapter of some of Britain’s most loved brands.

Make improvement happen. Make an impact that lasts.

At Valeo Foods UK, continuous improvement is about empowering people, challenging the status quo and finding better ways of working every day.

We’re looking for a passionate, results-driven Site Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager to join our York Confectionery site. You’ll help deliver our CI strategy, improve performance and build a culture where everyone can make a difference.

Working with site leadership and production teams, you’ll turn opportunities into lasting results by reducing waste, improving efficiency and developing our people.

The opportunity

You’ll lead improvement initiatives, embed best practices and strengthen problem-solving across our manufacturing operations, while supporting digital tools and developing CI skills across the site.

Your key responsibilities

• Lead improvement projects through Kaizen and rapid improvement events.
• Embed best practice through the Valeo Improvement Programme (VIP).
• Improve performance by increasing OEE and labour efficiency while reducing waste and costs.
• Support digital transformation by maximising the use of Redzone tools.
• Develop people by coaching teams in CI principles and problem-solving.
• Build capability through the VIP Academy and wider business initiatives.
• Use data to drive results by identifying root causes and delivering practical solutions.
• Create a culture of ownership where teams take responsibility for sustaining improvements.
• If you enjoy solving problems, developing people and delivering real results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll bring

You’ll be a proactive and engaging improvement leader who combines strong analytical skills with the ability to bring people with you. You’ll be comfortable challenging existing processes constructively, facilitating change and translating business priorities into practical improvements on the factory floor.

We’re looking for

• Proven experience delivering continuous improvement within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in FMCG, ideally within food manufacturing.
• Management experience, with the ability to lead, influence, coach and develop others.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence using data to identify opportunities and measure results.
• Good working knowledge of Excel and data analysis tools.
• A sound understanding of mechanical systems and the ability to interpret how equipment and processes operate.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage colleagues at all levels.
• Demonstrable facilitation and coaching skills, including the ability to lead improvement workshops and problem-solving activities.
• Work pattern: Monday to Friday
• Working hours: 8am till 4pm
• Location: York based, 5 days a week on site