We’re not just another bike brand - we're an iconic, British motorcycle brand with over 120 years of history behind us. Our new state-of-the-art facilities in Solihull, West Midlands are home to a tight-knit, but ever-expanding team that's passionate about delivering exquisite riding experiences to our customers.
Under new ownership and proud to be part of the TVS Motor family, we're entering a new era of global success. And we want you to be a part of it!
At Norton, we value respect, trust, and responsibility. We trust our employees to execute their roles exceptionally and professionally, and we value personal development, teaching, and learning. When you join our team, you'll have the opportunity to grow and learn alongside some of the most talented and dedicated people in the business.
So if you're passionate about motorcycles and looking to join a team that's shaping the future of this legendary brand, we'd love to hear from you!
The Role
The Operational Excellence Lead is responsible for driving a culture of continuous improvement, Total Quality Management (TQM), and operational excellence across the organisation. This role serves as a catalyst for transforming business processes, improving productivity, enhancing quality, reducing waste, and embedding a customer-first mindset throughout the value chain.
The incumbent will lead cross-functional improvement initiatives, coach teams on Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, establish operational standards, and ensure sustainable improvements aligned
Duties/Responsibilities:
Lead Norton's Operational Excellence strategy and deployment roadmap
Drive continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, quality, maintenance, and support functions
Identify improvement opportunities through structured data analysis, process assessments, and value stream mapping
Facilitate cross-functional teams to deliver measurable improvements in Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Productivity, and Morale (SQCDPM)
Establish governance mechanisms to monitor improvement projects and ensure sustainability
Champion a company-wide quality culture by embedding TQM principles into daily operations
Facilitate structured problem-solving using PDCA, A3, 8D, Root Cause Analysis, and CAPA
Promote process ownership and accountability
Support deployment of quality standards and management systems
Drive Zero Defect and Right First Time initiatives
Encourage fact-based decision making using quality metrics
Strengthen supplier and internal quality improvement collaboration
Promote standardisation and process discipline
Lead Lean transformation initiatives across the organisation
Deploy Lean tools including; 5S Workplace Organisation, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping (VSM)etc.
Facilitate Kaizen workshops and improvement events
Establish continuous improvement pipelines
Coach employees on Lean thinking and problem-solving methodologies
Lead DMAIC projects to improve business performance
Utilise statistical analysis to identify process variation
Improve process capability and reduce defects
Develop KPIs and dashboards for operational performance
Drive productivity improvement and cost optimisation projects
Map, analyse, redesign, and optimise business processes
Remove bottlenecks and non-value-added activities
Develop standardised operating procedures
Support digitalisation and automation initiatives
Ensure process sustainability through documentation and audits
Drive manufacturing excellence by promoting; Zero Loss mindset; Operational discipline; Stable and capable processes etc.
Support implementation of world-class manufacturing practices while ensuring operational stability
Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Encourage employee participation through suggestion schemes and Kaizen programs
Build problem-solving capability at all organisational levels
Coach leaders in servant leadership and continuous improvement behaviours
Recognise and celebrate improvement achievements
Monitor and improve performance through; OEE; Productivity; First Pass Yield; Right First Time etc.
Develop dashboards for management review and decision-making
Lead organisational transformation initiatives
Manage change using structured change management methodologies
Ensure adoption and sustainability of improvement initiatives
Coach leaders through transformation journeys
Develop Operational Excellence competency frameworks
Conduct training on Lean, Six Sigma, TQM, Quality Tools, and Continuous Improvement
Mentor Green Belts, Yellow Belts, and improvement champions
Build internal capability for sustainable improvement
Ensure adherence to operational standards
Support internal and external audits
Maintain compliance with applicable quality, environmental, and safety management systems
Establish operational excellence review mechanisms
Drive risk-based thinking and preventive actions
Qualifications & Desired Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, Operations Management, or a related discipline
Master's degree or MBA is desirable
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt required; Black Belt preferred
Certification in Lean Manufacturing, TQM, Operational Excellence, or Continuous Improvement is an advantage
8 plus years of experience in manufacturing, operations, quality, or industrial engineering
Minimum 5 years leading Operational Excellence, Lean, Continuous Improvement, or Manufacturing Excellence initiatives in OEMs
Experience in automotive, engineering, industrial manufacturing, or other high-volume manufacturing environments
Rewards of working for Norton:
We like to take care of our Nortoneers and we think we offer some pretty decent rewards. Here's what you'll get when you join the team:
Competitive salary package that recognises your skills and experience
33 days of holiday (inc. Bank Hols) to relax and recharge
Generous pension scheme that sets you up for the future, with access to personalised advice.
Private Medical Insurance and a Cash Back Programme to keep you feeling your best
Life insurance (4x salary) because we've got your back no matter what
FREE fruit, got to have your five-a-day!
WeCare Employee Assistance Programme, which includes access to online GP services, dietary advice, mental health support, bereavement counselling, and a fitness programme
Experience the thrill of an entrepreneurial environment within a larger, well-funded company with ambitious long-term goals.
Elevate your career with our Ideas for Excellence scheme, where every brilliant idea is not just valued, but also rewarded!
A diverse and international team that brings together different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences.
Join the fun with our twice-yearly employee events, payday socials, and loads of exciting activities in between!
Want to go green? You can enjoy free electric bicycle hire
Plus, no need to stress about finding a parking spot - we've got on-site free parking covered and FREE electric charge points.
We know how important it is to take care of our team, and we're committed to continually improving our reward offering in line with the business growth plan.
Join us and see for yourself!
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT ACCEPT AGENCY APPLICATIONS
