Head of Continuous Improvement - Scotland

Head of Continuous Improvement Jobs

There is no such thing as the perfect business. Every hour, inefficiencies and bad practice are going on without the owners’ knowledge, or the owners know they exist but are powerless to act. This is where the head of continuous improvement comes in. It is an analytical role that constantly audits every business process and looks for inefficiencies that can be ironed out. Depending on the size of the company, this can be a one-person job, heading up a small team or employing dozens of auditors to make the business better.

But it’s not just about the money – not directly, anyway. Often, an improvement is simply one that helps staff with their work and removes those irritations and bureaucracy that reduces job satisfaction. Sometimes it’s an environmental improvement that doesn’t have obvious financial implications but can have longer-term benefits. Improvement takes many forms, and once the head of continuous improvement has got under the skin of the company and found out exactly how it operates, it’s inevitable that the financial benefits will follow.

The skills required

The job of head of continuous improvement has two main strands – analyzing the financial matters and seeking out other procedural activities that can be improved. You will need to be prepared to get your hands dirty (sometime literally) by delving into the business, talking to employees, observing and measuring the way people work and researching alternative methodologies that can create efficiencies.

The head of continuous improvement may sometimes need to make unpopular decisions, for example choosing to outsource elements of the business or making it less top-heavy if inefficiencies are identified. While the final decision will be made by the board, you must have the confidence in your convictions to make such recommendations. Of course, the opposite is also true, and your recommendations could lead to the growth of the company. As long as you have performed detailed analyses, you will be able to present accurate projections to the board.

Head of Continuous Improvement Jobs in Scotland

From Glasgow to Edinburgh, Gretna Green to Inverness, Scotland is a beautiful country that offers plenty of opportunity for those seeking Head of Continuous Improvement vacancies.

Scotland has had a long and tumultuous history, particularly during the 16th and 17th centuries when relations with England were fraught with difficulty.

In 1707, the Acts of Union were passed and the Kingdom of Great Britain was created. This resulted in the abolishment of trade tariffs and the Scottish economy quickly grew. Clippers carried tobacco to Glasgow from the New World during the 18th century. Then, during the Industrial Revolution, everything from ships and locomotives through to coal, textiles and steel were produced on a massive scale.

Fast forward to today and Scotland's economy is more focused on the service sector - although manufacturing and oil production are still important.

Edinburgh is one of Europe's largest financial centres, home to companies like Lloyds, Standard Life, the Bank of Scotland and the Royal Bank of Scotland. It's also the seat of Scottish government and an important tourist destination, hosting one of the largest culture festivals in the world.

Whisky is one of Scotland's best-known exports, with numerous distilleries and bottlers located around the country, including Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie and Teacher's Highland Cream, as well as liqueurs like Drambuie and Glayva.

Other companies with headquarters or regional facilities in Scotland include IBM and Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Amazon, BAE and Rolls-Royce.

Popular locations

Find Head of Continuous Improvement Jobs with Cast UK

Most businesses realise that they are sitting on inefficiencies and bad practice, but the best businesses do something proactive about it, and it’s these forward-looking businesses who come to Cast UK to help them find a head of continuous improvement. Because it falls under one of our specialisms, change and transformation, we can usually supply them with a shortlist of candidates in double quick time.

We only deal with recruitment of managerial and executive level candidates, so if you have the qualifications and the experience to become a head of continuous improvement for one of the UK’s top companies, call Cast UK today on 0333 121 3345.

Contact us