Continuous Improvement Manager

Are you a retail professional with significant understanding in central operations and proven experience in a continuous improvement role? 

Can you drive impactful change, manage multiple complex projects at once and embed new processes across teams? 

Do you build excellent relationships with those around you, to collaborate effectively? 

If so, our?Continuous Improvement Manager?opportunity could be your perfect next role! 

About the role: 

This role is part of the introduction of a new central operations team in Harding+. In this new position, you’ll drive efficiency and effectiveness in Retail by identifying, leading, and implementing continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring alignment with business goals. You’ll also be the key liaison between the head office and the field teams, particularly in implementing changes and refining standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enhance our overall retail experience on cruise ships. 

This is a great time to join Harding+, as we transform our retail operations to drive our business forward by delivering exceptional guest and colleague experiences. You’ll play a vital role in this, by driving efficiencies in our operating procedures.   

Based in Avonmouth (Bristol) on a hybrid working basis 2-3 days a week plus some travel to ships as required. 

Compensation – competitive salary, bonus scheme, pension, 4 x life assurance, healthcare, 25 days leave annually (including Christmas shutdown) 

What you will be doing: 

• Identify opportunities for process improvements across all Retail, developing and implementing plans to enhance operational efficiency, optimise performance, and improve guest satisfaction. 

• Drive a culture of continuous improvement efficiency and deliver/embed agreed projects across Retail. 

• Support field teams to drive change initiatives, measuring effectiveness of change and seek to further improve where necessary, ensuring changes are communicated effectively and that our teams are equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to adapt to new processes. 

• Conducts ship visits to discusses and identify change requirements, seeks out issues/problems that are removing a focus on selling. 

• Act as the 'voice of retail' within HQ, representing the interests and needs of the retail teams in project planning and execution. 

• Serve as the business owner of Standard Operational Processes (SOPS), ensuring that all processes are documented, up-to-date, and consistently applied across all operations. 

• Monitor and measure the impact of improvement initiatives, adjusting strategies as necessary, and conduct lessons learnt for retail to ensure change for future seasons.  

About you: 

• Strong understanding of retail operations, preferably within the cruise industry or multisite retail environments. 

• Proven experience in a continuous improvement role, preferably within the retail or hospitality industry. 

• Experience in change management, with a focus on supporting teams through transitions, and expertise in process improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or similar. 

• Excellent project management skills with a track record of successfully delivering complex projects. 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, capable of influencing and engaging stakeholders at all levels. 

• Analytical mindset with the ability to identify trends, solve problems, and make data-driven decisions. 

• Must have an existing right of eligibility to work in the UK.  

Key Attributes – trust, collaboration, respect, passion, drive, resilience 

About us: 

Harding+ is leading the way in innovative onboard cruise retailing, working closely with our cruise line partners and brand partners to ‘make every cruise better’.? We stay at the forefront of retailing and consistently provide outstanding customer service, culminating in winning the Cruise Retailer of the Year award for 2022 and 2023. 

Harding+ is an equal opportunities employer.  We believe passionately that employing a diverse workforce is central to our success, making recruiting decisions based on your experience and skills.  We value your passion to discover, invent, simplify, and build.  Protecting your privacy and the security of your data is a longstanding top priority for Harding+. 

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