Head of Continuous Improvement Retail

Job Description

Role purpose

• Manage the introduction and adoption of Lean principles and concepts, ensuring they become part of the lifeblood of Scope Retail and the new way of operating.
• Use organisation design methodologies to align the Retail SLT with the new strategy, enabling Scope Retail to become sector leading. Drive the transformation to increased agility through championing the benefits of agile ways of working, principles and behaviours and developing a roadmap for their implementation.
• Support the Executive Director of Retail in shaping and continuously improving the Retail strategy.
• Manage the workstreams in the Retail transformation programme on behalf of the project sponsors and the Executive Director of Retail to deliver the required results within the specified tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, and risk.
• Support the Exec Director and Retail SLT in a trusted adviser role, being a critical friend and challenging in a positive supportive manner

Main responsibilities

Continuous improvement

• Drive business improvement opportunities in Retail through Lean Thinking, working with the Retail SLT to deliver structured projects to achieve measurable improvements in quality, cost and delivery.
• Conduct research and analyses of current operational effectiveness to assess the current state and prioritise.
• Work in partnership with Retail process owners to identify the root causes of issues restricting Retail performance using a selection of Lean Thinking tools such as process mapping, kaizen events and value stream mapping.

Organisation design

• Identify the optimal structural model (including structure, capabilities and ways of working) to deliver the new Retail strategy through discussions with key internal stakeholders and via external research.
• Drive the transformation to increased agility in Retail through championing the benefits of agile ways of working, principles and behaviours and developing a roadmap for their implementation.
• Support the development and implementation of a new operating model and culture to make Scope Retail become a leader in the sector.
• Use organisation design tools and models to help with the design and build of new ways of working in Retail, such as the Community community of practice

Strategic design and innovation

• Work closely with the Executive Director of Retail to develop the Retail strategy and the three-year business plan.
• Horizon scanning: undertaking research to gather information to gain new insights.
• Promote new thinking and innovation within the Retail SLT by sharing insights and research and encouraging debate and challenge about current operating practices and thinking.

Programme management

• Build and champion project delivery capability within the Retail SLT, supporting Retail project leads to manage planning and deliverables throughout the project lifecycle.
• Apply appropriate project management processes and controls to ensure the successful delivery of workstreams within the programme. Monitor and report on progress, raising exceptions with the Executive Director of Retail as appropriate.
• Drive the adoption of new Agile principles and practices and their implementation.
• Undertake appropriate business analysis as required.

Other

• Work flexibly as part of the Retail SLT to support the team through periods of pressure and change.
• Act as a pioneer for Scope, engaging with relevant external networking events to learn from others and share our work and approach.

Internal contacts

• Executive Leadership Team, Retail Senior Leadership Team and Scope’s Leadership Group
• Retail managers and employees
• Board of Trustees

External contacts

• Continuous improvement experts in other charities and organisations

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Knowledge and experience of using Lean Thinking to identify value, eliminate waste and improve processes.
• Organisation design and delivery expertise and experience, including designing and delivering structural re-organisations.
• Experience of supporting managers through change and an understanding of change management approaches.
• Knowledge and experience of operating model design
• Strong project and programme management skills
• Knowledge of agile methodologies
• Knowledge and experience of designing and developing a strategy
• Understanding of how a charity retail operation works
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including the ability to communicate with and influence at all levels

Desirable

• HR knowledge and experience
• Knowledge of lean startup methodology

Qualifications 

• A valid recognised accreditation in professional project management such as
• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• MSP Practitioner
• A valid recognised accreditation in agile project management such as
• Agile PM Practitioner
• PMI ACP
• An accreditation in organisation design, such as the CIPD level 7 advanced level award in organisation design and development.
• Desirable: Lean/ Six Sigma qualification

Skills

Essential

• Ability to demonstrate strong and effective change leadership skills and actively and visibly role model agile behaviours, including collaboration, trust and reflection.
• Analytical skills: the ability to collect and analyse information, problem-solve and make decisions.
• Strong facilitation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to challenge the status quo and disrupt
• Ability to inspire and coach colleagues to deliver results
• Ability to challenge and influence senior stakeholders
• Ability to write and present in an engaging style, translating information appropriately for a wide range of audiences
• Energy and confidence to direct multiple stakeholders to achieve complex tasks to tight deadlines and resilience in the face of setbacks