Continuous Improvement (CI) & Operational Excellence (OPEX) Apprentice

Sherwin-Williams are a worldwide leader in coatings and are committed to developing and delivering innovative products that are highly competitive in the industry.
The Sherwin- Williams team are driven to succeed, strive for exceeding expectations, and know their products inside and out.  We pride ourselves on being part of this team, and as people are the company’s greatest asset, we know how to reward, recognise and develop the people that work with us.

The successful candidate for this role will embark on a Business Administration and Improvement Practitioner Apprenticeship. As an apprentice you will learn the fundamental knowledge required to work in Operations in a protective coatings manufacturing environment and be equipped to take on a career path to become a proactive and innovative member of the CI team.  The role will cover involvement in project work following CI methodology to improve the performance of Operations. You will learn the basics of CI Lean techniques and how this leads to Operational Excellence.  Working amongst a team of highly skilled and knowledgeable individuals, your operational knowledge will grow exponentially over the course of the apprenticeship.

During the apprenticeship you will participate in a structured training programme in Operations with comprehensive on the job training. You will learn about all areas of Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence within Operations.

Responsibilities will include:

• To improve the performance of Operations by providing constant challenge of the status quo, championing lean philosophy, implementing robust measurement of losses, facilitating the development and implementation of a continuous improvement plan.
• Increase the transparency of Operations by ensuring robust measurement of losses for all areas of Operations e.g. generation of appropriate loss trees. To perform the duty of gatekeeper for the measurement system. 
• Encourage a ‘management by fact’ mindset.
• Increase productivity within Operations by leading usage of the appropriate lean tools (e.g. value stream mapping, 5S, Kanban) to eliminate losses such as delay, duplication, unnecessary movement, unclear communication, incorrect inventory, lost sales and product defects.
• Undertake pillar leadership for Early Product Management.
• Coach the production team in continuous improvement techniques and help them cascade this approach to their teams to develop a proactive continuous improvement culture. Help ensure that ownership of work is allocated to the lowest appropriate level. 
• Develop training programmes and undertake training in the use of continuous improvement tools.
• Challenge the production team to ensure appropriate momentum of improvement.
• Maintain the SW Continuous Improvement Database.
• Manage project improvement initiatives.

GCSE grade 4+ in Maths and English

At Sherwin-Williams, our purpose is to inspire and improve the world by coloring and protecting what matters. Our paints, coatings and innovative solutions make the places and spaces in our world brighter and stronger. Your skills, talent and passion make it possible to live this purpose, and for customers and our business to achieve great results. Sherwin-Williams is a place that takes its stability, growth and momentum and translates it to possibility for our people. Our people are behind the strength of our success, and we invest and support you in:

Life … with rewards, benefits and the flexibility to enhance your health and well-being
Career … with opportunities to learn, develop new skills and grow your contribution
Connection … with an inclusive team and commitment to our own and broader communities
It's all here for you... let's Create Your Possible

Eligibility to Work
You will need to provide proof of right to work. It is a condition of any offer of employment we make to you that you have the permission to work in the country for the role for which you are applying for.

Equal Opportunity Employer
An equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, colour, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic or national origin, disability, age pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partner status, or any other protected characteristic prohibited by law.

Please be aware, Sherwin-Williams recruiting team members will never request a candidate to provide a payment, ask for financial information, or sensitive personal information like national identification numbers, date of birth, or bank account numbers during the application process.