MDI Deployment Lead - GB Region

Position Title:MDI Deployment Lead - GB Region

Position Type: Regular - Full-Time ​

Requisition ID: 44423

In every role, McCainers are ambitious, curious, and passionate about creating exceptional work experiences - together. With a customer-first mindset, we make doing business with McCain easy.

About the role.

This is a rare opportunity to join McCain at a pivotal moment in the evolution of our proprietary Manufacturing Operating System - MDI, which stands for McCain Driving Impact.

Built entirely in-house and already being deployed across McCain manufacturing sites, MDI is still being shaped, refined and embedded. In this role, you’ll play an important part in bringing it to life across our GB plants, helping our teams build capability, strengthen daily management routines, and deliver measurable improvements in performance, culture and cost.

Following an internal promotion, we are looking for an MDI Manager who can land running. Your primary focus will be supporting our GB manufacturing sites, partnering closely with plant leadership teams to deploy, coach and sustain MDI in a way that works for each site while staying aligned to our overall standards and approach.

As part of both the GB and wider EMENA manufacturing community, there may also be occasions where you are asked to support European plants, share best practice, or contribute to wider regional improvement activity. This gives the role a strong GB focus, with the opportunity to influence beyond the UK when needed.

This is not simply an execution role. It is a systems-thinking, influence-led position for someone who has built, deployed or significantly shaped Continuous Improvement frameworks and knows how to bring people with them.

What you’ll be doing.

• Support and lead the deployment, coaching and sustainment of MDI - McCain’s Manufacturing Operating System - across our GB manufacturing sites.

• Partner with GB plant leadership teams to strengthen Daily Management Systems, improve governance, and embed sustainable operating standards.

• Work closely with GB Manufacturing Leadership to identify opportunities for performance improvement, cost savings and operational excellence.

• Perform loss analysis and lead focused improvement initiatives using proven Continuous Improvement methodologies such as TPM, IWS, Lean, DMAIC, A3 and equivalent approaches.

• Coach continuous improvement skills and mindset at all levels of the organisation - building lasting capability rather than dependency.

• Facilitate cross-functional improvement activity with plant teams, helping to create clarity, alignment and pace.

• Support MDI assessments, standards and sustainment processes, ensuring progress is embedded and measurable.

• Contribute to the ongoing development and evolution of MDI, bringing insight from GB plants and, where relevant, wider EMENA manufacturing experience.

• Lead strategic ad hoc projects that support the financial, operational and cultural objectives of the GB and EMENA Manufacturing function.

• Stay close to manufacturing excellence innovation, including the emerging use of digital tools and process digitisation within MDI.

What you’ll need to be successful.

Experience & technical capability

• Demonstrable experience designing, deploying or significantly improving a Continuous Improvement or Manufacturing Operating System - you understand how to build the playbook, not just follow one.

• Deep working knowledge of TPM, IWS or equivalent integrated work systems philosophy, with Lean Black Belt or equivalent methodology as a strong benchmark.

• Leadership or management experience within Continuous Improvement and Plant Operations.

• A minimum of five years’ experience leading and coaching in at least two of the following areas: Autonomous Manufacturing, Focused Improvement, Daily Management Systems, Early Management / Vertical Start-Up, Skills Development, or Work Simplification.

• FMCG manufacturing experience is essential; backgrounds in automotive or pharmaceutical manufacturing are also of strong interest.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Science, Engineering or a related field.

• Lean / CI certification and PMP designation would be a bonus.

Leadership & interpersonal skills

• The emotional and organisational maturity to lead through influence - you can build credibility with senior stakeholders without relying on direct authority.

• Strong judgement and stakeholder awareness - you know when to challenge, when to listen, and when to adapt your approach.

• A self-starter who thrives with autonomy and can create structure and momentum in a complex, fast-moving environment.

• Excellent facilitation, communication and coaching skills, with the ability to engage colleagues at every level, from plant floor teams to senior leaders.

• Comfortable working across different sites, cultures and leadership styles, particularly within GB and occasionally across the wider EMENA region.

• Able to define a plan, create clarity and bring people with you through ambiguity.

• Bilingual skills are an asset; multilingual capability would be welcomed.

Other requirements

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly within GB, with occasional travel to European plants as required.

Benefits.

Although we do encourage you to taste the goods, you'll be pleased to know we don't pay you in chips. Alongside your salary, you'll enjoy a range of benefits including:

• Private healthcare

• Annual bonus scheme based on both company and individual performance

• Annual car allowance

• An excellent salary sacrifice pension scheme where we'll contribute double what you do, up to a maximum of 12% of your salary

• 25 days' annual leave from day one plus bank holidays, increasing with service, giving you plenty of time to recharge

• The opportunity to buy and sell up to 5 days’ holiday per year

• Life insurance cover, providing peace of mind for you and your family

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay, because the moments that matter outside of work matter to us too

• Medicash health cash plan, helping you claim money back on everyday healthcare costs, with access to a virtual GP and wellbeing support

• TELUS Health employee and family assistance programme offering full wellbeing support - including a 24/7 confidential counselling line, legal and financial guidance, and a range of employee discounts

• Salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme

• A paid ‘Chips In’ Volunteering Day, giving you the opportunity to support projects that make a positive impact in our communities

• Flexible/hybrid working arrangements where the role allows

And because you're joining a global business, your career opportunities don't stop at the factory gate. Whether you're looking to deepen your expertise, step into leadership, or explore opportunities across the wider McCain network, we'll support your growth. With ambitious plans for the future, there's plenty of scope to develop your career with us.

About the team / location.

You will join the MDI team within McCain’s Manufacturing function, working closely with plant and regional manufacturing leaders across GB.

Your primary focus will be our GB manufacturing sites, helping local teams deploy, embed and sustain MDI in a way that delivers meaningful operational and cultural impact. As part of the wider GB and EMENA manufacturing community, you may also be asked to support European plants from time to time, whether that’s sharing best practice, coaching teams, or contributing to specific improvement activity.

This role is GB based. Ideally, we would like you to be based near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, or Whittlesey, Peterborough, with regular travel to our GB sites and occasional travel to European plants.

About McCain.

Click Here to learn more about McCain and how we provide you with opportunities to make an impact that matters.

Leadership principles.

At McCain, our leadership principles guide how we engage with customers, collaborate as a team, and achieve success. We focus on understanding customer needs, driving innovation, empowering people, and taking ownership to clear obstacles and deliver results.

The McCain experience.

We are McCain. This statement is a testament to our collective strength and our individual value. Your contributions play a vital role in our success. Our winning culture is rooted in authenticity and trust, empowering us to bring out the best in one another. Here, you’ll find opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Join us and experience why we’re better together.

Our purpose is grounded in building meaningful relationships. We’re big believers in the power of working together in person - it helps us stay connected, collaborate more effectively, and grow as a team. At the same time, we recognise the importance of flexibility. Most office-based roles follow a hybrid model, with the option to work remotely two days a week. There may be exceptions depending on the role and location, so we encourage you to speak with your recruiter for more details.

McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. As a global family-owned company, we strive to be the employer of choice in the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that inclusion drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.

Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us, you agree this will be handled in accordance with McCain’s Global Privacy Policy and Global Employee Privacy Policy, as applicable. McCain leverages AI in the hiring process, though all final decisions are made by humans. You can understand our approach to AI and how your personal information is being handled here.

Job Family: Manufacturing

Location(s): GB - United Kingdom : England : Whittlesey || GB - United Kingdom : England : Scarborough || GB - United Kingdom : England : Wombourne

Company: McCain Foods (G.B.) Ltd