Manufacturing/Industrial Engineer

Manufacturing/Industrial Engineer Location: Wimborne, Dorset - fully onsite Duration: 6 months Rate: £50-£55 p/h Umbrella IR35: Inside Clearance: Applicants must hold the sole British nationality and be eligible to obtain full SC Clearance Overview An exciting contract opportunity for an experienced Manufacturing / Industrial Engineer to lead analysis, optimisation, and transformation of front-end production processes-improving flow from planning through to line readiness, material availability, lead time, and overall system efficiency. Responsibilities: Map and analyse the current state value stream from production planning, MO creation, goods inwards, stores/inventory, kitting and line feed * Identify bottlenecks, delays, non-value-added activities, and inefficiencies in information/material flow * Develop and implement future state processes to reduce lead time, improve material flow/availability, and minimise inventory/handling waste * Define pull systems (Kanban/supermarkets where applicable), optimised kitting/staging strategies, and improved ERP/MRP usage/alignment * Lead Lean / Continuous Improvement projects across front-end operations and deliver measurable improvements (kit availability, inventory accuracy/reduction, planning adherence, goods-in processing time) * Establish and track KPIs (end-to-end lead time, inventory turns, schedule adherence/OTIF, kitting performance) * Analyse operational data (ERP/MRP) and conduct lead time, capacity/flow analysis, and workload balancing to support data-driven decisions * Collaborate with Planning, Supply Chain/Procurement, Stores/Logistics, Production Engineering and Ops Leadership to streamline handoffs * Create/maintain SOPs, process maps, documentation and visual management; ensure processes are scalable, repeatable and auditable * Improve stores layout, goods-in flow, kitting and material presentation to reduce travel, handling time and congestionSkillset/experience required: Proven experience in process analysis and optimisation within manufacturing/operations * Strong understanding of ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, IFS), material flow, inventory management, and production planning interfaces * Strong Lean / CI background with root cause analysis (5 Whys, Fishbone), value stream mapping, flow/process modelling * Data analysis capability (Excel, Power BI or similar) and confident using KPIs to drive change * Degree in Industrial/Manufacturing/Operations/Supply Chain (or equivalent practical experience)Desirable: Lean Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt), APICS/CPIM, kitting/line feeding strategy experience, warehouse/stores optimisation, NPI integration