Head of Optimisation

Heidelberg Materials Limited; Chipping Sodbury; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction materials company in Chipping Sodbury is seeking a Head of Optimisation to set strategies for process improvement and system efficiency. This role involves stakeholder management, budget oversight, and leading optimisation projects while ensuring alignment with business goals. The ideal candidate will have a formal accounting qualification and a strong background in operational excellence. The company promotes inclusivity and offers various benefits to support work-life balance.

Benefits

Enhanced maternity and parental leave

Employee Assistance Program

Discounted private medical benefits

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operational excellence and optimisation projects.
• Demonstrable ability to manage and lead teams effectively.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Set internal strategy for BSC process and system optimisation.
• Oversee and drive the design, build, and delivery of optimisation initiatives.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to all leadership levels.

Skills

Continuous improvement

Stakeholder management

process documentation

Budget management

Education

Formal accounting qualification (e.g., ACCA, CPA, CIMA)

Job description

policyHead of Optimisation page is loaded## Head of Optimisationlocations: Chipping Sodburytime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Todaytime left to apply: End Date: January 23, 2026 (30 days left to apply)job requisition id: JR10012039The Heidelberg Materials (HM) International Business Service Centre (BSC) provides administrative, transactional and accounting services to in-scope HM companies. The Head of Optimisation sets the internal strategy for optimisation of BSC processes and systems, aligning to the overall BSC efficiency and cost targets. In addition, they own the senior stakeholder relationships with group functions (including Global Process Owners and Group IT) for optimisation agenda.***Key accountabilities**** **Process and System Optimisation Strategies** – responsible for setting and communication of process and system optimisation strategies across the BSC. Working in collaboration with peers to ensure that all areas are aligned, and combined to deliver to customer expectations, global best practices, and BSC directors’ strategic objectives.* **Academy Strategic leadership –** Oversee the BSC Academy, providing strategic direction and leadership to ensure that the Academy offering is aligned to the business needs, and that outcomes continuously justify investment levels.* **Delivery of Optimisation Projects –** Provide deep knowledge of the systems and end to end processes across the BSC. Oversee and drive the design, build and delivery of a portfolio of optimisation initiatives. Ensure end to end communication, and connectivity with local countries. Ultimately ensure that all initiatives have positive business cases which are delivered as designed.* **Identify Standardisation Requirements** – lead the identification of standardisation needs through comprehensive process documentation and gap analysis and take ownership of maintaining the BSC process variants repository.* **Stakeholder Management** - Own the BSC relationship with senior management in group functions such as Global Business Process Excellence and HDigital for Optimisation area. Proactively build positive, collaborative and transparent communication paths to ensure that we are consistently aligned and pulling in the same direction. Understand local requirements and challenges, and work with counterparts to provide appropriate solutions.* **Budget and FTE management** - Set clear and meaningful cost and FTE targets for each department / team which contribute to the overall BSC targets. Ensure that efficiencies reported are tangible and can be locked into actual FTE and cost profiles.* **People Development** – Provide coaching, mentoring and advice where necessary to all levels of leadership across the department.***Financial & Non-Financial accountabilities**** Responsible for a department of up to c.20 FTE***Education/Qualification**** Formal accounting qualification (e.g., ACCA, CPA, CIMA) or demonstrable equivalent experience in an accounting-focused role.* Experience of working in Continuous improvement, transformation, operational excellence and/or optimisation projectslocations: Chipping Sodburytime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Todaytime left to apply: End Date: January 23, 2026 (30 days left to apply)At Heidelberg Materials UK (previously known as Hanson UK) we strive to create an inclusive and respectful workplace where every individual can bring their unique skills and background to contribute to the success of our business.At Heidelberg Materials UK (previously known as Hanson UK), we understand that a diverse workforce is key to our growth and development, and we aim to foster a culture that values openness, transparency, and individual achievement.As part of our commitment to promoting diversity, we are actively working to encourage more individuals to consider careers within the construction industry.We believe in building a workplace that is dedicated to promoting inclusivity and diversity.If you're interested in joining our team, we encourage you to apply, even if your experience or skill set doesn't perfectly align with the job description. Creating a candidate home page is optional, when asked, but you can use this to quickly see the progress of your application(s).You may still be the right fit for this or other roles within our company.Heidelberg Materials is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process. For quick access to screen reading technology compatible with this site (free step by step tutorial ). Please contact [e-mail] for additional information or to request accommodations.We understand that women may face unique challenges in their careers, and we are committed to providing a supportive environment to help you thrive.Our family-friendly policies, such as enhanced maternity and parental leave, neonatal care, and adoption support, will provide you with the flexibility and support you need to balance your personal and professional commitments.We also offer a range of benefits, such as access to our Employee Assistance Program, trained mental health first aiders, discounted private medical benefits and much more, to ensure your wellbeing is prioritized.