Head Business Improvement and Optimisation

Head Business Improvement and Optimisation

Department: Sales and Collections

Reporting to: Commercial Sales Director

Purpose of the role

• Improve efficiency, performance, and service quality across sales and collections operations.
• Reduce waste in processes, improve customer satisfaction, and support growth through better systems and practices.
• Analyze current operations and identify improvement opportunities across workflows, resources, and performance metrics.
• Develop and implement optimization strategies that improve productivity, quality, service, and profitability.
• Support continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making across the business

Key responsibilities

• Identify and deliver process and productivity improvements across the business.
• Review and assess existing business processes to identify inefficiencies and improvement opportunities.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret operational data to support business decisions and monitor performance.
• Lead business process mapping, analysis, and redesign to remove inefficiencies.
• Lead or coordinate cross-functional improvement projects.
• Support organisational change management and implementation of new ways of working.
• Implement process changes and monitor their impact on cost, service, risk, and efficiency.
• Identify and mitigate risks linked to process changes.
• Work with operational, project, logistics, and customer-facing teams to translate strategy into front-line action.
• Monitor KPIs, compliance, quality, safety, environment, and budget performance.
• Prepare and support business projects, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, customers, contractors, and supply chain partners.
• Support service growth, including identifying new business opportunities and improving customer experience.
• Train, coach, and engage staff on improvement methods and operational excellence.
• Work with leadership and department heads to align optimization initiatives with business goals.
• Support training, workshops, and adoption of new processes or tools.

Core skills and experience

Essential skills

• Stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Change management and continuous improvement capability.
• Business analysis and process mapping skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Analytical ability to track trends, metrics, and performance gaps.
• Project management skills and ability to deliver work on time and on budget.
• Knowledge of waste operations, compliance, and safety requirements is valuable in the sector.

We are Panda. We value waste.

We’re in the business of waste management but that doesn’t just mean collecting bins. Behind every collection is a passionate team of people finding smarter, safer, and more sustainable ways to recycle and repurpose materials that would otherwise go to waste.

Over the past 30 years, Panda has grown into a leading resource recovery business, bringing together almost 3,000 people across multiple brands, united by a shared vision and strong values. While our operations are diverse, our purpose is clear: to protect our people, support our customers, and create positive impact for the communities and environments we serve.

At Panda, people are at the heart of everything we do. We work as one team, combining different skills, experiences, and perspectives to achieve shared goals. We care for each other’s wellbeing, encourage development, and support growth because we know we’re stronger together.

We expect excellence in how we operate. High standards, bold thinking, and continuous improvement drive our passion for innovation. We challenge the ordinary, put safety first, and embrace new ideas while delivering practical, cost-effective solutions that move our business forward.

We own what we do. From day-to-day tasks to major projects, we take pride in our work and responsibility for the outcome. We don’t walk past problems we address them together. Our expertise, reliability, and care reflect who we are and the difference we make.

And above all, we act with trust and integrity. Trust is built through open communication, honesty, and accountability. It allows us to move quickly, make confident decisions, and deliver results — knowing our people are empowered to do the right thing.

Our journey depends on talented, committed people who want to make an impact.

Take the first step and join us on the journey.

Panda is committed to attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate and the people we serve.
(DE&I Policy Statement)