Continuous Improvement Manager, Belfast

At AIB, our values guide how we work and how we support each other. We’re looking for someone who puts Customer First, takes initiative and Owns the Outcome, and is always looking for ways to Eliminate Complexity. You’ll treat colleagues and customers with fairness and Show Respect, and you’ll thrive in a culture built on collaboration where we Be One Team to deliver meaningful impact.

Role: Continuous Improvement Coach

Location: Belfast

This role is being offered on a permanent basis.

• Are you a self-starter, energetic, ambitious and ready for a key role as Continuous Improvement Specialist for a bank with exciting growth plans?
• Can you help us continue on our journey to build a culture of continuous improvement, eliminate unnecessary waste and inefficiencies in order to provide a superior customer experience?
• Are you passionate about getting involved in automation and eager to drive its adoption throughout the organisation to enhance efficiency and support innovation?

What is the Role:

You will report to the senior continuous improvement manager and work with all teams across the business to ensure scalable, robust, and cost-effective operations across the GB and NI. You will focus on driving continuous improvement across our customer and business operations. This will involve scoping and delivering  business improvement projects using a lean methodology, as well as helping to build the toolkit from which the business will drive forward their own problem-solving activities. You will dive into the complexity and detail of low-level business processes, analyse their impact, design scalable solutions, and implement these with the business. You will actively scope solutions with automation (RPA & AI) in mind to maximise value and effectiveness.

This role will play a key part in shaping and delivering AIB UK’s Automation Strategy, working at the intersection of Continuous Improvement, Automation and business change. You will act as a key interface between the business, CI and the UK Automation Hub, ensuring high‑quality demand enters the automation pipeline; shaping and prioritising automation opportunities through process standardisation, waste removal and data readiness.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Performing diagnosis in teams and end to end processes across all AIB UK business areas
• Leading end-to-end improvement projects using structured Lean / Six Sigma methodologies
• Facilitating design sessions to identify challenges and define solutions
• Engaging and coaching business teams to embed a continuous improvement culture
• Coaching and guiding senior stakeholders to identity, prioritise and deliver sustainable change
• Supporting automation feasibility assessments (process stability, exception rates, data quality, controls) prior to build
• Working with automation teams to translate process designs into automation-ready requirements
• Supporting the sustainability of Continuous Improvement capabilities across the organisation

We’re looking for:

• Minimum 3 years relevant Lean experience essential, Financial Services sector a plus but not essential
• Lean qualification required (LCS 1C, BQF Lean Advanced Practitioner, or equivalent)
• Demonstrable delivery of tangible benefits
• Excellent problem-solving skills, able to identify and structure issues and synthesise recommendations to drive and deliver results
• Strong evidence of engaging and influencing stakeholders
• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• Experience engaging with RPA and/or intelligent automation, with a strong understanding of process suitability, controls, and operational risk.
• Experience working alongside automation developers, product owners or CoE models is desirable.

Who are we?

We’re AIB. A strong Irish bank packed with purpose - to back our customers to achieve their dreams and ambitions. That goes for our employees too. We’re made of small teams where you have the chance to shine.

This role is for AIB UK, a growing UK specialist bank, servicing retail, SME and corporate customers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In Great Britain, we mainly concentrate on corporate banking. In Northern Ireland, we offer business banking, personal banking and mortgages.

Our Mission

At AIB, sustainability is at the very heart of our business. For us, that means reducing our carbon footprint across our own operations and helping our customers to make the transition to a low-carbon economy.

We are aware of the finite nature of our natural resources. We are doing all we can to reduce our use of things that damage or drain the environment, and do more of the things that don’t.

These commitments mean that we will be financing more of the activities that are better for the environment and fewer of the things that do harm – supporting our customers every step of the way on this journey.

Why join us?

We are excited about how we have changed our focus. We want to be at the heart of our customers’ financial lives by giving them an exceptional experience. We are building a culture that breaks the conventions of what our customers and employees expect of a bank.

Why Work for AIB?

• A chance to work with an epic team of passionate experts
• Market leading pension scheme
• Healthcare scheme
• Enhanced paid leave options for those important times
• Two volunteer days per year
• Life insurance which provides protection and peace of mind
• Exclusive AIB colleague discount portal
• Hybrid work model with flexibility to work from home during the working week.

Click here for to find out more on AIB’s PACT – Our Commitment to You.

Does this sound like something that you want to be part of?

If you are not sure about your suitability based on any aspects of the role advertised, we encourage you to please contact the Recruiter for this role, Megan Gordon, at careers@aib.ie  for a conversation.

AIB is an equal opportunities employer, and we pride ourselves on being the first bank in Ireland to receive the Investors in Diversity Gold Standard accreditation from the Irish Centre for Diversity. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees. Should you have a reasonable accommodation request please email the Talent Acquisition team at careers@aib.ie

Disclaimer:

Unsolicited CV’s sent to AIB by Recruitment Agencies will not be accepted for this position. AIB operates a direct sourcing model and where agency assistance is required, the Talent Acquisition team will engage directly with our recruitment partners.