Improvement Specialist Level 5

Improvement Specialists are responsible for leading the deployment of improvement strategy, for training others and for providing broad and deep technical expertise in advanced and complex Lean and Six Sigma, Project and Change Management principles and tools to enable identification and delivery of improvement opportunities aligned to key business goals.

Improvement Specialists typically report to Improvement Leaders who develop the improvement strategy and governance processes, and who provide technical guidance on advanced analysis. Improvement Specialists manage (directly and/or matrix) Improvement Practitioners who lead smaller improvement projects aligned to the improvement strategy. A typical ratio of Improvement Specialists to Improvement Practitioners in an organisation could be 1:10. In comparison with the work of an Improvement Practitioner, Improvement Specialists draw on their advanced knowledge and skills in applying Improvement principles and tools across a range of programmes/ projects/areas to build the capability of others. They also swiftly visualise processes, problems and opportunities and use both graphical and statistical analysis to deliver improvements.

They work closely with other Improvement Specialists to support the delivery of improvement strategy, working on multiple simultaneous projects linked to key business objectives, identifying and engaging both subject matter experts and key stakeholders. Their work generally requires them to interact with others but typically involves a high-degree of autonomy.

teamwork, cooperation, brainstorming-3213924.jpg — **About this Standard**

Typical job roles for this standard would be:-

Environmental Improvement Manager
Health & Safety Manager
Improvement Consultant

Typical roles and responsibilities:

Leading the local deployment of improvement strategy; supporting delivery of business goals, for example they may model critical process inputs to enable root causes of complex problems to be verified or they may develop bespoke measurement processes to enable the collection of good-quality data in support of change
Providing technical expertise in structured Improvement methods and advanced tools such as Multiple Regression and Designed Experiments to analyse relationships between inputs and outputs
Leading advanced and/or cross-functional Improvement projects such as process re-engineering and change programmes reducing energy consumption/waste; or reducing defects on complex products.
Co-ordinating Practitioner-level Improvement training, activities and projects; for example, they may deliver Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training and coaching to an awarding body accreditation standard
Coaching, mentoring and communicating with Improvement Practitioners, business leaders and stakeholders

The role is typically office-based but involves working wherever their improvement activities are focused, for example they could be delivering training in a classroom environment, they could be working on the shop-floor or at a supplier premises.

Delivery of the Training

Knowledge-based off the job training will take place once a month along with portfolio building days each month. The Apprentices allocated Learning & Development Coach will issue monthly action plans and complete workplace visits in addition to the off the job training and portfolio building days.
Progress Reviews will take place with the Apprentice, manager and Learning & Development Coach every 12 weeks to monitor progress and ensure the Apprentice is on target to achieve by the planned end date.

The entry requirement for this Apprenticeship will be decided by each employer, but may typically be five GCSEs at Grade C or higher, a relevant Level 4 Apprenticeship; other relevant qualifications and experience.

The duration of this Apprenticeship is typically 17 – 22 months, although the exact duration will be dependent on the previous experience of the individual.

50% Professional discussion, underpinned by portfolio of evidence

It must last 2-hours to 2-hours 20 minutes in duration.

This must be a discussion between the apprentice and their assessor, with a technical expert from the apprentice’s employer present. The technical expert’s role is to provide the assessor with clarifications around specific company policy and procedure or technical knowledge only. They must not provide information on behalf of the apprentice, ask the apprentice questions or influence the apprentice in any way. The technical expert must not amplify or clarify points made by the apprentice. Note that the EPA judgement lies solely with the assessor who grades the professional discussion.

50% Examination

Apprentices must complete an examination consisting of eight separate mini case
studies, covering topics where there is a series of right/wrong answers.

Each case-study must include a brief description of a scenario and a set of data in Excel,
Minitab or an alternative software package.

We’ve gathered firsthand accounts from apprentices who’ve experienced the transformative power of on-the-job training.

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