Laura Mathieson
Cockermouth,Cumbria
Summary
Resourceful Business Improvement Leader with proven aptitude for streamlining processes and boosting team performance. Excels in designing, implementing and leading strategic initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and employee satisfaction. Consistently delivers measurable improvements in productivity and cost savings through innovative problem-solving and leadership. Looking to build on current experience in front-line operations by utilising extensive lean and continuous improvement qualifications in a new challenging environment.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Operations Support Manager
Sellafield Ltd
Seascale, Cumbria
2024.06 - Current
- Lead and manage a front-line operations support team to ensure the facility complies with regulatory (nuclear/HSE/Environment) requirements.
- Maintain smooth-running business operations by responding to short-term issues as well as leading the approach to Operational Excellence across the plants.
- Leading the approach to integrating new technology solutions into existing systems to optimise functionality, managing multiple stakeholders across the business.
- Translating senior management directives into actionable front-line policies and implementing changes with staff, including deploying lean approaches as part of a 5-year transformation plan.
- Facilitating complex discussions between unions, occupational health and external companies to support improvement in employee health, wellbeing and attendance.
- Achieving operational efficiency by monitoring and analysing key performance indicators.
Business Improvement Leader
Sellafield Ltd
Whitehaven, Cumbria
2022.04 - 2024.06
- Programme Level Leader, responsible for the overall vision and strategy towards achieving Operational Excellence, including Supply Chain areas aligned to site business and improvement strategies.
- Managed cross-functional teams to achieve business-level change.
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement within the organisation, leading change initiatives as required to achieve business objectives.
- Championed stakeholder engagement activities, strengthening business relationships across the programmes as well as outside of the business to enhance the CI approach.
- Facilitated workshops where specialist knowledge and skills are required, including value stream mapping, practical problem solving and strategy deployment.
- Designed and implemented new management system standards for continuous performance improvement including visual management, breakdown management and loss management.
Business Improvement Practitioner
Sellafield Ltd
Whitehaven, Cumbria
2020.03 - 2022.03
- Delivered the Enterprise approach to Continuous Improvement including advising on the role out across certain areas under my responsibility
- Designed, delivered and coached 1b/green belt trainees in line with the LCS approach.
- Developed company-wide approaches and guidance (i.e. Maturity Assessments and 'How To' guides) to build knowledge and coach all employees in CI tools and approaches.
- Delivered specific improvement projects that led to significant cost-reduction and quality improvement by leading cross-functional teams.
Quality Engineer
Sellafield Ltd
Seascale, Cumbria
2013.10 - 2020.02
- Provided Quality SME advice to project teams within Categorised Projects Office, acting as quality point of contact for multiple teams across the value streams.
- Provided assurance that effective quality management arrangements are implemented in order to deliver work that meets the requirements of the customer.
- Managed the external Lloyd's Register audits across Site Management Project Office (SMPrO) and Projects Delivery Directorate (PDD) to ISO9001.
- Identified and delivered improvements, designing and managing the Quality Improvement Plan and Zero Concession Plan for SMPrO.
Education
Bachelor Degree - Improvement Leadership
Advanced Analytics Solutions
UK 2022.10 - 2025.01
LCS Level 2b - Lean
Lean Competency System
Cardiff 2023.04 - 2023.04
Change Management Practitioner - Change Management
APMG
UK 2020.07 - 2020.07
APM Project Management Professional - Project Management
Association for Project Management
2019.01 - 2019.01
NVQ Level 3 - Quality Management
Chartered Quality Institute
UK 2016.01 - 2017.08
Master of Arts - Archaeology
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh 2004.09 - 2008.05
Scottish Highers (equivalent to A-levels) - 6 subjects, including English and Maths
James Gillespie's High School
Edinburgh 2004.05 - 2004.05
Skills
- Microsoft Office, Minitab, PowerBI
- Complex Data analysis
- Continuous improvement Strategies
- Mentoring / Coaching in Lean/CI
- Cross-functional leadership
- Department management
- Regulatory requirements understanding
- Conflict Management & Resolution
- Configuration Management & Control
Affiliations
- Emergency First Responder for North West Ambulance Service
- Women In Nuclear Mentoring and Coaching Scheme Committee Member
Timeline
Operations Support Manager
Sellafield Ltd
2024.06 - Current
LCS Level 2b - Lean
Lean Competency System
2023.04 - 2023.04
Bachelor Degree - Improvement Leadership
Advanced Analytics Solutions
2022.10 - 2025.01
Business Improvement Leader
Sellafield Ltd
2022.04 - 2024.06
Change Management Practitioner - Change Management
APMG
2020.07 - 2020.07
Business Improvement Practitioner
Sellafield Ltd
2020.03 - 2022.03
APM Project Management Professional - Project Management
Association for Project Management
2019.01 - 2019.01
NVQ Level 3 - Quality Management
Chartered Quality Institute
2016.01 - 2017.08
Quality Engineer
Sellafield Ltd
2013.10 - 2020.02
Master of Arts - Archaeology
University of Edinburgh
2004.09 - 2008.05
Scottish Highers (equivalent to A-levels) - 6 subjects, including English and Maths
James Gillespie's High School
2004.05 - 2004.05