Associate Director Operations Excellence - Pharma

Overview

Associate Director, Operational Excellence

Reporting to the Director of the Portfolio Management Office and as part of the Manufacturing organisation in Ireland, this role will be responsible for leading and embedding a culture of continuous improvement and operational capabilities.

The successful candidate will drive strategic initiatives that enhance performance and support site-level business objectives.

This position requires strong leadership to champion operational excellence while partnering with senior teams to deliver measurable improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the deployment and execution of the site's Operational Excellence strategy, aligning with both local and global priorities.

Act as a change agent, fostering a culture of excellence, continuous improvement, and innovation.

Develop and manage a comprehensive Site KPI Dashboard to ensure visibility, alignment, and accountability across functions.

Support preparation of Quarterly Business Reviews by providing updates on KPIs, strategy execution, and OE initiatives.

Lead the development and execution of site strategy priorities and initiatives.

Identify a pipeline of improvement projects through value stream analysis and facilitate their implementation.

Facilitate cross-functional problem-solving sessions to address operational challenges using structured methodologies, with regular governance updates.

Drive execution of Lean tools and practices, including Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen events, Gemba walks, Leader Standard Work, 7S, and structured problem solving.

Promote the use of analytics to support decision-making and enhance execution.

Act as Business Process Owner for OE-related systems and liaise with system vendors.

Collaborate and communicate effectively across all organisational levels, ensuring strong stakeholder management.

Build site-wide capability by delivering structured problem-solving training and Lean Six Sigma programs (Yellow Belt, Green Belt).

Provide mentorship to OE advocates and Lean Six Sigma candidates, supporting rapid improvement initiatives.

Chair the site OE Advocate team and coordinate OE recognition events.

Collaborate across global manufacturing sites to share best practices and harmonize processes.

Actively participate in the wider Operational Excellence community to shape long-term strategy.

Knowledge, Experience & Skills

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

Degree-qualified with extensive experience in operational excellence, preferably within manufacturing.

Proven ability to work strategically while executing tactically.

Strong capability in applying data analytics to inform impactful OE initiatives.

Experience with Leader Standard Work and production system frameworks.

Strong leadership, influencing, and collaboration skills across local and global teams.

Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Ability to act independently and drive initiatives.

Experience within pharmaceutical operations or a GMP-regulated environment.

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