Asscociate Director OpEx

A leading global biopharmaceutical company is seeking an experienced Associate Director of Operational Excellence to drive continuous improvement and performance across its Ireland manufacturing operations. Reporting to the Portfolio Management Office Director, this role plays a key part in shaping strategic initiatives and cultivating a high-performance, lean culture on site.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead site-wide deployment of the Operational Excellence (OE) strategy in line with global and local priorities.

• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and performance.

• Develop and maintain KPI dashboards to support visibility, alignment, and decision-making.

• Facilitate cross-functional problem-solving using structured methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma).

• Identify improvement opportunities across value streams and support implementation.

• Lead strategy execution initiatives and quarterly performance reviews.

• Deliver and support Lean tools such as Gemba walks, Kaizen events, and Value Stream Mapping.

• Implement and embed leader standard work, structured problem solving, and 7S principles.

• Drive analytics to support operational decision-making.

• Manage OE system tools and vendor relationships.

• Coach and develop internal OE advocates and certification candidates (Yellow, Green, Black Belt).

• Chair the OE advocate team and coordinate site recognition initiatives.

• Collaborate across global sites to align OE practices and participate in the wider OE community.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Black Belt certified in Lean/Six Sigma.

• Degree-qualified with extensive experience in continuous improvement and operational excellence.

• Proven ability to lead at both strategic and tactical levels.

• Strong understanding of production systems and leader standard work.

• Skilled in data analytics, change leadership, and stakeholder engagement.

• Experience in GMP-regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing is essential.