Associate Director - GMQLD - Central & Site Functions

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

Organization Overview: 

At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. Not only do we deliver breakthrough medications, but you also can count on us to develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.

Responsibilities:

The Global Manufacturing and Quality Learning and Development (GMQLD) team is dedicated to delivering learning solutions that empower Lilly’s Manufacturing and Quality organizations to achieve our mission: making medicine with safety first and quality always.

The Associate Director of GMQLD within the Central Functions (CF) team will drive excellence in learning and capability-building across our global/central M&Q departments as well as supporting site functions. Examples of global business areas the CF team oversees are HSE, ETC, TSMS, Quality, CCI, Network Ops, Supply Chain, Logistics, and more. This role oversees the team of learning strategists responsible for designing, implementing and sustaining premier learning solutions that power operational excellence, regulatory compliance and performance in pharmaceutical M&Q operations. This role drives measurable business impact by ensuring training effectiveness, ensuring data-driven decision making, alignment with industry-leading benchmarks, and supporting standardized enterprise and network level training across site functions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Implement and influence the global MQ L&D learning strategy, embedding it into manufacturing, quality, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Set and supervise performance standards in alignment with global leading industry benchmarks.
• Translate regulatory requirements and quality expectations into actionable learning plans.
• Act as a champion for a modern learning culture, shifting away from traditional document-based training toward interactive, digital, and experiential learning solutions.

Data & Performance Measurement

• Drive learning effectiveness measurement using real-time data and analytics to ensure programs deliver measurable business impact, including:
• % on-time completions (all GMP curricula and critical roles)
• % learners overdue, with aging buckets
• Time-to-qualification and requalification compliance
• Curriculum health (% reviewed on time, % content in currency)
• Training-related audit observations and CAPA recurrence rates
• Training effectiveness metrics tied to deviation trends and right-first-time documentation
• Forecasting training load
• Mapping training reduction
• Partner with Manufacturing and Quality to integrate training metrics into site, network and global business reviews.

Learning Strategy & Execution

• Design and implement function-specific L&D solutions that support compliance, manufacturing excellence, and employee development, including foundational capabilities across M&Q (including QMS I3).
• Provide continuous improvement strategies for the design and delivery of curricula, content and qualification programs across M&Q.
• Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Operations, HR, and Technical Training teams/SMEs to embed a learning mentality across functions.
• Advocate for technology-enabled learning, including AI, immersive simulations, digital academies and just-in-time learning solutions.

Stakeholder Partnership

• Collaborate with site and central function leadership to ensure training aligns with business priorities and learner capability gaps enabling ongoing growth across M&Q.
• Represent MQ L&D in global inspections and audits, serving as a subject matter authority on compliance and learning systems.

Basic Requirements:  

• Bachelor’s degree minimum
• Minimum of 5+ years of experience in Learning & Development, Talent Development, Data Analytics and Manufacturing Training with a focus on regulated environments.
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization and/or visas for this role.

Additional Skills/Preferences:

• Strong understanding of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), regulatory requirements, and compliance training.
• Experience in governance, audit readiness, and inspection preparedness related to training programs.
• Expertise in modern learning methodologies (e.g., competency-based training, AI-driven learning platforms, immersive technologies).
• Strong customer leadership skills, with experience partnering across Operations, Quality, HR, Global L&D functions.
• Strong business insight with ability to link training outcomes to operational and quality performance.
• Familiarity with learning technologies, LMS, digital learning tools and AI-driven analytics.
• Exceptional communication, influencing and organisational change skills
• Experience working with Lilly Manufacturing and Quality or GMP-regulated environment (strongly preferred)
• Master’s degree in Instructional Systems Technology, Performance Technology, Adult Learning, Human Resources, or related experience/education
• Experience leading learning transformation initiatives in a manufacturing environment.
• Certification in learning and development (CPTD, ATD or similar) is a plus.
• Experience implementing skills-based training and workforce upskilling initiatives.
• Ability to lead and influence others at all levels, with and without authority, particularly on broad and sophisticated issues
• Ability to work cross-functionally, cross-culturally, and with individuals at all levels across a matrixed organization
• Ability to think strategically, successfully navigate ambiguity and complexity, solve problems, and implement
• Ability to effectively partner globally
• Organizational change experience
• Ability to perform data analysis and construct significant insights that drive decisions and strategic plans
• Human Performance Improvement (HPI) Certification

Additional Information:

• Travel %: ~5-10%
• Position location: Indianapolis

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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