Operational Excellence Professional

The Operational Excellence Professional supports the identification, development, and implementation of process improvement initiatives across manufacturing and business operations. This role applies Lean, Six Sigma, and change management methodologies to enhance productivity, reduce waste, and drive a culture of continuous improvement. The individual will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with business goals, operational standards, and compliance requirements while contributing to sustainable performance improvement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Process Improvement and Optimization

• Lead or support continuous improvement (CI) projects focused on efficiency, quality, and cost reduction.
• Develop current- and future-state process maps and identify gaps or bottlenecks in workflows.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, root cause analyses (RCA), and process optimization workshops.
• Apply Lean tools (e.g., 5S, VSM, Kanban, SMED) and Six Sigma methodologies to improve performance and standardize operations.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) and develop dashboards to measure project effectiveness.

Data Analysis and Decision Support

• Conduct data collection and statistical analysis (e.g., SPC, Pareto, regression) to identify improvement opportunities.
• Translate complex data into actionable insights for leadership and operational teams.
• Develop and maintain reports summarizing project status, savings, and benefits realization.

Change Management and Training

• Collaborate with leadership to implement operational excellence programs and promote CI culture.
• Provide training and coaching on Lean and problem-solving methodologies to employees at all levels.
• Support the integration of new tools, processes, or technologies within existing operations.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or related field required.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification preferred; Black Belt or equivalent experience is a plus.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Life Sciences manufacturing operations.  Experience with medical devices, in-vitro diagnostic and pharmaceutical products are a plus.
• Proven experience executing cross-functional continuous improvement projects and achieving measurable results.
• Experience implementing Lean or Six Sigma principles, developing standard work, and optimizing value streams.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and facilitation skills.
• Proficiency in data analysis and CI tools (Minitab, Excel, Smartsheet, Visio).
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills across all organizational levels.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.