Job Description
Our Supply Chain team ensures inventory is consistently available to meet customer demand. We coordinate all aspects of supply through supply planning, sourcing, making, inventory management, packaging and delivery. We partner across the Marketing, Finance and Manufacturing organizations to build a robust demand and supply plan and ensure we get products to the right customer, at the place, at the right time.
Position Description:
Our Company has an integrated production system for how we design, manage, and continuously improve our operations and related business processes, enabled through the development of our people. The Durham Production Systems (PS) Team seeking a Senior Specialist to join their team. The team is accountable for driving lean production throughout the Durham site to enable change in the operating systems, management systems, and mindsets, behaviors and capabilities of our people to produce product at the highest quality, for the lowest cost, and in the shortest time.
Under the direction of the Durham Supply Chain Director, the Senior Specialist, Production Systems will direct the lean production activities within the Durham laboratories supporting model lab deployment for a laboratory expansion at the site. The Senior Specialist, Production Systems will develop lean management and people development processes, deliver business results, and transfer lean mindsets, behaviors & skills within the new laboratory.
Approximately 50% of the time will be spent on the floor providing direct, hands on support of activities, while 25% will be spent coaching managers within the laboratory and 25% on working across the site on production systems and sharing knowledge.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Partner with and consult manufacturing management teams across the site to develop plans and execute performance improvement activities.
• Influence and link improvement objectives to the highest priorities
• Develop Lean management and people development processes and plans
• Manage end-to-end processes and projects to drive results and realize intended business benefit
• Utilize various Lean and Six Sigma tools and techniques to diagnose, evaluate and improve business processes
• Provide teaching and coaching to effectively transfer Lean skills into the organization for the development of Lean Leaders
• Proactively managing knowledge repositories and documents, knowledge, procedures and processes in a standard format that can be accessed and shared across the organization.
• Provide guidance for our Company's operations and identify key business opportunities through utilizing financial data.
• Proactively recognize and mitigate barriers to initiatives.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and challenging the status quo.
• Manage teams to mitigate risk, allocate resources, and drive on time completion of initiatives.
• Mentor others on effective communication and dynamic listening techniques to fully understand client/customer needs and expectations.
• Direct value deep process analysis through value stream mapping to measure stagnation of inventory and information and steer kaizen to increase capacity and improve process performance.
• Develop visual controls and framework to make problems visible and replies with urgency to effectively break down complex problems, direct root cause analysis, and develop effective countermeasures.
• Guide and coach kaizen with a team to achieve target conditions and to improve standardized work
• Design balanced work to takt time, with smooth flow and to reduce lead time, inventory, and change-over time.
• Apply DMAIC methodology and statistical analysis to solve complex process problems.
• Able to engage sponsors and clients, direct changes, and effectively coach site Management.
• Build trust and develop new relationships through partnership with internal and external clients to effectively achieve successful outcomes.

Position Qualifications:
Education Minimum Requirement:

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of five (5) years of working in a manufacturing (production/quality/technical) role.
• Experience evaluating complex end-to-end supply chains and driving process improvement
• Hands-on application of Lean tools and techniques: standardized work, scientific problem solving, value stream mapping, mistake proofing, SMED, 5S-Visual Factory
• Demonstrated consultative skills: ability to influence decision making and coach and teach others to think, behave and apply lean methods and tools as well as the ability to enable and leverage diverse perspectives, talents, etc. to achieve business outcomes.
• Ability to interact with all levels of the business (senior management to shop floor working teams)
• Project management skills, solid business acumen, proven team building skills, exceptionally good listening skills, results oriented, strong analytical skills
• Process improvement experience.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Certified Green Belt and Lean Leader level 2.
• History of working in pharmaceutical manufacturing (production/quality/technical), preferably in Vaccine or Sterile manufacturing.
• Extensive Lean application experience, deep understanding and successful application of TPS.
• Excellent skills using IT applications to organize and evaluate data (MS-Access, MS-Excel, Minitab).
• Experience in operations management, manufacturing, or related disciplines.
• Experience in a GMP laboratory with knowledge of common laboratory techniques.

Who we are ...
We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.
What we look for ...
In a world of rapid innovation, we seek brave Inventors who want to make an Impact in all aspects of our business, enabling breakthroughs that will affect generations to come. We encourage you to bring your disruptive thinking, collaborative spirit and diverse perspective to our organization. Together we will continue Inventing For Life, Impacting Lives while Inspiring Your Career Growth.
INVENT.
IMPACT.
INSPIRE.
NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS
In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions.
If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor.
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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another's thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
Regular
Relocation:
Domestic
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not Specified
Shift:
1st - Day
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
Number of Openings:
1