Associate Director - Senior Operations Associate

Eli Lilly - Plainfield, IL

Full-time - Mid Level

Plainfield, IL

Chemical Manufacturing

About the position

The Senior Operations Associate plays a crucial role in supporting the North American Logistics Operation (NALO) at Lilly, focusing on internal US distribution centers and occasionally assisting with the 3PL network. This position is responsible for driving business improvement projects, managing warehouse capacity, developing operations metrics, overseeing inventory management, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. The role requires a solid understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and distribution practices, with a strong emphasis on safety, quality, and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Drive an interdependent Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) culture across all operations personnel.
• Investigate HSE incidents and implement safety initiatives.
• Ensure operations SOPs meet quality standards defined by cGMPs and local procedures.
• Investigate operational events and implement appropriate countermeasures.
• Maintain training curricula for operations personnel and ensure proper training is provided.
• Coordinate with maintenance and engineering for equipment maintenance in a cGMP manner.
• Ensure data integrity and good documentation practices across operations roles.
• Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for internal and external audits for all operations processes.
• Lead initiatives to drive efficiency in process flow and resource utilization.
• Partner with other directors to develop prioritization lists for SAP enhancements and process improvements.
• Develop processes for metric gathering and implement improvement initiatives focused on KPIs.
• Manage employees responsible for order waiving and inventory management.
• Replicate distribution best practices across all NALO sites.
• Coordinate with US Customer Service to understand customer requirements and schedules.
• Ensure budget commitments are met and report key trends in monthly metrics updates.
• Drive productivity initiatives for warehouse operations and validate savings post-initiative completion.
• Provide performance feedback and coaching to Operators and assist in performance management cycles.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or 10+ years of work experience.
• 5+ years of experience leading people in an operational or pharmaceutical organization.
• Knowledge of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs).

Nice-to-haves

• Highly organized with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Proven critical problem-solving and leadership skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, SAP, PowerBI, and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of TrackWise (QMS) and GMARS (CMMS).
• Experience with Change Management and Deviation Management.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles for continuous improvement.
• Financial acumen and experience in business case creation.

Benefits

• Cell phone provided for off-hours support.
• Opportunities for professional development and training.