Senior Manager, Operational Excellence

About the position

Kyowa Kirin is a fast-growing global specialty pharmaceutical company that applies state-of-the-art biotechnologies to discover and deliver novel medicines in four disease areas: bone and mineral; intractable hematologic; hematology oncology; and rare disease. A Japan-based company, our goal is to make people smile by delivering breakthroughs where no adequate treatments currently exist, working from drug discovery to product development and commercialization. In North America, we are headquartered in Princeton, NJ, with offices in California, Massachusetts, and Ontario. The Senior Manager Operational Excellence will be responsible for designing, developing and implementing a site-wide Lean Manufacturing Systems for the new Kyowa Kirin Manufacturing site in Sanford, NC. The incumbent will provide expertise and leadership in both Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to help enable the business towards its goals. They will be responsible for leading cross functional teams and executing comprehensive lean manufacturing strategies and tools across the manufacturing facility, leading continuous improvement initiatives, identifying and eliminating waste, optimizing processes, and driving operational efficiency while ensure alignment with company goals and quality standards. As a people leader, you will embody compassionate, people-centric leadership to guide and support our team. You will collaborate closely with others, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive environment while driving team development. Your work will reflect the organization's values and integrity in all your actions. Utilizing situational leadership and emotional intelligence, you will align diverse viewpoints, manage stakeholders, and make empathetic decisions to address individual and team needs effectively. You will also be results-oriented, ensuring that your team not only adapts to challenges but also delivers measurable outcomes that align with business objectives. Additionally, you will help teams navigate through change and uncertainty with resilience and clarity, enabling them to adapt to fast-evolving, rapidly scaling environments and meet new challenges in the biotech industry with a patient-focused mindset.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and implement a comprehensive lean manufacturing system aligned with overall business objectives.
• Create and scale operational excellence program and standards.
• Establish clear performance metrics and targets for lean initiatives across the manufacturing facility.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement and lean thinking throughout the organization.
• Identify and analyze areas for process improvement using lean tools like value stream mapping, 5S, and root cause analysis.
• Lead cross-functional teams to design and implement process improvements, eliminating waste and optimizing workflows.
• Lead Kaizen events to rapidly identify and address operational inefficiencies.
• Develop and mentor a team of lean specialists and process improvement leaders.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to lean initiatives, including cycle time, lead time, and defect rates.
• Communicate lean methodologies and benefits clearly to all levels of the organization.
• Manage change effectively to ensure successful implementation of lean practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or life sciences.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience, preferably in bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Six Sigma and/or Lean Green Belt certification by a recognized third-party and supported by execution of a green belt project.
• Demonstrated experience with deploying lean manufacturing systems.
• Demonstrated use of project management methodologies including agile.
• Knowledge/experience in Continuous Improvement programs and Change Management practices.
• Experience with starting up and operating a biopharma manufacturing facility is a plus.

Nice-to-haves

• Deep Expertise in Lean Manufacturing: Thorough understanding of lean principles, tools, and methodologies like 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Kanban, Error Proofing and Six Sigma.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate cross-functional teams globally to achieve results.
• Excellent analytical skills to identify root causes of problems and develop effective solutions.
• Strong communication skills to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders across the organization.
• Proven ability to manage complex improvement projects from initiation to completion.