Director, Operational Excellence
Thermo Fisher Scientific

Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions
Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Office

Job Description

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing efficiency in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our team of more than 100,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

When you join us at Thermo Fisher Scientific, you'll be part of an inquisitive team that shares your passion for exploration and discovery. With revenues of $22 billion and the largest investment in R&D in the industry, we give our people the resources and opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the world.

How you will make an impact:

The role is the leader of the Operational Excellence team within the Allentown location of the Clinical Trials Division (CTD Americas) in the Pharma Services Group (PSG). This position drives strategic change across both locations, supports growth, and leads process improvement initiatives using on Thermo Fisher Scientific's Continuous Improvement Business System (PPI) framework.

You will partner with business leadership to establish multi-year strategic roadmaps to facilitate cultural transformation and achieve objectives for the Allentown/Breinigsville sites. As a change agent, this position creates and implements plans that enhance employee engagement and helps move strategy into action to continuously improve, sustain, and scale business process. You handle an active funnel of productivity projects for impact and schedule and drive higher proficiency and faster adoption of continuous improvement practices and behaviors by all employees. The team you lead is key to the operational and financial performance of the sites and value streams.

This position will be located in Allentown Schantz Road location. Travel is 0-25%.

What you will do:

• Strategy Development and Deployment: Develop the site's continuous improvement PPI strategy and deployment plan, working with leadership teams to constantly improve the continuous improvement culture.

• Site Engagement: Become an active member of the Allentown Leadership team, mentor and develop peer competencies to drive continuous improvement attitudes and behaviors across teams and challenging the status quo.

• Organizational Change: Establish relationship with leadership site teams to align business objectives and priorities, develop and implement sustainable process improvement programs and ways of working.

• Developing Talent: Provide support to develop lean expertise and capability within the organization at all levels. Improve the decision-making model and problem-solving capabilities within performance teams to increase autonomy and the pace of change.

• PPI Business System: Provide ongoing Lean support to multiple teams. Work with the expanded teams to develop/promote/standardize the Business System further. Lead/work with functional teams to simplify processes that improve the customer experience, enable profitable growth, and become more efficient.

• PPI Steering Committee: Prioritize improvement opportunities and develop site deployment plans. Design and provide governance of improvement programs to confirm progress, embed process excellence knowledge, and recognize and reward employees for their contributions in resolving business challenges.

How you will get here:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, operations or business, with evidence of operational, leadership, or professional experience. Master's degree preferred.

• A Lean Expert with extensive experience (10+ years) and a 'hands-on' track record of implementing successful TPS-based business systems including elements such as:

• Lean Leadership (Daily Management, Leader Standard Work, and Gemba Walks)

• Strategy Deployment and Value-stream mapping

• Kaizen events on standard work, cell design, process and product 3P, Value-Analysis/Value Engineering, error-proofing, material flow, Heijunka, and Kanban.

• Expertise in problem-solving using a formal program/process

• Proven track record for developing, training, and coaching teams.

• Self-directed leader with strong partner development skills and ability to lead/influence across and up into the organization without direct reporting responsibility.

• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, excel in a matrix environment, consistently identifying and delivering year-over-year results.

• Operational and Supply chain Management experience is helpful.

• Previous experience with direct interaction with external clients is preferred.

• Coordinate and/or facilitate continuous improvement projects and Kaizen events to improve productivity and accelerate growth

• Prioritize and lead PPI initiatives that are aligned with business objectives.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Passion for driving improvement and leading change in a sophisticated global environment. Broad knowledge of multi-functional, multi-site, global organizational processes and financial business methods.

• Strong communication skills and the ability to positively influence leadership and all levels of the organization including external clients. Excellent interpersonal skills, including project management experience demonstrating strong influencing and partner leadership skills.

• Able to drive critical thinking in both non-operational and operational areas, including connecting cross-functional resources to remove waste along the extended value streams.

• Shown success leading cultural transformations in a large diverse organization

• Certification as a Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or other is desired

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.