Job Description

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an Associate Director, Operational Excellence for our integrated production system, used for how we design, manage, and continuously improve our operations and supporting business processes, enabled through the development of our people.

The Associate Director, Operational Excellence will work with leaders and sites in their region.  Approximately 50% of the time will be spent on the floor providing direct, hands-on support of activities, while 25% will be spent coaching leaders.

Due to the nature of the work and diversity of sites, expected travel will be 50-75%.

Bring energy, knowledge, innovation to carry out the following:

• Partner with and consult Functional leaders, Plant Managers and their leadership teams to develop plans and execute performance improvement activities supporting short, mid to long term plans based on state-of-the-art GMPS improvement methods and standards.
• Influence and link improvement objectives to the highest division priorities always targeting longer term sustainable performance even though short term improvements are important.
• Develop Lean management and people development processes and plans with the objective of enabling the supported area to efficiently operate the continuous improvement system as supposed to simply tools, in a self-reliant way.
• Manage end-to-end processes and projects to drive results and realize intended business benefit, short term but importantly long term and year over year.
• Utilize various tools, techniques to diagnose, analyze and improve business processes.
• Provide teaching and coaching to effectively transfer Lean skills into the organization for the development of Lean Leaders.
• Manage teams to mitigate risk, allocate resources, and drive on time completion of initiatives.
• Build trust and develop new relationships with internal and external clients to effectively collaborate and achieve successful outcomes at a regional/global.
• Proactively recognize and mitigating barriers to cross-functional initiatives and acting as an intermediary across divisional, geographical, and cultural boundaries.
• Proactively work to develop and demonstrate a culture of continuous improvement and challenge the status quo.
• Mentor others on effective communication and active listening techniques to fuller understand client/customer needs and expectations.
• Lead value deep process analysis, process observation and capacity analysis through value stream mapping to measure stagnation of inventory and information, waste, non-value added and losses identification and can lead kaizen to increase capacity and improve process performance.
• Apply DMAIC methodology and statistical analysis to solve complex problems with multiple independent variables.

What skills you will need:

In order to excel in this role, you will more than likely have:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field.
• Experience analyzing 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
• Experience applying consultative skills: ability to influence decision making, ability to interact with all levels of the business (senior leaders to shop floor working teams), project management skills (demonstrated experience in managing large teams), solid business acumen, proven team building skills, exceptionally good listening skills, results oriented, strong analytical skills, and prior process improvement experience.
• Coaching, Teaching, and driving a High-Performance Organization. Proven experience in coaching and teaching others to think, behave and apply lean methods and tools. Experience enabling and leveraging diverse perspectives, talents, etc. to achieve business outcomes.

• Extensive Lean application experience, deep understanding and successful application of TPS.
• Excellent skills using IT applications to organize and analyze date (MS-Access, MS-Excel, Minitab).
• Experience in operations management, manufacturing, or related disciplines.

As a company, we are committed to 'Inventing for Life' in all that we do. We keep the patient at the very heart of all that we do and strive to find solutions and treatments for some of the world's most challenging healthcare needs.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. Please don't hesitate to contact the Talent Acquisition Advisor assigned to this role should you need any support during our recruitment process.

We are committed to flexible working where possible, and this is why our Company has introduced a new hybrid working model for office-based colleagues around the world.

Please feel free to speak to us about what flexibility means to you during your application or click on the link to find out more about our hybrid working model

So, if you are ready to:

Invent solutions to meet unmet healthcare needs, please apply today.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, 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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Remote

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

04/5/2025

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.