Head of Operational Excellence (m/f/d)

MSD Deutschland; Köln; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

MSD Deutschland in Cologne is seeking an Improvement Lead (m/f/d) to guide our Operational Excellence efforts on the site, shaping transformations with safety, quality and cost control. You will lead the Improvement team and collaborate with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Finance and global functions.

The role requires a engineering or biotech degree, extensive manufacturing experience in regulated industries, proven people leadership, and a hands-on mindset to translate complex challenges

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Biotechnology or related discipline.
• Significant manufacturing experience, ideally in pharma or regulated industries.
• Proven people leadership experience with responsibility for teams.
• Strong experience in Operational Excellence, CI, and Lean Manufacturing.
• Excellent collaboration and stakeholder management across functions.
• Very good English; German skills preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and empower a team of Operational Excellence professionals.
• Drive continuous improvement across the site with focus on safety, quality, delivery and cost.
• Identify and lead improvement initiatives across processes, equipment and ways of working.
• Prioritize site improvement projects, including productivity and capital investments.
• Support new products and processes introductions with site and global teams.
• Apply structured problem-solving and drive sustainable corrective actions.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and ownership across the site.

Skills

Operational Excellence

Continuous Improvement

Lean Manufacturing

People Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Biotechnology or related discipline

Job description

Improvement Lead (m/f/d)

Our manufacturing site in Cologne is evolving, with new products and processes being introduced alongside ongoing production. As Improvement Lead (m/f/d) you will play a key role in shaping this transformation while ensuring we continue to deliver safely, reliably and with high quality.

You will lead our Improvement team and work closely with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Finance and global functions to identify opportunities, drive improvements and turn change into sustainable results.

What you will do

• Lead, develop and empower a team of Operational Excellence professionals.
• Drive continuous improvement across the site with a focus on Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost.
• Identify and lead improvement initiatives across manufacturing processes, equipment and ways of working.
• Lead and prioritize site improvement projects, including productivity and capital investment initiatives.
• Support the introduction of new products, processes and equipment in close collaboration with site and global teams.
• Apply structured problem-solving and continuous improvement approaches to complex operational challenges.
• Support investigations and the implementation of sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and ownership across the site.

What you bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Biotechnology or another relevant technical or scientific discipline.
• Significant experience in manufacturing, ideally within the pharmaceutical, life sciences or another regulated industry.
• Proven people leadership experience with responsibility for developing and leading teams.
• Strong experience in Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing or comparable improvement methodologies.
• Good understanding of manufacturing operations, processes and equipment.
• Experience leading change and translating complex challenges into practical, sustainable solutions.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills across different functions and organizational levels.
• Very good English skills are required; German language skills are highly preferred.
• A pragmatic, hands-on mindset combined with curiosity and a willingness to continuously learn and improve.

Working at our Cologne site:

This is a leadership role with a strong connection to our manufacturing operations and teams in Cologne. Regular on-site presence is therefore an important part of the role, with flexibility for remote working where business and operational needs allow.

Required Skills

Aseptic Operations, CAPA Management, Cultural Change Management, Decision Making, Disease Prevention, Engineering Principle, Facility Design, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma Process Improvement, Manufacturing, People Leadership, People Management, Process Improvements, Production Planning, Production Ramp Up, Root Cause Investigations, Sterile Manufacturing, Strategic Thinking, Team Leadership, Technical Problem-Solving

Preferred Skills

Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence