Operational Excellence Lead

Takeda; Bray; On-site; EUR 72,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

Takeda in Bray, Ireland is seeking an Operational Excellence Lead to drive lean strategy and the Agile Operating System across manufacturing operations. You will coach cross-functional teams and implement process improvements while upholding safety, quality and regulatory standards.

You will partner with Quality, Production, Engineering and Digital teams, mentor Yellow/Green Belts, and advance digital transformation through data-driven optimization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical or scientific discipline; a master’s degree (MBA or MSc.) is a plus.
• 5–8 years of experience in manufacturing or operations with a focus on Lean, OE, or Continuous Improvement.
• Lean/AOS and Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher); Yellow Belt training/certification preferred.
• Proven track record in leading cross-functional projects and delivering measurable improvements.
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience in change management (ideally e3+) and coaching at all levels.
• Comfortable working in GMP-regulated environments; pharma experience is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with SAP, MES, Minitab, and MS Office.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.
• Fluent in English; strong interpersonal skills in a multicultural environment.
• Willingness for occasional travel and active shopfloor presence.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site’s Operational Excellence (OE) strategy and AOS roadmap.
• Lead Lean and Six Sigma initiatives to improve efficiency, quality, and cost performance.
• Facilitate workshops (Kaizen events, value stream mapping, root cause analysis).
• Coach and develop site teams in Lean methods and problem-solving.
• Collaborate with Quality, Production, Engineering, and Digital teams for alignment.
• Support digital transformation through automation opportunities and data-driven optimization.
• Oversee Six Sigma programs and mentor Yellow/Green Belt candidates.
• Monitor KPIs, identify gaps, and drive corrective actions.
• Apply Organizational Change Management (OCM) to drive project implementation.
• Support strategic programs like Business Process of the Future and Factory of the Future.
• Ensure initiatives meet safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Lean / AOS

Six Sigma Green Belt

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Analytical skills

Change management (e3+)

GMP experience

SAP / MES tools

Minitab

MS Office

English fluency

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in technical or scientific discipline

MBA or MSc (desirable)

Tools

SAP

MES

Minitab

MS Office

Job description

Job Description

Operational Excellence Lead

As Operational Excellence Manager at Takeda’s Bray site, you will play a key role in driving a culture of continuous improvement across our manufacturing operations. You will lead the site’s Lean strategy and Agile Operating System (AOS) roadmap, coach cross-functional teams, and implement impactful process improvements. Working closely with Quality, Production, and Digital teams, you will help streamline operations, increase efficiency, and ensure sustainable performance improvements — all while upholding Takeda’s high standards for safety, quality, and compliance.

Responsibilities:

• Drive the site’s Operational Excellence (OE) strategy and AOS (Agile Operating System) roadmap.
• Lead Lean and Six Sigma (Green Belt level) initiatives to improve efficiency, quality, and cost performance.
• Facilitate workshops (e.g. Kaizen events, value stream mapping, root cause analysis) to identify and implement improvement opportunities.
• Coach and develop site teams in Lean methodologies, structured problem-solving, and continuous improvement practices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners including Quality, Production, Engineering, and Digital (DD&T) to ensure alignment and integration of improvement initiatives.
• Support digital transformation by identifying automation opportunities and data-driven process optimization.
• Oversee the Six Sigma program, including mentoring Yellow/Green Belts and certifying Yellow Belt candidates.
• Monitor and report performance metrics (KPIs), identify gaps, and lead corrective actions.
• Apply Organizational Change Management (OCM) principles (e3+) to drive successful implementation of improvement projects.
• Support strategic programs like Business Process of the Future and Factory of the Future.
• Ensure all initiatives are aligned with safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.

Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical or scientific discipline; a master’s degree (MBA or M.Sc.) is a plus.
• 5–8 years of experience in manufacturing or operations with a focus on Lean, OE, or Continuous Improvement.
• Lean/AOS and Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher); experience with Yellow Belt training/certification preferred.
• Proven track record in leading cross-functional projects and delivering measurable improvements.
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience in change management (ideally e3+) and coaching stakeholders at all levels.
• Comfortable working in GMP-regulated environments; pharma experience is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with tools such as SAP, MES, Minitab, and MS Office.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.
• Fluent in English; strong interpersonal skills in a multicultural environment.
• Willingness for occasional travel and active shopfloor presence.

More about us:
At Takeda, we are transforming patient care through the development of novel specialty pharmaceuticals and best in class patient support programs. Takeda is a patient-focused company that will inspire and empower you to grow through life-changing work.
Certified as a Global Top Employer, Takeda offers stimulating careers, encourages innovation, and strives for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.

Empowering our people to shine:
Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations

Bray, Ireland

Base Salary Range:

€72,000.00 - €99,000.00

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time