Operational Excellence Site Lead

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Waterford; On-site; EUR 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

AbbVie is seeking an Operational Excellence Site Lead to drive the site’s strategy, governance, and roadmap for manufacturing, quality, and supply chain. You will lead the OpEx team, embed disciplined routines, and partner with senior leaders to deliver measurable business results.

The role requires eight years in regulated manufacturing, Black Belt certification, and strong leadership across cross-functional teams. Flexibility to oversee evolving improvement portfolios is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, business, or a related discipline.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification required; Master Black Belt certification preferred.
• Minimum of eight years’ experience in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, medical device, or similarly regulated manufacturing.
• Minimum of two years’ direct people management experience at management level.

Responsibilities

• Lead site OpEx strategy, roadmap, and governance to improve performance across manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and support functions.
• Head the OpEx team, prioritise work, build capability, manage performance, engage stakeholders, and deliver business results.
• Drive continuous improvement strategy, align with priorities, capacity, and measurable outcomes.
• Coach teams in Lean, Six Sigma, problem solving, visual management, and daily management systems.
• Identify and deliver high-impact improvement initiatives to reduce waste and improve reliability.
• Deploy AI-enabled and digital solutions to enhance decision-making and productivity.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

Data analysis

Process mapping

Root cause analysis

Visual management

Standard work

Value stream mapping

Daily management systems

Change execution

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science/engineering/business

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Master Black Belt (preferred)

Tools

Data analytics tools

Process mapping software

AI-enabled solutions

Job description

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com . Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook , Instagram , X and YouTube.

Job Description

The OperationalExcellenceSite Lead is responsible forleading thesite operational excellencestrategy, roadmap, andgovernance to improve performanceacross manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and support functions.

The roleleadstheOpExteam,builds sitecapability,standardisesbest practices, andembeds disciplined routines that supportaccountability, innovation, andsustainablecontinuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

• Act as a trusted advisor to site leadership on operational excellence strategy, capability building, performance governance, and change execution.
• Lead the siteOpExteam, including work prioritisation, capability building, performance management, stakeholder engagement, and delivery of agreed business results.
• Lead the site continuous improvement strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment with business priorities, resource capacity, and measurable performance outcomes.
• Coach and develop teams in Lean, Six Sigma, structured problem solving, visual management, standard work, value stream mapping, and daily management systems.
• Identify, prioritise, and deliver high-impact improvement initiatives that reduce waste, improve flow, increase reliability, strengthen compliance, and support RightFirst Timeperformance.
• Identify and deploy AI-enabled and digital solutions that improve decision-making, reduce manual effort, enhance productivity, and create scalable operational improvements.
• Partner with site functions, senior leaders, regulatory agencies, vendors, and suppliers to support departmental and organisational objectives.
• Establish and govern performance metrics, departmental budgets, improvement portfolios, benefits tracking, and accountability routines.
• Ensure effective controls are inplaceso the department and improvement activities operate in compliance with applicable quality, regulatory, safety, environmental, EHS&E, and AbbVie Global policy requirements.
• Make and execute support-function decisions from a strategic perspective, balancing operational requirements, risk, compliance, stakeholder input, resource allocation, and business impact.
• Build a culture of continuous improvement, involvement, open communication, integrity, effective teamwork, Perfect Performance, and sustainable change across the site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, business, or a related discipline, with Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification required and Master Black Belt certification preferred.
• Minimum of eight years’ experience in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, medical device, or similarly regulated manufacturing, including relevant managerial experience and delivery of strategic business projects.
• Minimum of two years’ direct people management experience at management level, preferably leading anOpEx, digital, PMO, or project management function.
• Strong technical capability in Lean, Six Sigma, operational excellence, structured problem solving, data analysis, process mapping, root cause analysis, mistake-proofing, standard work, visual management, performance managementsystems, and benefits tracking.
• Proven experience identifying and applying AI, digital tools, and analytics to operational challenges, with clear evidence of measurable impact on performance, productivity, manual effort reduction, and decision-making speed.
• Strong business acumen, with the ability to translate site challenges into prioritised improvement opportunities linked to enterprise goals, customer needs, financial impact, and sustainable performance outcomes.
• Collaborative and credible leader who can influence across functions, communicate clearly, facilitate change, build capability in others, and maintain high standards of integrity, quality, compliance, and engagement through periods of change.

Additional Information

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.