Lean Six Sigma Leader for GMP Manufacturing

Takeda; Rieti; On-site; EUR 59,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare Insurance

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Employee discount programmes for shops

Training in technical skills

Job Rotation programmes

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion programs

Values-based culture

Wellbeing programmes

On-site cafeteria

Parental Leave

Job summary

Takeda in Italy (Rieti and Pisa) seeks an Operational Excellence Lead to turn strategy into measurable improvements across two sites. You will lead Lean/Six Sigma programs and the Agile Operating System roadmap in a highly regulated manufacturing environment.

You will coach cross-functional teams, drive digital transformation, and ensure safety, quality, and efficiency while collaborating with Quality, Production, Engineering, and Digital groups. Occasional travel to sites will be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in technical or scientific discipline; MBA or master's is an advantage.
• 5–8 years of experience in manufacturing/operations with focus on Operational Excellence, Lean, or Continuous Improvement.
• Lean/AOS and Six Sigma certification at Green Belt level or above; Yellow Belt training experience is preferred.
• Proven track record leading cross-functional initiatives and delivering measurable, sustained business results.
• Strong project management, analytical, facilitation, and structured problem-solving abilities.
• Experience in change management and coaching stakeholders from shopfloor to senior leadership.
• GMP-regulated environment experience; pharmaceutical manufacturing desirable.
• Experience with SAP, MES, Minitab, and Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Own the Operational Excellence strategy and AOS roadmap across Rieti and Pisa sites.
• Lead Lean / Six Sigma initiatives delivering improvements in safety, quality, productivity, and costs.
• Translate business priorities into site strategy deployment aligned with the PDT Business Unit.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, and root cause analysis with defined outcomes.
• Coach leaders and teams in Lean methods, problem-solving, daily management, and continuous improvement.
• Build site capability by overseeing Six Sigma programs and mentoring Yellow/Green Belts.
• Partner with Quality, Production, Engineering, and Digital teams to sustain initiatives.
• Advance digital transformation by leveraging data and automation opportunities.
• Track KPIs, identify gaps, and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Apply change management to secure adoption of project outcomes.
• Ensure safety, quality, GMP, and regulatory compliance of initiatives.
• Contribute to Community of Practice and promote shopfloor engagement.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

Project management

Change management

Facilitation

Data analysis

English fluency

SAP

MES

Minitab

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA preferred

Tools

SAP

MES

Minitab

Microsoft Office

Job description

Takeda in Italy (Rieti and Pisa) seeks an Operational Excellence Lead to turn strategy into measurable improvements across two sites. You will lead Lean/Six Sigma programs and the Agile Operating System roadmap in a highly regulated manufacturing environment.

You will coach cross-functional teams, drive digital transformation, and ensure safety, quality, and efficiency while collaborating with Quality, Production, Engineering, and Digital groups. Occasional travel to sites will be required.