Operational Excellence Lead

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

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Financial Benefits

Healthcare Insurance

Employee stock purchase plan

Learning & Development

Job summary

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. is seeking a seasoned Operational Excellence leader to own and deploy the strategy across our Rieti and Pisa plasma-derived medicines sites in Italy.

You will drive Lean/Six Sigma programs, coach leaders, and collaborate with Quality, Production, and Digital teams to deliver measurable safety, quality, and efficiency gains. Ideal candidates bring 5–8 years in manufacturing/operations with GMP experience, strong change management, and proficiency with SAP/MES/Minitab.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Own and execute the Operational Excellence strategy and AOS roadmap across the Rieti and Pisa sites.
• Lead Lean / Six Sigma initiatives that deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, labor utilization, and cost.
• Translate business priorities into a clear site strategy deployment process aligned with the PDT Business Unit.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, root cause analysis, and other structured improvement workshops, with clearly defined operational and financial outcomes.
• Coach leaders and teams in Lean methods, structured problem-solving, daily management, and continuous improvement practices.
• Build site capability by overseeing the Six Sigma program, mentoring Yellow and Green Belts, and certifying Yellow Belt candidates.
• Partner with Quality, Production, Engineering, and Digital (DD&T) teams to integrate and sustain improvement initiatives.
• Advance digital transformation by identifying opportunities for automation, better use of data, and process optimization.
• Track key performance indicators, identify performance gaps, and assure implementation of effective corrective actions.
• Apply Organizational Change Management principles to secure adoption and sustain project outcomes.
• Ensure every initiative meets applicable safety, quality, GMP, and regulatory requirements.
• Strengthen the wider Operational Excellence community by contributing to Community of Practice activities, sharing best practices, and promoting locally active shopfloor engagement.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Structured problem solving

Change management

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in technical or scientific discipline

MBA or relevant master's degree (advantage)

Tools

SAP

MES

Minitab

Microsoft Office

Job description

Present in Italy since 1972, Takeda operates two plasma-derived medicines manufacturing sites in Rieti and Pisa, supporting patients living with rare and complex diseases. These sites focus on the production of therapies derived from immunoglobulins, albumin, and coagulation factors. As a partner of the Italian National Health Service, we transform plasma into life-saving medicines as part of the National Self-Sufficiency Programme for Blood and Blood Products. We provide high-quality medicines worldwide, with a strong presence across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Subject to verification of the relevant professional requirements, preference will be given to candidates belonging to the Protected Categories pursuant to Article 1 of Law 68/99 and/or to categories of workers who are receiving income support measures and/or are unemployed as a result of collective redundancy procedures. Across Italy and worldwide, Takeda is recognised as a Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute, based on our commitment to career development, inclusion, learning, sustainability, wellbeing, and most importantly our values. Join us to make a difference.

What You Will Do

• Own and execute the Operational Excellence strategy and AOS roadmap across the Rieti and Pisa sites.
• Lead Lean / Six Sigma initiatives that deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, labor utilization, and cost.
• Translate business priorities into a clear site strategy deployment process aligned with the PDT Business Unit.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, root cause analysis, and other structured improvement workshops, with clearly defined operational and financial outcomes.
• Coach leaders and teams in Lean methods, structured problem-solving, daily management, and continuous improvement practices.
• Build site capability by overseeing the Six Sigma program, mentoring Yellow and Green Belts, and certifying Yellow Belt candidates.
• Partner with Quality, Production, Engineering, and Digital (DD&T) teams to integrate and sustain improvement initiatives.
• Advance digital transformation by identifying opportunities for automation, better use of data, and process optimization.
• Track key performance indicators, identify performance gaps, and assure implementation of effective corrective actions.
• Apply Organizational Change Management principles to secure adoption and sustain project outcomes.
• Ensure every initiative meets applicable safety, quality, GMP, and regulatory requirements.
• Strengthen the wider Operational Excellence community by contributing to Community of Practice activities, sharing best practices, and promoting locally active shopfloor engagement.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in technical or scientific discipline; an MBA or relevant master's degree is an advantage.
• 5-8 years of experience in manufacturing or operations, with a strong focus on Operational Excellence, Lean, or Continuous Improvement.
• Lean/AOS and Six Sigma certification at Green Belt level or above; experience delivering or certifying Yellow Belt training is preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives and delivering measurable, sustained business results.
• Strong project management, analytical, facilitation, and structured problem-solving capability.
• Experience in change management and in coaching stakeholders from the shopfloor to senior leadership.
• Ability to operate effectively in a GMP-regulated environment; pharmaceutical manufacturing experience is highly desirable.
• Working knowledge of relevant systems and tools such as SAP, MES, Minitab, and Microsoft Office.
• Clear, influential communication and a collaborative leadership style suited to a multicultural environment.
• Fluency in English.
• Maintain an active shopfloor presence and travel occasionally between Rieti and Pisa sites or to other Takeda locations.

What Takeda Can Offer You

• Health & Financial Benefits
• Healthcare Insurance
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Employee discount programmes for retailers, shops, and medical services
• Learning & Development
• Training in technical skills and professional development
• Job Rotation programmes providing opportunities to work in other departments
• Employee-led groups raising awareness of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion topics and engaging with the local community
• A values-based culture
• Supporting the Individual Wellbeing programmes
• On-site cafeteria and bar
• Resources supporting mental, physical, financial, and spiritual health
• Parental Leave

Important Considerations

• Work in a controlled environment that requires special clothing and protective garments.
• Be required to remove all makeup, jewellery, contact lenses, nail polish, and/or artificial nails while in the manufacturing environment.

More About Us

At Takeda, we are transforming patient care through the development of innovative specialty medicines and best-in-class patient support programmes. Takeda is a patient-focused company that will inspire you and empower you to grow through work that can change lives. As a certified Global Top Employer, Takeda offers rewarding careers, encourages innovation, and strives for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive and collaborative working environment where our teams are united by an unwavering commitment to creating Better Health and a Brighter Future for people around the world.

Empowering Our People to Shine: Takeda is proud of its commitment to building a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, colour, 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.

Base Salary Range: €59,400.00 - €81,620.00

Worker Type Employee Worker Sub-Type Regular Time Type Full time

We live our values of Takeda-ism – Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance – and are united by our mission to strive towards Better Health and a Brighter Future for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine.