Sr Manufacturing Supervisor.

Medtronic; Kerkrade; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible benefits package

Job summary

A leading medical technology company is seeking a Supervisor for their Kerkrade site in the Netherlands. This role involves collaborating with various functions such as Finance and Quality and contributing to the operational performance within a data-driven supply chain environment. Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's degree in engineering and a passion for continuous improvement. The position offers opportunities for career development through hands-on leadership and involvement in cross-functional projects.

Qualifications

• Ambitious early-career professional with motivation to grow.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC; Green/Black Belt is a plus.
• Strong interest in digitization and data engineering.

Responsibilities

• Support and contribute to the door-to-door value stream.
• Collaborate with Operations Supervisors and cross-functional teams.
• Analyse operational data and develop actionable insights.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma.

Skills

Strong potential and motivation

Passion for continuous improvement

Hands-on and data-driven mindset

Dynamic communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Result-oriented and proactive

Education

Bachelor’s degree in industrial/Mechanical Engineering or related field

Job description

A Day in the Life

The Medtronic site located in Kerkrade, the Netherlands, is positioned close to the EMEA Distribution Centre as well as the Bakken Research Centre. Currently, the site is being transformed from a manual, analogue, and standalone manufacturing environment into a data-driven and connected key supply chain node. The site assembles configurable perfusion packs used as an interface between patients and the heart-lung machine during open-heart surgery.

For the Kerkrade site, we are looking for a Supervisor who will be positioned within the Operations department, reporting to the Operations Manager and contributing to the end-to-end door-to-door value stream.

In this role, you will work closely not only with fellow Operations Supervisors but also with key supporting functions including Finance, Quality, Engineering, Operational Excellence, Sourcing, Planning, and Distribution. As such, you will act as a broad generalist, with the curiosity and capability to dive deeper into specific topics when required in order to support operational performance and cross-functional collaboration.

The successful candidate will start with a comprehensive onboarding and training period designed to build a strong understanding of the Kerkrade site, its processes, and the end-to-end value stream. During this phase, the focus will be on learning the operations, building cross-functional relationships, and developing a solid foundation within the business. During this period, the role will not yet include formal supervisory responsibilities. Depending on prior experience, this development phase may last up to one year, after which the candidate will gradually transition into full supervisory responsibilities.

Following this initial phase, the candidate will progressively build traction and influence within the end-to-end value stream, contributing to and leading cross-functional initiatives and improvement projects. From there, multiple career development paths may open, including:

• Line leadership, taking on the role of Functional Supervisor leading a team of assembly and/or warehouse operators
• Project leadership, driving operational or cross-functional improvement initiatives
• Opportunities within Planning or Sourcing, depending on business needs and the individual’s strengths and interests

Responsibilities may include the following and other duties may be assigned:

• Support and contribute to the end-to-end door-to-door value stream within the Kerkrade Operations environment
• Collaborate closely with Operations Supervisors and cross-functional teams including Finance, Quality, Engineering, Operational Excellence, Sourcing, Planning, and Distribution
• Analyse and structure operational data, extract insights, and develop actionable controls to improve operational performance
• Contribute to and lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and other operational excellence methodologies
• Support the digitization of operational processes and help shape data structures that enable better decision-making and performance monitoring
• Engage actively with stakeholders across the organization, from shopfloor operators to senior leadership, to drive alignment and operational improvements
• Participate in and eventually lead cross-functional projects and transformation initiatives within the value stream
• After the onboarding period, transition into supervisory and/or project leadership responsibilities within the Operations organization

Required Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Information Management, or a related field.
• Ambitious early-career professional with strong potential and motivation to grow within an operations and manufacturing environment.
• Passion for products, processes, and people, with a strong interest in continuous improvement (knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, DMAIC; Green/Black Belt is a plus).
• Hands-on and data-driven mindset, capable of structuring, extracting, and analysing data to generate actionable insights and operational controls.
• Strong interest in digitization and data engineering, with the ability and curiosity to leverage data to drive operational performance.
• Dynamic communicator, comfortable interacting with stakeholders at all levels—from shopfloor operators to senior leadership.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions such as Sourcing, Engineering, Quality, Sales, and Distribution.
• Result-oriented and proactive, with leadership potential to contribute to and drive cross-functional initiatives and complex improvement projects across the value stream.

Physical Job Requirements

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position.

Benefits & Compensation

Medtronic offers a competitive Salary and flexible Benefits Package

A commitment to our employees lives at the core of our values. We recognize their contributions. They share in the success they help to create. We offer a wide range of benefits, resources, and competitive compensation plans designed to support you at every career and life stage.