Manufacturing Advisor – Operational Excellence

Elanco; Winslow (ME); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global leader in animal health is seeking a Manufacturing Advisor – Operational Excellence to join their team in Winslow, Maine. This role involves driving continuous improvement and implementing Lean methodologies across the site to enhance safety, quality, delivery, and cost efficiency. Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 3–5 years of experience in operational leadership. Preferred qualifications include Lean Six Sigma certification and experience in life sciences manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in Operational Excellence, transformation, or operational leadership roles.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, biologics, or life sciences manufacturing is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead site-wide continuous improvement strategy using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Drive Hoshin Kanri planning to align initiatives with business priorities.
• Establish KPI tracking and cost savings initiatives.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma expertise

Ability to influence and drive change

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations, or Business Management

Job description

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets.

At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Your Role: Manufacturing Advisor – Operational Excellence

As a Manufacturing Advisor – Operational Excellence, you will be part of the Site Leadership team to drive continuous improvement and execute site strategy. In this role, you will be responsible for advancing Lean transformation, building a culture of continuous improvement, and delivering measurable results across safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead site-wide continuous improvement strategy using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies
• Drive Hoshin Kanri planning and align initiatives to business priorities and KPI gaps
• Lead and facilitate kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives
• Develop and coach Green/Black Belt projects and build OpEx capabilities across the site
• Establish KPI tracking, cost savings initiatives, and continuous improvement frameworks

What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications)

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations, or Business Management
• Experience: Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in Operational Excellence, transformation, or operational leadership roles
• Top 2 skills: Lean Six Sigma expertise + ability to influence and drive change across all levels

What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications)

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification
• Strong experience leading Lean transformations and facilitating kaizen events
• Experience in pharmaceutical, biologics, or life sciences manufacturing
• Experience implementing digital or data-driven improvement solutions
• Proven ability to build a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.