Associate LEAN Partner

Initial Therapeutics, Inc.; Clayton (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

14 paid holidays

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

8% 401K + company match

Parental leave – 14 weeks

Tuition Assistance

Life & Disability Insurance

Employee Referral Awards

Job summary

Novo Nordisk in North Carolina seeks a Continuous Improvement professional to drive Lean initiatives at the Clayton site. You will provide Lean tools, coaching, and training for CI projects and kaizen workshops, aligning with cLEAN® standards and PDCA methodologies.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, mentor 1-Star project leaders, and help achieve measurable improvements in production, quality, and safety while respecting safety and environmental requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Statistics, Business, or a relevant field required
• Associate’s degree with minimum two years manufacturing/ life sciences/ QA/ engineering experience required
• High School Diploma with minimum four years of experience in manufacturing, life sciences, QA, engineering, supply chain or process improvement required
• One year of experience in manufacturing or life sciences preferred
• Certification in Six Sigma Green Belt is a plus
• Lean tools/Lean Principles demonstrated (8 Wastes, Yamazumi, SMED, Value Stream Mapping, LEAN Layout, Standardized Work, 5S) preferred
• Coaching, change management and leadership skills preferred
• Strong computer skills including MS Office, Power BI, and statistical software preferred
• Ability to manage cross-functional projects and adapt to change

Responsibilities

• Assist senior team members to develop Continuous Improvement plans
• Identify, prioritize, and initiate CI opportunities
• Follow through on CI activities and track results
• Provide coaching to develop cLEAN mindset
• Facilitate CI kaizen workshops and problem-solving sessions
• Support cross-site collaboration and share best practices
• Lead formal training in cLEAN programs across sites
• Mentor 1-Star project leaders and grow coaching skills
• Manage/lead focused departmental projects
• Apply PDCA to achieve measurable improvements in production, support, and processes
• Participate in site CI initiatives
• Comply with safety and environmental requirements
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Lean principles

Coaching

Project leadership

PDCA

Data analysis

MS Office

Power BI

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Science/Statistics/Business

Associate’s degree + 2 years experience

High School Diploma + 4 years experience

Tools

Power BI

MS Office

Statistical analysis software

Job description

About the Department

At Novo Nordisk, we are helping to improve the quality of life for millions of people worldwide. For more than 100 years, we have led the way in diabetes care. Being part of Novo Nordisk allows our employees to embark on the opportunity to help improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world.

In NC, we operate three pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities that are responsible for fulfilling different steps in our injectable and oral treatment supply chains. Our newer Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) facility in Clayton, NC sits on 825,000 square‑feet of state‑of‑the‑art equipment, and houses the Fermentation, Recovery and Purification in the production of ingredients for Novo Nordisk’s innovative oral products. At API, you’ll join a global network of manufacturing professionals who are passionate about what they do.

What we offer you

• Leading pay and annual performance bonus for all positions
• All employees enjoy generous paid time off including 14 paid holidays
• Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance – effective day one
• Guaranteed 8% 401K contribution plus individual company match option
• Family Focused Benefits including 14 weeks paid parental & 6 weeks paid family medical leave
• Free access to Novo Nordisk‑marketed pharmaceutical products
• Tuition Assistance
• Life & Disability Insurance
• Employee Referral Awards

At Novo Nordisk, you will find opportunities, resources, and mentorship to help grow and build your career. Are you ready to realize your potential? Join Team Novo Nordisk and help us make what matters.

The Position

Enable & inspire NNPILP to "live cLEAN®" by driving continuous improvement (CI) mindset throughout the site; providing cLEAN® tools, training, & expertise; supporting CI projects & initiatives.

Relationships

Reports to (Associate) Manager.

Essential Functions

• Assist senior team members to develop Continuous Improvement plans
• Identify, prioritize, & initiate CI opportunities
• Follow-through on Continuous Improvement activities
• Provide coaching to develop the cLEAN® mindset
• Aid in SPS through facilitating & coaching
• Support & facilitate CI kaizen workshops, problem solving workshops
• Communicate across sites to share best practices, success stories, ideas; collaborate across NNPILP other & PS sites as appropriate
• Assist in formal training in cLEAN® programs across sites
• Provide coaching & mentoring for 1-Star project leaders across site; develop coaching skills
• Manage/lead focused departmental projects
• Apply PDCA methodologies to achieve significant, measurable improvement in business, support, & production processes
• Participate in execution of cLEAN® site initiatives
• Follow all safety & environmental requirements in the performance of duties
• Other accountabilities, as assigned

Physical Requirements

May move equipment &/or supplies weighing up to 33 pounds within the facility using various body positions. May be required to be on your feet for up to a 12‑hour shift. May required corrected vision to 20/20 or 20/25 based on role. May require color vision based on role. May require the ability to work in loud noise environments with hearing protections.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Statistics, Business, or a relevant field of study from an accredited university required
• May consider an Associate’s degree in Engineering, Science, Statistics, Business, or a relevant field of study from an accredited university with a minimum of two (2) years of experience in manufacturing, life sciences, maintenance, quality assurance, engineering, supply chain, process improvement required
• May consider a High School Diploma or equivalent with a minimum of four (4) years of experience in manufacturing, life sciences, maintenance, quality assurance, engineering, supply chain, process improvement required
• One (1) year of experience in manufacturing, life sciences, maintenance, quality assurance, engineering, supply chain, process improvement preferred
• Demonstrated expertise in pharmaceutical or related industry preferred
• Certification & demonstrated experience/results as Six Sigma Green Belt a plus
• Demonstrated competency in Lean tools & Lean Principles (Ex.8 Wastes, Yamazumi, SMED, Value Stream Mapping, LEAN Layout, Standardized Work, & 5S) preferred
• Demonstrated coaching, communication, change management, & leadership skills preferred
• Strong computer skills, including experience in MS Office, Power BI, statistical analysis software, or other related software packages preferred
• Demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, agility, credibility, & change management skills preferred
• Proven expertise in planning/organizing, managing execution, checking results, & revising complex, cross functional projects preferred

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long‑term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and defeating diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.

Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.

If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.