R&D Processes & Work Systems Lead — Drive Adoption

Mars; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 79,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates is seeking a Lead R&D Processes & Work Systems to drive adoption, performance and continuous improvement of R&D business processes across regions. The role translates approved standards into practical routines, governance and capability building to sustain execution.

The position focuses on sustainment, maturity and ongoing work system adoption, with collaboration across deployment, data, analytics and technical teams to reinforce an integrated operating

Qualifications

• Experience in process improvement, work systems, operational excellence or structured capability deployment.
• Strong understanding of governance routines, standard work and behavioral change in a matrix environment.
• Ability to translate standards into practical execution and coach teams to adopt them.
• Exposure to R&D systems, quality expectations, data requirements or regulated environments preferred.
• Experience using performance measures and root cause methods to improve execution preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead activation of work system elements such as standard work, maturity expectations, governance routines, problem solving and continuous improvement practices.
• Build capability through training, coaching and communities of practice so teams can adopt and sustain required ways of working.
• Partner with BPOs to convert approved process standards, controls and evidence requirements into practical routines and operating mechanisms.
• Track maturity, adherence and process performance indicators and drive actions to close gaps.
• Coordinate with regions and local stakeholders to embed global standards into local execution without losing core control points.
• Support implementation of process changes into BAU and reinforce sustained use through governance and follow‑through.
• Ensure data requirements are understood in execution and that process teams are equipped to create complete, accurate and timely data at source.
• Surface recurring execution or data barriers and coordinate corrective action with process owners and data roles.
• Lead root cause analysis and practical improvement work across processes, systems and routines.
• Partner with deployment, data, analytics and technical teams to reinforce an integrated operating model.

Skills

Process improvement

Work systems

Operational excellence

Governance routines

Standard work

Behavioral change

R&D systems

Quality expectations

Data requirements

Root cause analysis

Education

Preferred-Degree in Engineering

Food Science

Operations

Business

Tools

None

Job description

Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates is seeking a Lead R&D Processes & Work Systems to drive adoption, performance and continuous improvement of R&D business processes across regions. The role translates approved standards into practical routines, governance and capability building to sustain execution.

The position focuses on sustainment, maturity and ongoing work system adoption, with collaboration across deployment, data, analytics and technical teams to reinforce an integrated operating