Sr. Manager, Operational Excellence

Moderna; Norwood (MA); Hybrid; USD 131,000 - 209,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Well-being resources

Family planning benefits

Generous paid time off

Bonus and equity eligibility

Job summary

Moderna seeks a Senior Manager, Operational Excellence to lead cross‑functional improvement efforts across CMC, translating complex problems into practical, measurable gains. You’ll partner with leaders across boundaries to root cause issues, design scalable solutions, and realize value through structured problem solving and digital tools.

In this role you’ll set approaches for multiple portfolios, coach teams, and drive adoption of standard work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, engineering, science, or equivalent.
• Minimum 6 years of experience driving process improvement and change adoption.
• Knowledge of continuous improvement and performance management.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive sustained value.
• Strong communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Full professional proficiency in English, both written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Define problems, test hypotheses, identify root causes, and translate insights into action.
• Set improvement approaches for multiple complex portfolios.
• Facilitate cross-functional teams to align and move from analysis to action.
• Design future states and integrate standard work, ownership, and change adoption across processes.
• Coach teams in problem framing, root‑cause analysis, and benefit assumptions.
• Resolve cross‑process constraints and intervene when local optimization would hurt the system.
• Drive benefit realization and sustain results across portfolios.
• Clarify ownership, decision rights, approvals, and escalation across processes.
• Share and scale effective improvement approaches across teams.
• Adopt digital tools and emerging technologies, including AI, to improve work.

Skills

Structured problem solving

Change management

Cross-functional collaboration

English proficiency

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/engineering/science

Tools

Lean Six Sigma

AI / emerging technologies

Automation / low-code/no-code

Job description

The Role

The Senior Manager, Operational Excellence will lead complex, cross-functional improvement efforts across CMC, helping teams solve important business problems, simplify how work gets done, and unlock measurable value.

As part of a central Operational Excellence team, this role is for an intellectually curious, highly adaptable problem solver who is energized by ambiguity. You will partner closely with teams and leaders across organizational boundaries to understand complex systems, identify root causes and opportunities, and translate insights into both near‑term improvements and longer‑term, scalable solutions.

The role requires someone who can combine structured problem solving with digital tools, automation, AI, and emerging technologies to rethink how work gets done. You will be expected to experiment, learn quickly, and apply new approaches thoughtfully, while keeping the focus on practical solutions and business impact.

Here’s What You’ll Do

• Lead complex, cross-functional improvement initiatives that address important business problems and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Bring structure to ambiguous problems by defining the problem, testing hypotheses, identifying root causes, and translating insights into action.
• Set the improvement approach for multiple complex portfolios, selecting methods based on the problem.
• Facilitate cross-functional teams and working sessions to create alignment, surface tradeoffs, make decisions, and move from analysis to action.
• Design practical future states and integrate standard work, measures, ownership, and change adoption across connected processes.
• Coach teams in rigorous problem framing, root‑cause analysis, method selection, and benefit assumptions.
• Resolve cross‑process or portfolio constraints and intervene when local optimization would weaken the broader system.
• Drive benefit realization and intervene when results are not sustained.
• Clarify process ownership, decision rights, approvals, and escalation across connected processes.
• Share and scale effective improvement approaches across teams without adding unnecessary complexity.
• Continuously explore, experiment with and adopt digital tools and emerging technologies, including AI, to improve how you work and deliver value.
• From time to time, you may be asked to perform other reasonable duties related to your role and consistent with your skills, training, and experience. Any material change to your core responsibilities will be managed in accordance with applicable law, applicable employment or collective‑agreement terms, and any required consultation, notice, reasonable accommodation, or workplace‑adjustment process.

Here’s What You’ll Bring to the Table (Basic Qualifications)

• Relevant bachelor's degree in business, operations, engineering, science, or an approved equivalent.
• A minimum of 6 years of relevant experience driving process improvement, process capability, performance management, and change adoption.
• Demonstrated knowledge of continuous improvement, structured problem solving, performance management, and change adoption.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, exercise sound judgment, and help ensure improvements are adopted, sustained, and deliver expected value.
• Demonstrated learning agility and ability to quickly grasp new concepts, processes and technologies.
• Ability to communicate clearly, manage priorities, and collaborate effectively across disciplines.
• Full professional proficiency in English, both written and spoken.

Here’s What You’ll Bring to the Table (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma problem solving, Kata coaching, Agile ways of working, or other structured approaches to problem solving and delivery.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience applying digital tools, analytics, automation, low‑code/no‑code solutions, generative AI, or emerging technologies to improve business processes.
• Experience coaching others in problem solving, continuous improvement, or change adoption.

Our Working Model

As we build our company, we have always believed an in‑person culture is critical to our success. Moderna champions the significant benefits of in‑office collaboration by embracing a 70/30 work model. This 70% in‑office structure helps to foster a culture rich in innovation, teamwork, and direct mentorship. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, contribute, and make a meaningful impact.

Moderna is a smoke‑free, alcohol‑free, and drug‑free work environment.

Pay & Benefits

At Moderna, we believe that when you feel your best, you can do your best work. That’s why our benefits and well‑being resources are designed to support you—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Competitive healthcare, plus voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs
• A holistic approach to well‑being, with access to fitness, mindfulness, and mental health support
• Family planning benefits, including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy support
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and a discretionary year‑end shutdown
• Savings and investments to help you plan for the future
• Location‑specific perks and extras

The salary range for this role is $130,800.00 – $209,400.00. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An individual’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, performance, and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, other incentive compensation, or equity award, subject to company plan eligibility criteria and individual performance.

About Moderna

Since our founding in 2010, we have aspired to build the leading mRNA technology platform, the infrastructure to reimagine how medicines are created and delivered, and a world‑class team. We believe in giving our people a platform to change medicine and an opportunity to change the world.

By living our mission, values, and mindsets every day, our people are the driving force behind our scientific progress and our culture. Together, we are creating a culture of belonging and building an organization that cares deeply for our patients, our employees, the environment, and our communities.

We are proud to have been recognized as a Science Magazine Top Biopharma Employer, a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators, and a Great Place to Work in the U.S.

If you want to make a difference and join a team that is changing the future of medicine, we invite you to visit modernatx.com/careers to learn more about our current opportunities.

Equal Opportunities

Moderna is committed to equal employment opportunity and non‑discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry or citizenship, ethnicity, disability, military or protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, or any other personal characteristic protected under applicable law. Moderna is a place where everyone can grow.

Accommodations

We’re focused on attracting, retaining, developing, and advancing our employees. By cultivating a workplace that values diverse experiences, backgrounds, and ideas, we create an environment where every employee can contribute their best.

Moderna is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should contact the Accommodations team at [e-mail].

Export Control Notice

Export Control Notice This position may involve access to technology or data that is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). As such, employment is contingent upon the applicant’s ability to access export‑controlled information in accordance with U.S. law. Due to the nature of the work and regulatory requirements, only individuals who qualify as U.S. persons (citizens, permanent residents, asylees, or refugees) are eligible for this position. For this role Moderna is unable to sponsor non‑U.S. persons to apply for an export control license.