Sr. OPEX Leader

Guerbet; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Guerbet in Raleigh, NC seeks an experienced Senior Operational Excellence (OPEX) Leader to drive Lean transformation across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and EHS. You will lead high-impact improvement programs, coach teams, and build capabilities to sustain a culture of Operational Excellence on site.

The role requires hands-on Lean leadership, deep pharma manufacturing knowledge, and strong analytical, project leadership, and change-management skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Industrial/Materials Engineering, Business Administration, or related field.
• 10+ years in manufacturing, operations, OPEX, or continuous improvement, with pharma experience.
• At least 5 years of senior leadership/management in manufacturing or OPEX.
• Expert Lean, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, Kanban, and structured problem solving.
• Strong Six Sigma and DMAIC knowledge, Green Belt or equivalent.
• Proven track record delivering measurable site improvements and leading cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead site-wide Operational Excellence initiatives using Lean Six Sigma, DMAIC, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Kanban, and root-cause analysis.
• Assess current-state performance, identify opportunities, and design future-state solutions with measurable results.
• Manage multiple improvement initiatives, aligning with site priorities and business goals.
• Improve OEE, productivity, yield, waste reduction, cost, quality, and delivery in filling and packaging operations.
• Coach teams, facilitate structured problem solving, and embed a culture of continuous improvement.
• Develop detailed project plans, milestones, KPIs, resources, and sustainment mechanisms.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and EHS to drive performance.
• Lead GEMBA walks with EHS and ensure safety and regulatory compliance in initiatives.
• Communicate risks, gaps, and opportunities to site leadership and stakeholders.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

DMAIC

Kaizen

Value Stream Mapping

5S

Kanban

Root Cause Analysis

Problem Solving

Coaching

Change Management

Project Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree: Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

Visio

SharePoint

Job description

At Guerbet, we build lasting relationships so that to enable people to live better. This is Our Purpose.

We are a global leader in medical imaging, offering an extensive portfolio of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, digital and AI solutions, for diagnostic and interventional imaging. As a pioneer in the field of contrast products since the last 95 years ,we continuously innovate. We dedicate 10% of our revenue to Research & Development such as to improve the diagnosis, prognosis and quality of life of patients.

Achieve, Cooperate, Care and Innovate are the values that we share and practice on a daily basis.

Working at Guerbet is not only being part of a multicultural team of 2,600 people across more than 20 countries, but, it is above all about playing a unique role in the future of medical imaging.

For more information on Guerbet, go to www.guerbet.com and follow Guerbet on Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Guerbet is seeking an experienced Senior Operational Excellence (OPEX) Leader to drive sustainable performance improvement and Lean transformation at our Raleigh manufacturing site.

This highly visible role will partner across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and EHS to identify and deliver high-impact improvement opportunities aligned with site strategy and business objectives.

Using Lean Six Sigma methodologies and Guerbet's Transformation Playbook, you will lead complex improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, yield, waste reduction, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). You will also play a key role in developing continuous improvement capabilities across the organization by coaching teams, facilitating structured problem solving, and helping embed a culture of Operational Excellence throughout the site.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on Lean leader who combines deep pharmaceutical manufacturing experience with strong analytical, project leadership, change management, and coaching capabilities.

YOUR ROLE

Operational Excellence & Lean Transformation

• Lead site-wide Operational Excellence initiatives using Lean Six Sigma, DMAIC, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Kanban, root cause analysis, and other structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Assess current-state performance, identify improvement opportunities, and develop future-state solutions that deliver measurable and sustainable results.
• Lead multiple improvement initiatives simultaneously while maintaining alignment with site priorities and business objectives.
• Identify and address opportunities related to productivity, efficiency, yield, waste reduction, quality, service, and cost.
• Develop implementation plans with clear milestones, performance targets, resource requirements, and measures of success.
• Establish mechanisms to ensure improvements are sustained following implementation.
• Support site growth and operational scalability through application of Lean principles and transformation methodologies.

Manufacturing Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and EHS to identify and prioritize opportunities for operational improvement.
• Lead initiatives to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and manufacturing performance within filling and packaging operations.
• Develop and monitor KPIs that provide visibility into production, maintenance, and operational performance.
• Apply data-driven analysis and structured problem solving to identify performance gaps and underlying root causes.
• Provide Operational Excellence leadership during critical site performance challenges.
• Communicate significant risks, performance gaps, and improvement opportunities to OPEX and site leadership.

Safety & Quality

• Partner with EHS by participating in and leading GEMBA walks and incorporating safety considerations into improvement activities.
• Ensure safety, quality, regulatory, and compliance requirements are embedded into Operational Excellence initiatives.
• Promote fact-based decision-making and disciplined problem solving throughout the organization.
• Strengthen organizational capabilities to achieve and sustain process quality and operational performance.
• Coach project teams on the appropriate application of Lean, Six Sigma, process-quality, and continuous-improvement tools.
• Lead complex site-level improvement projects from opportunity identification through implementation and sustainability.
• Develop project plans, milestones, resource requirements, KPIs, and expected business outcomes.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and remove barriers that could affect successful project execution.
• Monitor project performance and ensure initiatives are delivered against defined business objectives.
• Partner with stakeholders to ensure appropriate involvement, alignment, and accountability throughout project execution.

Coaching, Capability Building & Change Management

• Coach and develop OPEX team members and cross-functional project teams through classroom instruction, hands-on workshops, and shop-floor engagement.
• Build Lean and continuous-improvement capabilities throughout the Raleigh site.
• Mentor teams in root cause analysis, DMAIC, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, and other Lean problem-solving approaches.
• Model Lean leadership behaviors through a visible, hands-on presence within manufacturing operations.
• Partner with Change Management subject-matter experts to drive adoption and sustain new processes and ways of working.
• Help build a culture in which employees at all levels identify, evaluate, and act on opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Clearly communicate improvement strategies, project status, performance results, risks, and opportunities to site leadership and key stakeholders.
• Build strong working relationships across Production, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Engineering, EHS, and other site functions.
• Influence stakeholders without relying solely on direct authority.
• Facilitate cross-functional problem solving and help teams resolve barriers to implementation.
• Share applicable best practices and lessons learned with Operational Excellence partners across the broader organization.

YOUR BACKGROUND

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, Operational Excellence, or continuous improvement, including significant experience within the pharmaceutical industry.
• At least 5 years of senior leadership or management experience in a manufacturing or Operational Excellence environment.
• Expert knowledge and demonstrated application of Lean methodologies, including 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, Kanban, and structured problem solving.
• Strong knowledge and practical application of Six Sigma and DMAIC methodologies.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification or equivalent demonstrated practitioner experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional improvement projects that produced measurable operational results.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing KPIs and performance measures, including OEE, productivity, yield, waste, cost, quality, and delivery.
• Strong project management, facilitation, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to coach teams and influence stakeholders across different organizational levels.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Visio, and SharePoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or MBA.
• ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Experience supporting pharmaceutical filling and/or packaging operations.
• Experience leading Lean transformation within a GMP-regulated manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience implementing and sustaining improvements in OEE, manufacturing productivity, yield, cost, or waste reduction.

Reason to join US

Much more than a Competitive salary,

We offer continued personal development. When you join Guerbet, you :

• Are choosing a global leader with recognized expertise in diagnostic and interventional imaging,
• Are joining our 2820 collaborators who are committed every day to offering innovative solutions to improve quality of patient’s life all over the world,
• Are joining a company where we value diversity of talents coming from various horizon.

We # Innovate # Cooperate # Care #Achieve at Guerbet.

Guerbet is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As an organization, we believe that no individual should be discriminated against because of their differences, which includes the following: age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, religion, or sexual orientation. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law. Guerbet is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Guerbet provides accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you need an accommodation to apply for a position please send an email to [e-mail] or you can also call this number+19843443717