Associate Director - Operational Excellence

Global Pharmaceutical company, based in Cork, Ireland - looking for Associate Director - Operational Excellence. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading and embedding a culture of continuous improvement and operational capabilities, will drive strategic initiatives that enhance performance and support site-level business objectives. This position requires strong leadership to champion operational excellence while partnering with senior teams to deliver measurable improvements. The role:

• Lead the deployment and execution of the site's Operational Excellence strategy, aligning with both local and global priorities.
• Act as a change agent, fostering a culture of excellence, continuous improvement, and innovation.
• Develop and manage a comprehensive Site KPI Dashboard to ensure visibility, alignment, and accountability across functions.
• Support preparation of Quarterly Business Reviews by providing updates on KPIs, strategy execution, and OE initiatives.
• Lead the development and execution of site strategy priorities and initiatives.
• Identify a pipeline of improvement projects through value stream analysis and facilitate their implementation.
• Facilitate cross-functional problem-solving sessions to address operational challenges using structured methodologies, with regular governance updates.
• Drive execution of Lean tools and practices, including Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen events, Gemba walks, Leader Standard Work, 7S, and structured problem solving.
• Act as Business Process Owner for OE-related systems and liaise with system vendors.
• Build site-wide capability by delivering structured problem-solving training and Lean Six Sigma programs (Yellow Belt, Green Belt).
• Provide mentor-ship to OE advocates and Lean Six Sigma candidates, supporting rapid
• Actively participate in the wider Operational Excellence community to shape long-term strategy.

Have You:

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
• Degree-qualified with extensive experience in operational excellence, preferably within manufacturing.
• Proven ability to work strategically while executing tactically.
• Strong capability in applying data analytics to inform impactful OE initiatives.
• Experience with Leader Standard Work and production system frameworks.
• Strong leadership, influencing, and collaboration skills across local and global teams.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to act independently and drive initiatives.
• Experience within pharmaceutical operations or a GMP-regulated environment.

The successful candidate must have eligible working VISAin Ireland or European Union (EU) passport. Berkley Life Science & Engineering is a specialist consultancy, recruiting professionals for organizations throughout Ireland, UK & Europe; for more information go to www.berkley-group.com If you would like to discuss this vacancy further or to discuss your career options in confidence, please telephone Aleksas Kremenskas at +353 (0) 87 2727949 or send your profile to akremenskas@berkley-group.com