AI Project Manager/Continuous Improvement Lead (Secondment 12-18 Months)

Pfizer•Kalamazoo, MI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

This position reports to the Director, Site AI Transformation and serves as the team's Integrated Project Manager & Manufacturing Excellence (IMEx) / Lean Six Sigma leader. The role is responsible for identifying the biggest value opportunities and ensuring processes are improved before they are automated. A core operating principle of the team is that AI should never automate waste: Continuous Improvement improves the process first, and AI then makes the improved process smarter. This role defines the target-state process during the build phase and owns the ROI and hard/soft savings quantification that anchors each business case. As a member of the site AI team, this role serves as a Front Door to organizations across the site — Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering & Tech Services, Safety, Finance, and Quality — engaging stakeholders to surface opportunities, frame value cases, and deliver AI-enabled improvements measured by the money, time, risk, or capacity they save the business.

Requirements

Must have a bachelor's degree with at least 5+ years of experience; OR a master's degree with at least 3+ years of experience; OR a PhD with 0+ years of experience; OR as associate's degree with 8+ years of experience; OR a high school diploma (or equivalent) and 10+ years of relevant experience.
Experience leading process improvement, mapping & design, value stream mapping, KPI improvement, problem solving, or operational excellence initiatives.
Ability to quantify business value, define performance baselines, facilitate cross-functional teams, and drive sustainable process change.
Strong communication, facilitation, stakeholder management, and analytical skills.
Permanent work authorization in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Lean/Six Sigma, IMEx, operational excellence, project management, change management, or finance/business case experience preferred.
Experience in pharmaceutical/GMP manufacturing, supply chain, quality, maintenance, laboratory, or regulated operational environments preferred.
Working knowledge of AI, analytics, automation, SAP, MES, LIMS, CMMS, historians, Doc, Power Automate/BI/Tableau, and digital transformation preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a Front Door strategic partner to assigned site organizations for data enablement; understand each area's process flow and data sources firsthand.
Lead AI opportunity intake, process discovery, value stream mapping, waste identification, current-state/future-state analysis, and prioritization methodology with site functions.
Apply IMEx, Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured problem-solving methods to improve processes before AI or automation is deployed.
Develop and maintain value cases, ROI calculations, assumptions, baseline metrics, target benefits, and post-implementation benefit tracking.
Score opportunities by impact, feasibility, speed, risk, compliance, strategic value, business readiness, and time to deliver.
Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Finance, Digital, Data Engineering, Data Science, Adoption & Engagement, and Compliance partners to shape practical solutions.
Define KPIs, control plans, process ownership, standard work, and sustainability mechanisms required for AI-enabled improvements.
Facilitate workshops, Kaizen events, performance reviews, and leadership discussions to align on priority problems and expected value.
Report progress, risks, barriers, value realization, and lessons learned in clear operational and financial terms.
Portrays Pfizer Leader Behaviors: Functional/Technical Knowledge: Carries out work activities with limited direction. Seeks to understand the difference between high and low value-added work and strives to adjust own and teams appropriately. Negotiates work interdependencies and is responsible about meeting expectations. Work decisions consider broader project goals and the responsibilities of others. Maintains and advocates high work standards. Shows awareness of and sensitivity to external environment.
Inclusive Environment: Welcomes new members and helps others feel welcome. Advocates for inclusion of others. Share information with teammates/work partners. Works well with people who have different ideas, perspectives and cultural backgrounds. Show empathy and understand the importance of being sensitive to others' feelings. Suggest functions, business units and candidates to be included in the work of the group. Anticipates and considers stakeholder interests prior to implementation attempts. Appreciates how all colleagues' perspectives and differences add value to the team.
Open Discussion and Debate: Seeks and demonstrates understanding of comparative viewpoints, alternative ideas and approaches. Utilizes integrative (non-zero-sum) conflict management skills. Solicits feedback. Responds productively when challenged.
Impact and Organizational Contribution: Contributes to the completion of specific programs and projects. Failure to achieve results causes serious delays in meeting departmental objectives. Ensure that projects are completed on schedule following established procedures and schedules. Erroneous decisions or recommendations or failure to achieve results might cause delays in program schedules and result in the allocation of more resources. Motivates others, generating commitment and a shared sense of purpose.
Manage Change: Anticipates and drives changes and suggests ways for the group to work with or exploit them. Suggests for ways to adapt processes and procedures to a variety of situations and changing circumstances. Ask for advice and guidance in finding ways to improve work processes.
Develop People: Initiates feedback in support of the group's work. Partners with leadership and team members to support others'/own development. Freely transfers views, perspectives, knowledge. Knowing own strengths and developmental needs, proactive in addressing. Clear with others about needs for support. Seeks opportunities to expand responsibilities and develop skills.
Align Across Pfizer: Asks "Who else should know?" Comprehends differing thought systems of colleagues from other business units. Understands how own role contributes to PGS/Pfizer vision. Employs growing knowledge of the Pfizer organization to suggest and promote alliances and collaboration with other business units. In words and behavior, supports decisions arrived after open discussion and debate. Shares innovations, ideas and best practices that may benefit others.