Associate Director of Operational Excellence

Immatics•Houston, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Join Immatics and shape the future of cancer immunotherapy; one patient at a time! Immatics is committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of patients with cancer. We are the global leader in precision targeting of PRAME, a target expressed in more than 50 cancers. Our cutting-edge science and robust clinical pipeline form the broadest PRAME franchise with the most PRAME indications and modalities, spanning TCR T-cell therapies and TCR bispecifics. Why Join Us? Innovative Environment: Help pioneer advancements in cancer immunotherapy. Collaborative Culture: Be part of a diverse team dedicated to your professional growth. Global Impact: Contribute to therapies that make a lasting impact on patients globally. We are seeking an Associate Director, Operational Excellence to support our Global Quality Operations Team. The Associate Director of Operational Excellence will be responsible for developing, managing, and sustaining the organizational systems, structures, and human capability programs required to embed continuous improvement at Immatics. FLSA Classification: Salary, Exempt Schedule: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Monday to Friday; On-site Reports to: Senior Director Operational Excellence Location: 13203 Murphy Road Suite 100 Stafford, TX 77477

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Life Sciences, Business, or related field.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt required; Master Black Belt preferred.
8–10 years of Operational Excellence experience in biotech/pharma or from any other industry such as Oil and Gas, Automotive, Aerospace, etc. Or advanced manufacturing.
Strong expertise in Lean systems including VSM, Gemba, Kata, Standard Work, and 6S.
Demonstrated experience leading training programs and belt certification.
Expertise in DMAIC/DFSS, RCA, CAPA, and error-prevention systems.
Strong change leadership and cross-functional influence capabilities.

Nice To Haves

Master Black Belt certification.
Microsoft Office Suite expérience
Experience with a statistical software platform such as Minitab, SigmaXL, JMP, etc.
AI ChatGPT simple to intermediate applications development experience
Experience in commercial readiness, tech transfer, or operations scale-up.
Understanding of GMP/GCP requirements and regulatory expectations.
Experience deploying BPM systems and digital workflow tools.
Background in fast-growing biotech or cell therapy operations

Responsibilities

Strategic Improvement Portfolio Management Manage the site portfolio of DMAIC, DFSS, Kaizen, RCA, CAPA, and error-prevention initiatives. Ensure alignment with operational strategy and business transformation objectives.
Systems & Process Sustainment Serve as site lead for visual management systems, 6S, VSM, Kanban, Standard Work, Gemba, and Kata. Establish governance and sustainment structures to ensure long-term adherence.
Human Engagement & Capability Building Lead Lean leadership development programs. Oversee site belt certification (Yellow, Green, Black). Create organization projects management system with a clear process to measure ROI Build structured learning curricula for continuous improvement skills.
Digital & AI-Enabled Transformation Ensure effective use of digital platforms and AI for sustainable transformation. Integrate technology solutions into OpEx systems and performance tower routines. Create a consistent process to measure verifiable AI/Automation/OpEx ROI impact to the bottom line (In collaboration with Finance).
Change Leadership & Organizational Transformation Support alignment of organizational strategy and operational systems. Lead human-centric change management and influence behavioral adoption.
Commercial Readiness & Transformation Support Enable scalable, reliable processes to support commercial readiness. Deliver immediate impact while growing long-term organizational capability.
This position works closely with the Head of Operational Excellence to ensure organizational goals are met and consistently delivered.

Benefits

Competitive rates for Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
4 weeks of Paid Time off, granted up front each year and prorated for first and last year of employment.
Sick Time Off – 56 hours
12 Paid Holidays
100% Employer-Paid Life Insurance up to at 1x annual salary.
100% Employer Paid Short- and Long-Term Disability Coverage
401(k) with Immediate Eligibility & company match… You are eligible for 401(k) plan participation as of your first paycheck. The company will match 100% of your contributions up to 3% of your base salary for the first two years of employment, 4% for years 2-3 of employment, and up to 5% of your salary from the fourth year onward of continued employment.
Partially paid Parental Leave for eligible employees. (3 weeks)
Additional voluntary employee paid coverages including Accident, Hospital Indemnity, and Critical Illness
Employee Paid Identity Theft Protection and Pet Insurance.