Manager, Operations Strategy & Excellence

Thermo Fisher Scientific•Morrisville, NC

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager, Operations Strategy & Excellence supports the Biologicals & Chemicals Division and Production Chemicals and Services (PCS) business unit in a highly regulated cGMP, cGDP, and cGTP environment. This role defines and advances the long-term Operations operating model while driving operational excellence, digital transformation, and continuous improvement across the PCS network. It serves as the Supply Chain & Operations Center of Excellence, partnering with Operations, Commercial, Customer Operations, Supplier Strategy, Corporate Procurement, Corporate Logistics, Quality, IT, and Finance to improve service, efficiency, scalability, and resilience. The position leads supply chain and operations strategies, process governance, analytics, digital capabilities, operational master data, and enterprise improvement initiatives. It establishes standardized processes, performance measurement, and best practices across the organization while supporting future business growth. The role also leads and develops Supply Chain Excellence professionals, influences cross-functional decision-making, and provides strategic and analytical support to Operations and Commercial leadership. Work is primarily office-based, with regular interaction with distribution, warehouse, and other regulated operational areas. The role may involve occasional travel between sites, suppliers, or business locations, and flexibility to support urgent operational requirements outside standard working hours.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related field.
At least 5 years of progressive leadership experience in supply chain, operations, or continuous improvement.
At least 8 years of progressive experience in supply chain, operations, logistics, distribution, process excellence, or continuous improvement.
Experience leading cross-functional projects and organizational change.
Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead without direct authority.
Experience with supply chain strategy, process improvement, and digital transformation.
Experience with ERP, business intelligence, and digital supply chain systems.
Professional skills in supply chain strategy, process design and governance, Lean/PPI, Value Stream Mapping, business analytics, KPI development, inventory optimization, digital supply chain, project and change management, master data governance, and Power BI/business intelligence.
Strong communication and executive presentation skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively in a dynamic, customer-focused operational environment.
Adherence to applicable safety, quality, cGMP, cGDP, cGTP, Environmental Health & Safety, security, and regulatory requirements.
Ability to use required personal protective equipment when entering operational or controlled areas.

Nice To Haves

Experience within regulated manufacturing or life sciences environments.
Master's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Engineering, or Operations.
APICS CPIM, CSCP, or CLTD certification.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
PMP certification.
Experience leading ERP, WMS, automation, or digital transformation initiatives.
Experience with AI, advanced analytics, or supply chain optimization tools.

Responsibilities

Develop the long-term supply chain operating model and strategy aligned with business objectives, and build and maintain the supply chain capability roadmap.
Lead network optimization, material flow strategy, inventory performance initiatives, and working-capital improvement opportunities.
Develop supply chain technology, digital, and automation roadmaps; evaluate emerging technologies, trends, and best practices.
Support strategic initiatives, acquisitions, product launches, and business expansion, including supply chain due diligence, and ensure initiatives deliver measurable business value.
Establish standardized, scalable, and compliant end-to-end supply chain processes, including process architecture, ownership, standards, accountability, and governance.
Develop governance for standard operating procedures, work instructions, operational standards, and documentation; harmonize processes across sites and business functions.
Identify process gaps, lead cross-functional process reviews and governance forums, and ensure compliance with regulatory, quality, and operational requirements.
Integrate Lean principles into standardized business processes and lead the Supply Chain Lean/PPI program.
Establish supply chain KPI governance and performance standards; develop executive dashboards, operational scorecards, reporting standards, and analytical methodologies.
Lead operational analytics, benchmarking, cost-to-serve, capacity, and performance analyses; provide data-driven insights and recommendations for business reviews and executive decision-making.
Define KPI ownership and reporting governance, and develop predictive analytics and business insights to support proactive decision-making.
Facilitate Kaizen events and Value Stream Mapping; identify and eliminate operational waste and process variation; lead process engineering and material flow optimization projects.
Sponsor digital transformation and automation initiatives, share best practices, and drive productivity, quality, customer service, and cost performance through Lean, digital technologies, and automation.
Measure and sustain improvement benefits through governance and performance management.
Establish operational master data governance, including data ownership, standards, maintenance processes, policies, and auditing.
Govern Material Master, Warehouse Master, Planning Parameters, Routing Standards, and Transportation & Logistics Parameters; improve data quality and integrity.
Support ERP implementations, system enhancements, and digital initiatives; partner with IT on business systems and data architecture.
Collaborate with Supplier Strategy and Corporate Procurement on supply chain strategies and supplier capability improvements, and with Corporate Logistics on network optimization and transportation strategy.
Support Supply Execution & Integration during major supply disruptions and partner with Distribution Operations to improve warehouse processes and operational efficiency.
Collaborate with Quality, EHS, Customer Operations, IT, and Finance on enterprise initiatives; lead organizational change management for strategic initiatives and operational transformation.
Act as the Supply Chain Center of Excellence and provide strategic and analytical support to Operations and Commercial leadership.
Lead and develop Supply Chain Excellence professionals; establish team priorities, objectives, and development plans; foster technical expertise, innovation, and collaboration.
Coach project leadership, problem-solving, and analytical capability; promote Thermo Fisher 4i Values and Leadership Behaviors; build capability through mentoring and knowledge sharing.
Translate business strategy into operational capability, lead network-wide strategic improvement initiatives, influence cross-functional decisions, drive organizational alignment and operational governance, and support succession planning and Operations capability development.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned, consistent with business needs and the general scope of the position.