Operational Excellence (OPEX) Leader - Packaging

Teva Pharmaceuticals•Toronto, ON

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Operational Excellence (OPEX) Leader supports the Director of Operations in implementing, executing, and sustaining the site Continuous Improvement program. This role leads departmental CI activities, including data collection and analysis, project prioritization, and development of implementation plans that drive measurable improvements in safety, quality, service, and cost. A core expectation of this role is demonstrated expertise in pharmaceutical solid‑dose manufacturing, with a specific focus on bottle and blister packaging optimization, including line performance, material yield, changeover efficiency, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). The OPEX Leader will develop a strong working knowledge of the Teva Lean Management System (TLMS) and complementary Lean/continuous improvement methodologies, using these tools to deliver step‑change performance improvements while actively engaging, coaching, and empowering site employees.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required in a technical discipline, such as Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
5+ years of experience in a production or manufacturing environment.
Minimum 3 years of experience in a Lean or Operational Excellence role, ideally within a pharmaceutical manufacturing organization, Lean 6 sigma green belt.
Demonstrated experience in solid‑dose pharmaceutical packaging, with strong preference for hands‑on experience in:
Bottle filling and blister packaging operations
Packaging line efficiency and OEE improvement
Regulated manufacturing environments (cGMP)
Working knowledge of ERP systems, Microsoft Office (Excel proficiency preferred), QMS, Maintenance Management systems, PowerBI and automated OEE systems environments.
Ability to analyze packaging data and translate insights into actionable improvement plans.
Proven capability to lead, teach, and develop team members in continuous improvement methodologies.
Experience in the pharmaceutical industry required.

Nice To Haves

Preferred L6Sigma Black Belt.
Experience in food, beverage, or high‑speed consumer packaging environments is considered an asset

Responsibilities

Independently generate, lead, and execute continuous improvement initiatives that deliver significant and sustainable financial savings to the site.
Lead solid‑dose bottle and blister packaging optimization initiatives, including throughput improvement, OEE improvement, line balancing, changeover reduction, waste elimination, and material yield improvement.
Apply structured problem‑solving methodologies (Lean, TPS, root cause analysis) to address chronic performance losses in manufacturing and packaging operations.
Partner with site leadership to achieve quarterly and annual savings targets.
Work closely with project leads to ensure timely execution and benefit realization of CI initiatives.
Prepare and facilitate bi-weekly Steerco meetings, including performance reviews, risk management, and action tracking.
Support the development and execution of the site Long Range Plan (LRP).
Support site initiatives, including data analysis and governance of OEE metrics, with emphasis on packaging line performance for bottle and blister operations.
Ensure performance improvements are sustained through standard work, visual management, and leader routines on the shop floor.
Coach and mentor team members on OPEX methodologies, problem‑solving tools, and continuous improvement mindset.
Support shop‑floor sustainment of active OPEX programs and Kaizen outcomes.
Support and promote the CI Loop Program to drive employee engagement and bottom‑up improvement.
Support the planning, execution, and timely closure of Kaizen events and improvement projects.
Ensure TLMS pillar confirmations are completed with appropriate corrective actions.
Collaborate with Operations, Packaging, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to ensure improvements are compliant, scalable, and sustainable in a regulated pharmaceutical environment.