Senior Manager Operational Excellence

Pfizer • Kalamazoo, MI

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Manager of Operational Excellence in Kalamazoo is part of Pfizer’s Operational Excellence & Business Operations and Strategy Execution team and reports to the Director of Op Ex & Business Operations and Strategy Execution. The role ensures effective Operational Excellence programs that support achievement of site goals. It has direct responsibility for the Site IMEx Program, site Operational Excellence programs (including Lean, Six Sigma, PHP, and Innovation), and the site Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP).

The position defines, designs, and implements continuous improvement programs integrated vertically and horizontally across the organization. It defines improvement projects aligned with business strategies, analyzes programs and potential results, facilitates and coaches improvement teams, establishes success metrics, and provides process-excellence support for governance, project reviews, communications, certifications, and rewards. The role leads a team of professionals and advances the use of Operational Excellence tools and sustainable continuous improvement at the Kalamazoo site.

This is an on-premise role. Kalamazoo operates on three shifts, and the role requires support for occasional off-shift meetings and workshops. Relocation assistance is not offered in the posting. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is unavailable. The position is eligible for Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan, with a 17.5% bonus target, and for a share-based long-term incentive program. The stated annual base salary range is $139,100 to $231,900.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 6 years of experience; or a master’s degree and more than 5 years of experience; or a Ph.D. and at least 1 year of experience.
• Knowledge or experience in Continuous Improvement programs.
• Demonstrated experience using AI and/or digital tools to identify opportunities, improve processes, drive efficiencies, and support continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and cross-functional processes and meet established deadlines.
• Excellent communication, coaching, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to plan, implement, and achieve complex goals and objectives in a matrix environment.
• Strong people-management skills.
• Leadership skills to engage, influence, and motivate colleagues at all levels and across cultures in a global organization.
• Breadth of leadership experience and capabilities, including influencing and collaborating with peers, developing and coaching others, and guiding colleagues’ work to achieve outcomes and business impact.
• Permanent work authorization in the United States; U.S. work visa sponsorship is unavailable.

Nice To Haves

• Relevant pharmaceutical experience.
• Expertise in statistical analysis and problem-solving techniques.
• Project management and continuous improvement certifications, such as Agile, PMP, or Six Sigma Black Belt.
• Relevant business, IT professional, consulting, or pharmaceutical background.
• Experience leading collaborations within and across divisions and working with scientific and technical leaders to drive projects and implement business initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of professionals responsible for defining and leading the Continuous Improvement Program.
• Advance the functional use of Operational Excellence tools across the site, including 5S and Six Sigma, and implement improvements identified through the Op Ex Maturity Diagnostic.
• Deliver innovation solutions that sustainably drive continuous improvement at the Kalamazoo site.
• Sustain the IMEx program and help the site achieve performance improvements needed to enable quality, on-time supply to patients.
• Facilitate the development, refresh, and cascade of site goals with the Site Leadership team.
• Lead the site T3 Continuous Improvement loop.
• Sponsor and lead site-based projects within or across functions, aligned with site and/or network strategy.
• Manage the performance of direct and indirect reports.
• Share best practices and identify opportunities to replicate practices from other sites.
• Develop continuous improvement models, prioritize initiatives, deliver large-scale projects, and build a sustainable continuous improvement culture.
• Identify and suggest ways to improve bottlenecks, process inefficiencies, and service deficiencies.
• Establish and maintain performance metrics to measure program success.
• Provide process-excellence support for program governance, project reviews, communications, training, certifications, and rewards.
• Support occasional off-shift meetings and workshops.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with Pfizer matching contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution.
• Paid vacation, holidays, and personal days.
• Paid caregiver, parental, and medical leave.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage.
• Eligibility for Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 17.5% of base salary.
• Eligibility to participate in a share-based long-term incentive program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior