Associate Director - Operational Excellence, Global Supply Chain & Strategy

Ready to make a bigger impact on patients? Join us in driving operational excellence and transforming our Supply Chain! Be part of shaping the future of Operations here at AstraZeneca We are driven by our commitment to deliver accelerated growth for AstraZeneca and to make people’s lives better. It pushes us to keep building on our foundations and progressing as we turn our ever-growing and increasingly complex pipeline from molecule to medicine. Be part of evolving how we work with Lean, cutting-edge science, digitalization and sustainable practices. Global Supply Chain and Strategy (GSC&S) leads the design, development, planning and governance of AstraZeneca’s supply chains to ensure we have the most efficient and effective ways of getting life-changing medicines to patients. GSC&S works closely with our manufacturing sites, our Global External Sourcing organization, and many other areas of the business to ensure we use our manufacturing sites in the best way and have a joined-up approach across our global supply chain. Lean is how we deliver for our people and our patients and the GSC&S Lean team is responsible for developing and deploying the behaviors, principles, standards and tools of the AstraZeneca Supply System across our network to drive and maximize tangible business value. As an Associate Director - Operational Excellence, you will be responsible for driving operational excellence end-to-end in our highly integrated, interdependent supply chains to enable transformational change in the operating systems, management systems, attitudes and behaviors of our people. This to help us deliver our mission “Every medicine, Every Patient, Every Time” at the highest quality, the lowest cost, and in the shortest lead time. Due to the nature of the work, supporting a global function, expected travel will be up to ~5%. What you will do: In close collaboration with the wider GSC&S Lean team and leaders in the function you will develop plans and execute performance improvement activities at the process and systems level through application of the AstraZeneca Supply System (AZSS) principles. Utilising various Lean and Six Sigma tools and techniques you will diagnose, analyse and improve business processes. Lead deep process analysis through value stream mapping to identify obstacles due to ineffective business processes and can lead Kaizen to improve flow and performance Develop visual controls & management to make problems visible and responds with urgency to effectively break down complex problems, lead root cause analysis, and develop effective countermeasures. Apply Practical Problem-Solving methodology to solve complex problems Collaborate and partner with all levels of the organization to systematically share knowledge as one of the means to develop others and accelerate business results Promote a culture of continuous improvement and challenging the status quo, while driving departmental/regional strategies that align with AstraZeneca’s long-term strategy Manage teams to mitigate risk, align resources, and drive on time completion of initiatives Mentor others on effective communication and active listening techniques to fuller understanding of client/customer needs and expectations Build trust and develop new relationships with internal and external stakeholders to effectively collaborate and achieve successful outcomes at a functional/global level. Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, related discipline, or equivalent experience will be considered Minimum 12 years of experience in two or more of Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Lab Operations, Sourcing or related function Experience of working with functional teams in a transactional environment, or demonstrated understanding of applying manufacturing lean principles in a transactional environment Experience in analyzing complex end-to-end Value Streams and driving process improvement Extensive experience of demonstrated hands-on experience in the application of Lean tools and techniques: Standardized Work, practical problem solving, kaizen, value stream mapping, mistake proofing, level loading demand and pull systems Experience in applying consultative skills: ability to influence decision making, ability to interact with all levels of the business (senior leaders to shop floor working teams), project management skills (demonstrated experience in managing large teams), solid business acumen, proven team building skills, exceptionally good listening skills, results oriented, strong analytical skills, and prior process improvement experience. Coaching, teaching, and driving a high-performance organization through lean methodology Demonstrated application of behavioural, cultural and business change methodologies when driving cross functional process improvement initiatives Preferred: Certified Lean Leader or equivalent Six Sigma Black Belt Why AstraZeneca? Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you! Why AstraZeneca? At AstraZeneca we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients, and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning, growth, and development. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare. The challenge to stay ahead in rapidly changing markets is what keeps us driving forward, as we continuously seek new and better ways to deliver medicines all the way to our patients. Our resilience helps us to thrive as we innovate and evolve. So, what's next? Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Wonderful! More on Social Media: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca/?hl=en About Operations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gak5Ham8oUw Date Posted 12-Oct-2023 Closing Date 29-Oct-2023 AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics (e.g. race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status). We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements. AstraZeneca requires all US employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 but will consider requests for reasonable accommodations as required by applicable law. AstraZeneca is an exciting global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company. We’re inspired by what science can do. Driven by the desire to meet unmet patient needs in our core therapeutic areas. Bold in our thinking. Proactive in pursuing discoveries beyond imagination. At sites across the world, we bring teams together in a spirit of collaboration to turn great ideas into life-changing medicines – strengthening our product portfolio and harnessing the potential of a pipeline across all stages of the drug development process. You’ll be part of a team that’s rolling back the frontiers of science to turn yesterday’s impossible into the normal of tomorrow. So, if you share our focus and passion, join us and make a difference to patients – and in return, we’ll help you develop way beyond what you thought possible.