Summary:Our client is a biopharmaceutical company based in East Cork seeking a highly motivated and experienced Operational Excellence Specialist to lead and embed Lean methodologies across our pharmaceutical manufacturing site. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of operations experience, with a strong background in designing, deploying, and sustaining Lean tools production systems. This role requires a hands-on leader with a passion for coaching people leaders and driving a culture of continuous improvement.Responsibilities:
Lead CI initiatives across the site to improve safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
Design and deploy Lean tools tailored to pharmaceutical operations.
Coach and mentor people to build lean leadership, CI capability and sustain improvements.
Facilitate workshops and training sessions on Lean tools and methodologies.
Drive structured problem solving and root cause analysis across departments.
Lead and support Kaizen events and improvement projects.
Develop and maintain visual management systems and standards.
Map and analyze value streams to identify waste and improvement opportunities.
Promote and sustain 5S, SMED, LSW (Leader Standard Work), and other Lean tools.
Qualifications & Experience:
Minimum degree in relevant discipline such as Operations Management, Business Administrations, Manufacturing Engineering.
5+ years in pharmaceutical or regulated manufacturing operations.
Lean Six Sigma certification (Black Belt or higher).
Experience in regulated environments (e.g., GMP, FDA).
Strong analytical and project management skills.
Proven experience in Lean system design and deployment.
Strong facilitation, OE training and coaching skills with people leaders and all levels of the organisation.
Expertise in Lean tools:
5S
SMED
Kaizen
Structured Problem Solving (e.g., DMAIC, A3)
Leader Standard Work (LSW)
Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
Process Mapping
Waste elimination
Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive change.
