Operational Excellence Lead: BioVectra

Overview

This leadership role offers a strategic opportunity to enhance manufacturing performance within a strictly regulated life sciences setting. The role is dedicated to establishing and maintaining operational excellence systems across complex pharmaceutical production workflows to boost throughput, quality, efficiency, and capacity by applying Lean principles, structured problem-solving, and daily management practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the rollout and maintenance of production operating systems from material intake to final release readiness.
• Perform in-depth evaluations of operational workflows and develop actionable continuous improvement plans.
• Create and uphold tiered daily management routines, including leader standard work, visual performance tracking, and KPI ownership processes.
• Facilitate continuous improvement projects such as kaizen events focused on enhancing quality, yield, throughput, and cycle times.
• Translate corporate objectives into operational tactics through strategic deployment and monitoring of milestones and benefits.
• Develop transformation scorecards to track operational performance, value captured, and progress on corrective measures.
• Leverage manufacturing data, digital analytics, and process insights to uncover and act on opportunities for improvement.
• Mentor teams on structured problem-solving techniques, including A3 methodology, root cause analysis, and Lean methods.
• Lead value stream mapping activities to improve manufacturing processes, quality assurance, and timelines for product release.
• Collaborate with Quality departments to support operational aspects of release maturity initiatives and process optimization programs.
• Coach supervisors, operators, and emerging operational excellence practitioners in Lean principles, standard work, and performance management.
• Serve as the champion for operational excellence methodologies, ensuring sustainability beyond individual projects.

Candidate Profile and Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master's degree in life sciences, chemical engineering, biochemical engineering, or related fields.
• Minimum 10 years' experience in GMP or equivalently regulated manufacturing environments.
• Extensive hands-on expertise improving process performance in pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical production.
• Strong knowledge of microbial fermentation, downstream recovery, and purification processes.
• Proven track record in implementing Lean, Toyota Production System, Danaher Business System, or similar operational excellence methodologies.
• Demonstrated success delivering measurable gains in safety, quality, delivery, throughput, yield, cost, or operational metrics.
• Expertise in structured problem-solving methods including root cause analysis and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Ability to coach frontline staff and influence senior leadership across a complex organizational landscape.
• Experience within CDMO or contract manufacturing organizations is advantageous.
• Certifications in Lean, Six Sigma, TPS or other operational excellence programs preferred but not mandatory.
• Willingness to travel extensively, with an expected 50-60% on-site presence depending on project requirements.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive full-time salary ranging approximately from 121644 to 214594 CAD annually, depending on location, experience, and qualifications.
• Eligibility for bonuses, stock options, and comprehensive benefits package.
• Opportunity to lead critical operational transformation projects in the life sciences industry.
• Flexible work arrangement combining remote work with essential on-site engagement at manufacturing facilities.
• Collaborative multidisciplinary teams driven by innovation, quality, and ongoing improvement.
• Professional development in advanced therapeutics manufacturing and operations leadership.
• Influence on long-term production capabilities and overall business success.