Global Operational Excellence Lead

The Position

Are you passionate about transforming manufacturing performance at scale and creating lasting impact across a global production network?

As Global Operational Excellence Lead, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Operational Excellence across Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health's global manufacturing network.
You will lead a team of Business Process Excellence professionals, partner with senior site and network leaders, and drive strategic initiatives that improve productivity, efficiency, capability, and business performance.

This is a highly visible leadership role at the intersection of strategy, manufacturing, transformation, and people leadership. You will help define how Operational Excellence is embedded across the network while delivering measurable results through performance improvement, capability building, and sustainable cultural change. The role is responsible for deploying and sustaining the Business Process Excellence model, governance, capability programs, and saving initiatives across the manufacturing network.

Tasks & responsibilities

• You lead the regional Business Process Excellence organization across multiple manufacturing networks and provide leadership, direction, and development to the BPE team.
• You define and execute the regional Operational Excellence roadmap, ensuring alignment with business priorities and manufacturing strategy.
• You drive productivity improvement, efficiency enhancement, and cost-saving initiatives across manufacturing sites, delivering measurable business impact and sustainable performance gains.
• In close partnership with site leaders and senior stakeholders, you identify opportunities, prioritize improvement initiatives, and support execution through robust governance and performance management.
• You establish and continuously evolve Operational Excellence standards, maturity assessments, KPI frameworks, capability-building programs, and best practices across the network.
• You champion a strong problem-solving culture by driving Root Cause Analysis, corrective and preventive actions, and data-driven decision-making throughout the organization.
• As a trusted partner to manufacturing leadership, you translate strategic priorities into scalable operational solutions and long-term organizational capability.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Significant experience in Operational Excellence, Manufacturing Excellence, Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, or Business Process Excellence within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Proven leadership experience leading Operational Excellence teams, transformation initiatives, or multi-site improvement programs on a regional or global scale.
• Demonstrated success in delivering measurable productivity improvements, operational efficiencies, performance gains, and cost-saving initiatives.
• Strong expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement methodologies, performance management, and organizational transformation; Lean Six Sigma certification is highly valued.
• Experience partnering with senior leaders and operating effectively within complex global matrix organizations.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and change leadership skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all organizational levels and drive results through collaboration.

What Makes This Role Unique?

Drive Operational Excellence across a global Animal Health manufacturing network.
Lead and develop a dedicated Business Process Excellence team.
Shape the future of manufacturing performance through transformation, capability building, and cultural change.
Partner directly with senior manufacturing leaders and influence strategic decisions.
Deliver tangible operational improvements and measurable business results at global scale.

Ready to make an impact?

If you are an experienced Operational Excellence leader who thrives in complex manufacturing environments and is energized by driving transformation, developing people, and delivering sustainable business results, we look forward to hearing from you.

As part of our commitment to transparency and fairness, salary information will be shared during the recruitment process. We also offer a comprehensive benefits and wellbeing package.

Applications from persons with severe disabilities are warmly welcomed. In cases of equal qualifications, such applicants will be given preferential consideration in the selection process. 

Ready to contact us?

If you have any questions about the job posting or process - please contact our HR Direct Team, Tel: +49 (0) 6132 77-3330 or via mail: hr.de@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Recruitment process:
Step 1: Online application - The job posting is presumably online until "September 18th, 2026". We reserve the right to take the posting offline beforehand. Applications up to " September 13th, 2026" are guaranteed to be considered.
Step 2: Virtual 1^st Rounds will take place mid until end of September
Step 3: On-site interviews will take place mid until end of October