Sr. Director - Network Operational Excellence Lead

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: Indianapolis
Posted on: January 10, 2026

Job Description:

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. Organizational Overview At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. Not only do we deliver breakthrough medications, but you also can count on us to develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. Network Operational Excellence Lead The Network Operational Excellence (OpEx) Lead is the strategic owner of OpEx systems and standards across the manufacturing network. This role defines network-wide OpEx direction, establishes system expectations, and ensures OpEx remains integrated into operations, strategy deployment, and performance management. The Network OpEx Lead partners with global stakeholders, Site OpEx Leads, and Network OpEx Business Partners to drive alignment, orchestrate large-scale CI initiatives, strengthen capability, and shape the long-range OpEx roadmap. This role is responsible for embedding Lean, Root Cause Analysis, Human Performance Reliability, and other OpEx methodologies across the network, and plays a key role in governance design, strategy, digital transformation, and global improvement initiatives. The Network OpEx Lead participates in Network governance and leads network and global level continuous improvement initiatives. Key Responsibilities OpEx System Deployment & Sustainability Set the strategic direction for Operational Excellence aligned to the Global OpEx Strategy Lead deployment and long-term sustainability of the OpEx Management System across sites Serve as Lean & Six Sigma SME in M&Q Oversee creation, maintenance, education, and deployment of OpEx system standards Design and maintain OpEx training, tools, and knowledge management systems Provide strategic oversight of OpEx assessments to inform system improvement Capability Building & Coaching Act as technical leader and mentor to Network & Site OpEx Partners Design, maintain, and deploy capability-building frameworks for OpEx methodologies Coach the network in applying OpEx principles (Lean, MSOEs, etc.) Influence leadership on effective OpEx behaviors, tools, and practices Continuous Improvement & Standardization Lead and support high-impact global and network CI initiatives Apply Lean, RCA, OCM, and HPR methodologies to deliver measurable improvement Design processes that promote sharing and replication of best practices Identify common improvement themes and help standardize scalable solutions Governance & OpEx Community Engagement Shape Community of Practice direction, themes, priorities, and maturity expectations Actively engage the OpEx community through updates, 1:1s, and discussions Represent the network in global OpEx forums and contribute to strategy Participate in Network Huddles and Performance reviews to identify improvement opportunities Support network strategy deployment and prioritization Digital Integration & Upskilling Collaborate cross-functionally to integrate digital solutions into OpEx systems Build digital capabilities enabling data-driven decisions and process automation Lead deployment and change management for M&Q Digital Transformation initiatives New Site Start Up Embed OpEx culture and systems in new site start-up and expansions Ensure OpEx principles are integrated into design, staffing, and early operations Provide OpEx expertise to ensure system standards and governance expectations are clear Design and deploy foundational OpEx education, processes, and performance routines Basic Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in a STEM related discipline 10 years of relevant professional experience in Manufacturing Additional Skills Hands-on application of Lean, Six Sigma, RCA, HPR, and OpEx methodologies with proven results Strong facilitation and coaching skills Proficiency with MS Office, SharePoint, JMP; comfort with digital platforms and data analytics tools (Power BI, Tableau); willingness to upskill in AI-driven solutions Demonstrated change management leadership and organizational agility Ability to influence and collaborate across diverse teams, geographies, and cultures Commitment to continuous professional development, including emerging technologies and advanced OpEx practices Preferred: frontline leadership experience in a manufacturing environment Professional Skills Skilled in designing and facilitating problem-solving engagements across organizational levels Proven coaching, teaching, and mentoring using OpEx methodologies Strong leadership, team building, and ability to drive change without authority Excellent verbal and written communication with strong influence skills Strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical abilities High self-awareness and emotional intelligence Ability to manage multiple shifting priorities effectively Experience leading global change and cultural transformation initiatives Ability to balance long-term system development with near-term business needs Strong enterprise mindset with ability to influence across global and network structures Skilled at designing scalable governance, standards, and frameworks Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response. Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $154,500 - $226,600 Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees. WeAreLilly

Keywords: Eli Lilly and Company, Muncie , Sr. Director - Network Operational Excellence Lead, Human Resources , Indianapolis, Indiana