Associate Director of Lean Manufacturing

Bio Talent is partnering with a leading life sciences manufacturer to appoint an Associate Director of Lean Manufacturing to lead the advancement of Lean methodology and operational excellence across the Milford, Massachusetts site.

This role is responsible for cultivating a culture of sustainable improvement by embedding Lean principles, strengthening operational systems, and driving measurable enhancements in manufacturing and business processes. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with senior leadership and global Lean partners to implement strategy, standardize best practices, and elevate performance across the organisation.

• Partner with site leadership to develop and execute a comprehensive Lean Manufacturing strategy aligned with an established Lean Operating System.
• Lead transformation initiatives across critical manufacturing and support areas to enhance safety, quality, delivery, cost efficiency, and productivity.
• Facilitate Structured Problem Solving and Value Stream Mapping sessions, guiding teams through analysis, planning, and implementation of improvements.
• Build, refine, and sustain tiered visual management and daily management systems that strengthen operational oversight and accountability.
• Plan and conduct kaizen events that deliver rapid and sustainable improvements.
• Analyse and streamline manufacturing and transactional processes to identify waste, improve efficiency, and reduce cost.
• Deliver training on Lean methodologies including Daily Management, 6S, SMED, Kanban, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, and standard work.
• Coach and mentor employees at all levels to develop Lean capability and reinforce continuous improvement behaviours.
• Challenge existing processes to elevate performance and ensure long-term sustainability of results.
• Support Lean initiatives at additional sites or functions as required.

• 10+ years of progressive experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Proven ability to engage leadership and operational teams in Lean deployment.
• Demonstrated track record of achieving sustainable operational improvements.
• Extensive experience with Lean Manufacturing tools and the deployment of a Lean Operating System.
• Strong knowledge of value stream improvement tools (SMED, 6S, visual management, daily management, standard work).
• Lean or Six Sigma Black Belt certification preferred.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence at all organisational levels.
• Experience with advanced statistical tools and Six Sigma methodologies is advantageous.
• PMP certification or similar project management training preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Visio.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities along with strong communication, facilitation, and coaching skills.

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