Global Operational Excellence Lead - Animal Health

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 manufacturing operations. You will provide functional leadership to the Business Process Excellence (BPE) teams across one of our manufacturing networks, partner with senior site and network leaders, and drive strategic initiatives that improve productivity, efficiency, capability, and business performance.

This is a highly visible senior functional leadership role without direct disciplinary responsibility. You will set direction, standards, and priorities for the BPE organization across the network and drive alignment through strong matrix leadership and influence.

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 value delivery initiatives across the manufacturing network.

Tasks & responsibilities

• You functionally lead the Business Process Excellence community across a manufacturing network, setting direction, priorities, and standards while developing the capabilities of local BPE teams.
• You define and execute the network Operational Excellence roadmap, ensuring alignment with business priorities and manufacturing strategy.
• You drive productivity improvements, efficiency enhancements, and cost-savings initiatives across manufacturing operations, 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 experience leading Operational Excellence organizations, large-scale improvement programs, or multi-site initiatives, ideally including leadership in a matrix environment without direct authority
• 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
• Experience in Animal Health is an advantage but not required

What Makes This Role Unique?

• Drive Operational Excellence across a multi-site Animal Health manufacturing network.
• Build and develop a global community of Business Process Excellence leaders and experts.
• Shape the future of manufacturing performance through transformation, capability building, and cultural change.
• Partner directly with senior manufacturing leaders and influence strategic decisions.
• Work in a global role with direct exposure to Global Supply leadership.
• Deliver tangible operational improvements and measurable business results at scale.

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 November 8th, 2026. We reserve the right to take the posting offline beforehand.
Step 2: Virtual meeting until mid-October
Step 3: On-site interviews will take place between November 23 and November 27