Operation Excellence Lead

About Zimmer Biomet

Zimmer Biomet has been a global leader in medical technology for nearly a century, enhancing patient mobility with a Zimmer Biomet product or technology every 8 seconds. The company fosters an inclusive culture that values development opportunities, employee resource groups, flexible work environments, wellness initiatives, and performance recognition.

Role Summary

The Operations Excellence Lead plays a crucial leadership role focused on driving strategic improvements to minimize costs, boost organizational efficiency, and eliminate waste. Collaborating closely with senior management, this role spearheads Lean transformations, capital optimization, and cost reduction programs across Zimmer Biomet's Irish manufacturing sites.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Operational Excellence strategy, aligning with Irish and global company objectives while embedding a continuous improvement culture at all levels and shifts.
• Develop and nurture high-performing, accountable teams through integrity and collaboration.
• Plan and deploy strategies to enhance performance in Quality, Cost, Delivery, and People domains.
• Identify and integrate innovative methodologies to elevate operational capabilities.
• Manage cross-functional relationships across sites and shifts to ensure program success and alignment.
• Drive site efficiency and improvements using Lean Manufacturing and Kaizen practices.
• Redesign and adapt manufacturing systems while ensuring compliance with regulations.
• Oversee and continually improve operational budgets targeting cost reduction.
• Partner with PMO to ensure organizational alignment with annual goals.
• Attract, retain, and mentor future leaders fostering leadership growth.
• Support and execute new product launches, technology transfers, and line extensions in line with growth objectives.
• Lead Industry 4.0 adoption initiatives alongside the MES team.

Candidate Profile

• Excellent communication skills to clearly convey complex information.
• Strong problem-solving skills critical for addressing operational and strategic challenges.
• Proven leadership success in driving teams toward achieving business results with a focus on developing people leaders.
• Strategic thinker capable of anticipating future needs and planning for sustainable success.
• Deep knowledge of the medical device industry's legal and regulatory landscape.
• Innovative and analytical mindset with a history of applying creative solutions to manufacturing issues.
• Expertise in operational leadership and proven achievement implementing Lean methodologies to improve productivity.
• High resilience, adaptability, and flexibility in navigating fast-changing environments while leading teams.
• Leadership qualities described as bold, insightful, collaborative, proactive, and agile, emphasizing vision, global perspective, shared purpose, urgency in execution, and continuous learning.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, technical, or business fields, or equivalent experience.
• 7 to 10 years of progressive experience in manufacturing, quality, or development engineering including 3 to 5 years in supervisory or management roles.
• Experience operating manufacturing technologies within a highly regulated sector.
• Track record of guiding large-scale change initiatives to boost innovation, quality, efficiency, and learning.
• Demonstrated ability in building high performance teams, capacity planning, budgeting, quality and productivity planning, new product introductions, process development, and manufacturing flow optimization.
• Proven success in implementing Lean processes to enhance operational performance.

Travel and Additional Information

Willingness to travel up to 20% is required.