
Director, Operational Excellence
Simtra BioPharma Solutions · Bloomington, IN
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Certification
- Black Belt preferred
- Industry
- Pharma & life sciences
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level continuous improvement role at Simtra BioPharma Solutions (pharma & life sciences) in Bloomington, IN.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree required · Black Belt preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Black Belt, Green Belt, Kaizen, FDA / GMP
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
How this role compares
Against 9 other live lean / ci postings in Indiana.
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 5+)
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 100%
- ✓ Six Sigma 70%
- ✓ Kaizen 70%
- Root cause 60%
- Value stream mapping 50%
- ✓ Green Belt 40%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Lean / CI team at Simtra BioPharma Solutions
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is CI run from the plant floor or from a corporate OpEx group?
- Which metrics does leadership actually watch: OEE, scrap, cost per unit?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Simtra BioPharma Solutions in Bloomington
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Full description from Simtra BioPharma SolutionsAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
requirements
and quality standards
- ✓Ensure that the OpEx team has a strong presence on the shop floor to both understand the ground truth on the floor and drive initiatives on the front line, helping to coach operators and supervisors on the Simtra Production System
Required qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Operations management or related field
- ✓10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or similarly regulated manufacturing operations with 5+ years of experience in a people leadership role, with a strong track record in operational excellence and performance improvement
- ✓Proven experience in leading cross-functional teams and driving change in high-complexity environments
- ✓Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
- ✓Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook) and the ability to use enterprise and AI software (e.g., D365, SAP, TrackWise, ServiceNow, Veeva, Claude, ChatGPT)
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Master’s Degree equivalent or higher
- ✓Strong knowledge of sterile manufacturing processes and regulatory
requirements
(FDA, cGMP, etc.)
- ✓Experience with software such as Quality Management Systems, ERPs, OT
- ✓Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
- ✓Strong analytical skills with proficiency in data visualization and performance reporting tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Excel)
- ✓Project Management Professional (PMP)
Physical / safety
requirements
- ✓Duties may require overtime work, including nights and weekends
- ✓Use of hands and fingers to manipulate office equipment is required
- ✓Position requires sitting or standing for long hours
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Simtra BioPharma Solutions (Simtra) is a world-class Contract Development Manufacturing Organization, partnering with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to bring their sterile injectable products to market. With facilities in Bloomington, Indiana, US and Halle/Westfalen, Germany, we offer a wide range of delivery systems including pre-filled syringes, liquid/lyophilized vials, diluents for reconstitution, powder-filled vials and sterile crystallization.
Our product types include biologics and small molecules, cytotoxics, highly potent compounds, diluents for reconstitution and vaccines – which are all directly injected into patients worldwide. As such, there is a strong emphasis on quality and continuous improvement at Simtra. We hold ourselves to the highest quality and regulatory standards.
While our primary focus is cGMP manufacturing, we offer many support services including formulation and development, lyophilization optimization, global regulatory support and secondary packaging. Our teams are driven to help clients scale, innovate and bring life-changing medicines to patients worldwide.
Why join Team Simtra? Because we
Make it HAPPEN – We bring a growth mindset to every opportunity, developing new skillsets and exceeding our expectations and those of our customers.
Make it TOGETHER – We work as one, respecting each voice and tapping into our unique strengths across teams—so we can solve problems in new ways.
Make it RIGHT – We hold ourselves to a high standard of excellence, fulfilling our commitments to the customer, their patients, and our team members.
Make it COUNT – We take pride in our day-to-day work, knowing the impact we make – taking on challenges big and small to improve patient health.
This role
Simtra Biopharma Solutions is seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of Operational Excellence (OpEx) to lead performance improvement initiatives across the Bloomington site partnering with manufacturing, quality, and supporting departments. This role is pivotal in driving operational discipline, lean execution, and data-informed performance management to ensure consistent, high-quality production and timely delivery of life-saving pharmaceutical products. The Director, OpEx is a member of the site senior leadership team, and reports to the Site Head.
The
Leadership and Strategy
- •Work with at-site, above-site, and cross-site leadership to develop the Simtra Production System based on Lean Six Sigma principles
- •Champion Simtra Production System principles across the site to power stable, predictable, high-quality operations and instill a culture of continuous lean improvement
- •Develop and execute annual OpEx objectives, kaizens, and projects and track and deliver impact based on measured KPIs
- •Lead and mentor a team of OpEx professionals, fostering a culture of accountability and high performance
Process Improvement and Lean Execution
- •Proactively identify opportunities to streamline manufacturing, quality, and other processes, reduce lead times, and enhance overall efficiency, increase capacity, or reduce costs.
- •Oversee the execution of continuous improvement initiatives and Kaizens, ensuring alignment with client and regulatory
Performance Management and Reporting & Analytics
- •Work with digital teams to develop and maintain performance dashboards and executive scorecards tailored to business and operational needs
- •Build, maintain, and roll out management infrastructure best practices such as tier meetings, visual management, and leader standard work across the site
- •Develop and present reports on operational performance, key improvement initiatives, and strategic projects for senior management and clients
- •Analyze real-time operational data to identify trends, deviations, and improvement opportunities
- •Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and implement corrective actions based on data insights
- •Ensure alignment of operational activities with strategic KPIs, including:
- •Right First Time (RFT)
- •On-Time Delivery (OTD)
In return, you’ll be eligible for [1]
- •Day One Benefits
- •Medical & Dental Coverage
- •Flexible Spending Accounts
- •Life and AD&D Insurance
- •Supplemental Life Insurance
- •Spouse Life Insurance
- •Child Life Insurance
- •401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with Company Matc
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