Senior Advisor - Quality Control Operational Excellence Leader

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. We’re driven by our vision of ‘Food and Companionship Enriching Life’ and our approach to sustainability – the Elanco Healthy Purpose™ – to advance the health of animals, people, the planet and our enterprise.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Your Role: Senior Advisor - Quality Control Operational Excellence Leader

The Global QC Operational Excellence Advisor provides strategic and tactical leadership to laboratory leaders and experts across the manufacturing network. This role focuses on improving Quality Control operational efficiency and efficacy through data analysis, capacity building, scheduling models, and enhanced long-range planning. 

Your Responsibilities:

• Lead and Implement Process Improvements: Spearhead complex cross-functional projects to enhance QC processes, leveraging KPIs for sustainable impact. This includes standardizing

  lab capacity planning in line with site manufacturing capacity across the QC Network.

• Train and Mentor on Operational Excellence: Build organizational capability in continuous improvement and lean techniques, including root cause analysis for laboratory inefficiencies. This involves training at all organizational levels.

• Drive QC Optimization and Efficiency: Evaluate and simplify QC operations using tools like rhythm wheels, metrics, and a network-wide testing strategy to optimize resource allocation for current and future needs. This also includes identifying, prioritizing, and determining financial benefits of cost reduction initiatives.

• Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with stakeholders across supply chain, regulatory, TS/MS, Site/Central governance, Laboratory Informatics, IT, and the Digital Steering committee to integrate QC testing efficiency with broader product manufacturing and release processes.

• Promote Operational Excellence Culture: Engage teams through idea generation, GEMBA walks, visual boards, governance meetings, and other communication tools to drive continuous improvement and proactive laboratory performance monitoring.

What You will Need to Succeed (Minimum Qualifications):

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biology, or other related Physical or Life Science.

• Experience: 5+ years of laboratory operations experience demonstrating a successful track record of continuous improvement projects.

• Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to overcome obstacles and ensure project success.

What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications):

• Lean Certification (e.g., Green Belt, Black Belt).
• Strong presentation skills, enabling clear and precise communication at all organizational levels.
• Prior experience leading cross-functional teams.

Additional Information:

• Travel: Required travel up to 30% including international travel.
• Location: Global Elanco Headquarters-Greenfield, IN - Hybrid Work Environment

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Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status