VP Senior Operational Excellence Lead

Senior Manager, Operational Excellence

Purpose of the Role

The VP, Senior Operational Excellence Lead is a pivotal enterprise-wide role within Evotec's Global Operations OE function. Reporting directly to the EVP Global Head of Operational Excellence, this role is the primary engine of CI methodology deployment and cultural adoption across DPD. The incumbent must combine rigorous technical mastery of Lean, Six Sigma, and value stream disciplines with the leadership credibility to engage EVP and SVP-level stakeholders, build and sustain CI communities across globally distributed sites, and translate operational improvement directly into financial value. Operating at a period of significant transformation under Project Horizon, the role is central to embedding a continuous improvement operating culture that is systematic, data-driven, and commercially connected, ensuring Evotec can deliver above-market performance through operational excellence as a core competitive capability.

Key Accountabilities

1.  CI Methodology & Solution Ownership

• Own and steward Evotec's CI methodology framework, including Lean, Six Sigma, DMAIC, Kaizen, and Value Stream Mapping, ensuring a consistent, fit-for-purpose toolkit is available, maintained, and applied across all operational segments and site types (manufacturing, laboratory, and R&D environments).
• Define and continuously improve the standard approaches, tools, and templates used for Loss & Waste Analysis, Value Stream Mapping, and process opportunity identification, ensuring they are adapted for GMP manufacturing, scientific lab, and broader R&D settings.
• Act as the internal technical authority on CI methodology: advising EVPs, SVPs, and site leaders on the most effective approaches for specific operational challenges and leading by example in their application.
• Horizon-scan external best practice and digital innovation in operational excellence, recommending and piloting new methodologies where they offer measurable advantage for Evotec.

2.  Opportunity Identification & Project Portfolio

• Lead structured Loss & Waste Analysis and Value Stream Mapping across Operations, working with segment and site leaders to identify, prioritise, and define improvement opportunities that deliver the highest financial and operational impact.
• Define the OE project portfolio in partnership with the EVP Global Head of OE and Operations Segment Heads, developing robust project plans, resourcing models, and milestone frameworks for each initiative.
• Ensure improvement opportunities are scoped with a clear business case connected to Evotec's financial targets and Horizon transformation objectives, bridging the gap between strategic intent and implementation reality.
• Working in partnership with GCPMO, maintain a live, rigorous view of the project pipeline: tracking progress, dependencies, and risks, and escalating where projects require senior intervention or course correction.

3. CI Community Development & Coordination

• Rebuild and coordinate the DPD global network of CI Communities, establishing active practitioner communities within each segment/function and at site level, with clear governance, roles, and development pathways.
• Identify, develop, and support CI Champions and local OE leads across sites in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and the USA, ensuring communities are empowered, resourced, and connected to the broader OE function.
• Facilitate regular CI Community forums, knowledge-sharing events, and cross-site learning exchanges, creating a vibrant, self-sustaining improvement culture that does not depend on central OE to drive every initiative.

4.  Training, Adoption & Sustainment

• Design and drive comprehensive CI training programmes across all levels, from site teams through to business leaders, tailoring content, format, and depth to the needs of different audiences and operational contexts.
• Ensure adoption of CI tools and methodologies goes beyond initial training to sustained behaviour change: developing sustainment frameworks, refresher cycles, and performance measures that track real-world adoption.
• Coach and develop CI Champions, Site Heads, segment and other business leaders in the practical application of OE methodologies, enabling them to lead improvement independently and multiply the impact of the central OE team.
• Build a recognition and development framework for CI capability that motivates participation and creates visible career pathways for OE practitioners across Evotec.

5.  Benefits Tracking & Financial Impact

• Own the consistent measurement and tracking of financial and operational benefits delivered through OE initiatives, ensuring a rigorous, standardised methodology for benefit quantification is applied across all sites and segments.
• Partner with Finance to validate benefit calculations, ensure alignment with P&L reporting, and present impact in language that resonates with CFO, Management & Supervisory Board audiences.
• Report OE impact clearly and compellingly to the EVP Global Head of OE, COO, and Operations Segment Heads, translating operational metrics into business value narrative.
• Ensure benefits are tracked in a sustained way over time, establishing post-implementation reviews and long-term impact tracking as standard practice.

6.  Cross-Functional Leadership & Senior Stakeholder Engagement

• Operate as a trusted OE advisor to EVP and SVP Segment Heads across Biology, Chemistry, Drug Discovery Platforms, Drug Development, Supply Chain, and Engineering & FM, building credibility through technical depth, business acumen, and consistent delivery.
• Influence without authority across a complex matrix: connecting with site leaders, functional heads, and programme sponsors to drive alignment, commitment, and momentum behind OE initiatives.
• Represent the OE function in cross-functional forums, operations leadership reviews, and Horizon transformation workstreams, providing the OE perspective on strategic and operational decisions.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement driven by curiosity, data, and outcomes, inspiring teams at every level to see operational excellence as an opportunity rather than an obligation.

Knowledge and Experience

Operational & Optimization Expertise

• Significant experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing operations, laboratory operations and/or broader R&D processes, with a proven track record of driving measurable operational improvement across diverse environments.
• Superior working knowledge of both production and supply chain processes, with the ability to diagnose inefficiency, map value streams, and design practical improvement interventions at scale.
• Demonstrated experience deploying and leading CI programmes across multiple operational realities simultaneously
• Deep familiarity with regulated pharma environments (GMP, GLP, GCP) and the constraints and opportunities these create for OE methodology deployment.

OE Project Leadership

• Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional OE projects from opportunity definition through to verified financial benefit realization, with accountability for outcomes, not just activities.
• Experience building and managing OE project portfolios: prioritization, governance, risk management, and benefits tracking across concurrent initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to move from strategy to implementation with pace and rigour, comfortable both designing frameworks and rolling up sleeves to make them work on the ground.
• Experience establishing or rebuilding CI Communities in large, multi-site organisations, with a strong understanding of what sustains engagement and capability over time.

CI Methodology Expertise

• Expert-level command of Lean, Six Sigma (Green Belt minimum; Black Belt preferred), Value Stream Mapping, DMAIC, Loss & Waste Analysis, Kaizen, and standard work methodologies.
• Ability to adapt and apply CI tools across different operational contexts.
• Track record of building and maintaining a CI toolset that is practically useful, consistently applied, and regularly updated in response to operational and methodological evolution.

Financial Analysis & Benefit Realization

• Strong financial analysis capability, able to build business cases, model improvement scenarios, and translate operational metrics into verified P&L impact with Finance-level credibility.
• Proven experience establishing benefit tracking frameworks that satisfy Finance and executive scrutiny, distinguishing genuine P&L impact from cost avoidance or theoretical savings.
• Comfortable challenging financial assumptions and holding project teams accountable for delivering verified, sustainable benefit.
• Familiarity with budget processes, cost-centre structures, and financial reporting in a large, multi-site pharma or CDMO business.

Leadership & Influence

• Strong leadership capabilities demonstrated primarily through coaching, influencing and capability building.
• Proven ability to engage, develop and sustain CI communities across a geographically dispersed organisation.
• Articulate and compelling communicator, able to translate complex operational analysis into clear strategic narrative for EVP and SVP-level audiences.
• Self-starter: systematic, analytical, and energised by navigating complexity and ambiguity with rigour and pace.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Master's degree in engineering, life sciences, operations management, or related discipline.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification strongly preferred. Green Belt minimum.
• Relevant project management qualification is advantageous.

Languages & Mobility

• Fluency in English is essential. Working knowledge of German, French, or Italian is advantageous given the multi-site European footprint.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally across all Evotec quality sites (UK, Italy, Germany, France, USA) on a regular basis.

FR : Dans le cadre de sa politique Diversité, Evotec étudie, à compétences égales, toutes les candidatures dont celles des personnes en situation de handicap.

EN: In the frame of our Diversity policy, Evotec considers, with equal competences, all applications including people with disabilities.

IT: In compliance with fundamental ethical and professional principles and with Legislative Decree 198/2006, Evotec is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace built on mutual respect. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees based on their skills, experience, and professional qualifications. In line with our ethical and professional principles, all employment-related decisions, including recruitment and selection processes, are made fairly and without any form of discrimination. All qualified candidates will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, sex, age, disability, genetic information, gender expression, gender identity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.