At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.
About the Katwijk Site This position starts with a 12-month contract, with the intention of offering a permanent contract based on mutual fit. (Dienstverband: tijdelijk met uitzicht op vast)
Eli Lilly is investing €2.6 billion in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Katwijk, Netherlands. This facility will produce oral medicines for cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology, incorporating next-generation manufacturing technologies including dock-to-dock automation, paperless manufacturing, and process analytical technology while achieving carbon neutrality and zero waste to landfills.
Position Overview: The Associate Director – Operational Readiness is a key site leader who will ensure a comprehensive, coherent, and clear integrated project plan is developed and managed to successfully bring the manufacturing facility to a state of operational readiness. This role will work closely with various project delivery Project Managers and the site Lead Team to ensure integration of all project workstream deliverables. The role will report through site operations and will be a key leader during operational readiness planning and site startup. The Associate Director – Operational Readiness will ensure clear communications and alignment between the GFD project team and all other relevant stakeholders (e.g. Ops, TSMS, Engineering, QA, QCL, Maintenance, Logistics, IT, etc.); understand and work through complex linkages related to the overall project scope; and work through barriers that could impact safe, on time, and right first time facility startup. The Associate Director – Operational Readiness will also have responsibility for the site Operational Excellence group, which will establish Lean principles and an Operational Excellence framework for the site.
Key Responsibilities:
- With input from all cross functional stakeholders, identify all the relevant pre-manufacturing program elements necessary to be in place to support overall facility operational readiness.
- Work with the GFD project team and site functional representatives to develop an integrated start up plan reflective of key linkages, interdependencies, durations, resource requirements, and any other relevant factors.
- Be a key interface point between the GFD project and the site end users to ensure the right priorities are communicated & understood across multiple stakeholders.
- Lead a cross functional team, creating and implementing an integrated plan. Create strong morale and foster open dialogue.
- Partner with relevant stakeholders to ensure clear scope alignment and resulting goals and timelines for the project are met.
- Facilitate decision making within the team under tight deadlines.
- Effectively communicate and manage internal and external stakeholders.
- Proactively manage issues, proposing and implementing plans to resolve as needed.
- Forecast resource needs across the integrated plan and anticipate and resolve any projected resource issues before they impact project delivery.
- Provide relevant metrics to appropriate site and network governance forums (Site Lead Team, Executive Project Steering Team, etc).
- Leverage lean management best practices to align the team's tiered meetings, communication, and escalation process to ensure speed in decision making and adaptation to changes.
- Establish an operational excellence culture and embed Lean principles as the site governance processes are built.
Qualifications & Requirements Education - Minimum of a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (Engineering/Science) and experience in a functional or operational leadership role within the pharmaceutical industry
- Professional fluency in English and Dutch preferred.
Experience/Technical Knowledge - 6+ years in manufacturing - OSD/SDD experience preferred
- Previous experience requiring knowledge and application of cGMPs in manufacturing operations.
- Demonstrated track record of successfully developing, managing and accomplishing projects from start to finish on time and within budget with high performance standards that ensure customer satisfaction.
Additional Skills/ Preferences - Demonstrated ability to manage in a dynamic environment. Flexibility to adjust quickly and effectively to frequent change and altered priorities.
- Demonstrated ability to input and influence decision making for complex technical issues.
- Excellent self-management/organizational skills; manage workload, set team priorities and adjust.
- Ability to interact with multiple functions (such as Technical Services, Engineering, Quality, QC, IT, Operations, etc.) and combine work streams into an integrated schedule. Demonstrated ability to influence peers and business partners.
- Strong interpersonal and teambuilding skills; able to develop effective teamwork between team members with diverse interpersonal styles.
- cGMP standards and FDA (or equivalent regulatory agency) guidelines for production.
- Proficient in continuous improvement methodologies and mindset – lean, six sigma, etc.
- Documentation, deviation and change management systems (e.g., Trackwise, Veeva, QualityDocs, Kneat).
Interpersonal Skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills for internal customers, business partners, and leadership
- Ability to work with minimal supervision, manage competing priorities, and drive results in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
- Ability to collaborate with others.
- Strong decision-making, problem-solving, and organisational skills.
On-site Requirement - This is 100% full-time on-site role
Travel requirements –
- We typically expect travel to be 10-20% during the design and delivery phase for engineering meetings, training, and job shadowing opportunities.
Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.
Lilly 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.
Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is €90,000 - €132,000
Full-time equivalent employees may also be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a pension plan; vacation benefits; eligibility for healthcare benefits; flexible benefits (if applicable) life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities). Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.
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