Executive Director/ Senior Director - Global Operational Excellence

Who We Are

BioMarin is a leading rare disease biotechnology company focused on genetically defined conditions.

Guided by our purpose to develop medicines that make a profound impact on people’s lives, our global teams have delivered a portfolio of therapies since our founding in 1997. Our revolutionary treatments for conditions like achondroplasia (the most common form of dwarfism), PKU (phenylketonuria), CLN2, a form of Batten disease, and a number of forms of MPS (mucopolysaccharidosis) offer new possibilities for patients and families who previously had few, if any, available options. More recently, with the close of the Amicus acquisition, our portfolio has expanded to include therapies for Fabry disease and Pompe disease, expanding our ability to reach more people living with rare genetic conditions.

Our success comes from our unwavering commitment to excellence, our deep understanding of patient needs, our scientific expertise, and our world-class manufacturing capabilities. At the heart of BioMarin is a dedicated team of the brightest minds in the industry working together to deliver innovative therapies to patients and families around the world.

About Technical Operations

BioMarin’s Technical Operations group is responsible for creating our drugs for use in clinical trials and for scaling production of those drugs for the commercial market. These engineers, technicians, scientists and support staff build and maintain BioMarin’s cutting-edge manufacturing processes and sites, provide quality assurance and quality control to ensure we meet regulatory standards, and procure the needed goods and services to support manufacturing and coordinating the worldwide movement of our drugs to patients.

Who We Are 

BioMarin is a leading rare disease biotechnology company focused on genetically defined conditions. 

Guided by our purpose to develop medicines that make a profound impact on people’s lives, our global teams have delivered a portfolio of therapies since our founding in 1997. Our revolutionary treatments for conditions like achondroplasia (the most common form of dwarfism), PKU (phenylketonuria), CLN2, a form of Batten disease, and a number of forms of MPS (mucopolysaccharidosis) offer new possibilities for patients and families who previously had few, if any, available options. More recently, with the close of the Amicus acquisition, our portfolio has expanded to include therapies for Fabry disease and Pompe disease, expanding our ability to reach more people living with rare genetic conditions. 

Our success comes from our unwavering commitment to excellence, our deep understanding of patient needs, our scientific expertise, and our world-class manufacturing capabilities. At the heart of BioMarin is a dedicated team of the brightest minds in the industry working together to deliver innovative therapies to patients and families around the world. 

About Technical Operations 

BioMarin’s Technical Operations group is responsible for creating our drugs for use in clinical trials and for scaling production of those drugs for the commercial market. These engineers, technicians, scientists and support staff build and maintain BioMarin’s cutting-edge manufacturing processes and sites, provide quality assurance and quality control to ensure we meet regulatory standards, and procure the needed goods and services to support manufacturing and coordinating the worldwide movement of our drugs to patients. 

Executive Director/ Senior Director -  Global Operational Excellence 

Location: Dublin or Cork, Ireland

Hybrid role 2 days per week onsite

Role Summary 

The Executive Director Global Operational Excellence owns the single global TOPS improvement method, operating system and capability to apply it. Reporting to the VP, TOPS Digital Strategy & Operational Excellence, the role builds a network that can improve itself and deliver sustained operational and financial benefits while protecting quality and reliable patient supply. 

Together with Data Science, Analytics & AI and Digital Strategy & Value Delivery, the role works across Frame, Baseline, Simplify, Digitize and Prove. The approach is People, then Process, then Technology: remove waste and standardize before digitizing. Data Science, Analytics & AI discovers evidenced value; OpEx strengthens methods, people and processes; Digital Strategy & Value Delivery prioritizes and commissions digital change, adoption and network scale. 

As the global owner of OpEx methods and capability, this leader connects central priorities with site accountability, develops practitioners and leaders, and contributes evidence and time-bound capacity to cross-pillar pursuits. Success means adopted, sustained and measured operating results, not technology go-live alone. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Own the BioMarin/TOPS operational excellence roadmap, structure, content, development and maturity 
• Deploy consistent Lean and Six Sigma standards across internal and external operations where applicable, with practical coaching for site teams and leaders across the network. 
• Own global capability-building and knowledge-management strategy and processes across all OpEx areas, including reusable learning, accreditation, certification and assessment standards and materials, central belt certification, Lean training and the Opex Leadership Coaching Programme. 
• Target operational losses using data-based baselines, disciplined strategic projects and tested people/process alternatives.  
• Assess site maturity and practitioner competence, verify improvements, and publish comparable maturity, loss-reduction and sustained results with linked capability plans. 
• Lead complex cross-functional root-cause problem-solving, address systemic issues and verify improvement effectiveness. 
• Standardize, document and replicate successful improvements, sharing proven practices and lessons across the network. 
• Train, certify and mentor site improvement practitioners, including those beyond direct reports, to apply the common methodology effectively. 
• Work as a peer to the TOPS leaders of Data Science, Analytics & AI and Digital Strategy & Value Delivery to successfully identify, prioritize and deliver value against TOPS Strategic objectives (eg. COGS, DIOH)
• Partner with Digital Strategy & Value Delivery and DTA on systems enhancements, ensuring process simplification and standardization precede technology changes. 
• Lead the central OpEx team setting role levels, development pathways, objectives and the technical bar within a culture of coaching, accountability and learning. 
• Develop site Master Black Belts and Lean Masters for local support and continuity, retaining local reporting for site leads, belts, analysts and stewards with dotted-line links to central standards 
• Deploy OpEx improvement resources against agreed portfolio priorities, aligning capacity and capability with improvement needs. 

• Apply appropriate AI tools to improve Lean, 6-sigma methodologies and effectiveness
• Use trusted operational analytics, process mining and predictive insights with Data Science, Analytics & AI to identify evidenced opportunities 
• Stakeholder Engagement & Change Leadership 
• Embed improved behaviours and standard work into daily routines, with local and receiving-function ownership to sustain adoption. 

KPIs & Metrics: This role will influence: 

• Capability & Maturity Metrics 
• Adoption, Sustainment & Network Replication Metrics 
• Operational Loss Reduction & Performance Metrics 
• Verified Financial Benefit Metrics 
• Portfolio Contribution & Delivery Metrics 
• Quality & Patient Supply Metrics 

Qualifications 

Required: 

• Degree in engineering, science, operations or a related discipline. 
• Demonstrated multi-site manufacturing OpEx leadership, ideally in a regulated environment. 
• Master Black Belt certification or equivalent depth, with the credibility and judgment to define improvement methodology and competent application. 
• Experience developing, assessing and certifying improvement capability beyond direct reports, including site-based practitioners. 
• Experience in people and role design, ways of working and change leadership that builds genuine acceptance and sustained adoption. 
• A record of verified operational and financial results that withstand Finance and receiving-function scrutiny. 
• Senior leadership-table experience contributing evidence and capacity recommendations to portfolio tradeoffs, including transparent decisions on excluded work. 

Preferred 

• Advanced degree in a relevant discipline. 
• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical-device manufacturing under GxP. 
• Depth in Lean and Six Sigma, with sound judgment on which approach a problem requires, and experience collaborating with analytics and data science on a shared improvement agenda. 
• Experience with a site-based, centrally certified belt community and with process mining or other evidence-based methods for targeting improvement. 

Core Competencies 

• Systems thinking and single-standard discipline, balancing consistent methodology with appropriate local execution and patient-centered quality and supply outcomes. 
• Capability building and coaching that equip leaders and practitioners to improve their own operations and sustain skills through application. 
• Evidence and financial rigor, connecting sound analysis and disciplined methods to verified, sustained benefits. 
• Influence without authority and change leadership, aligning senior stakeholders and site teams around accepted improvements. 
• Transparent maturity reporting and time-bound resource discipline, including prioritization recommendations and capacity release after adoption and sustained measured results. 

Travel Requirements 

• Approximately 30% travel across the manufacturing network. 

Note: This description is not intended to be all-inclusive, or a limitation of the duties of the position. It is intended to describe the general nature of the job that may include other duties as assumed or assigned. 

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled 

An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

Note: This description is not intended to be all-inclusive, or a limitation of the duties of the position. It is intended to describe the general nature of the job that may include other duties as assumed or assigned.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.


Ireland Safety Responsibility Support the organisation’s commitment to environmental protection, injury prevention, and continual improvement of EHS management systems. Actively contribute to a safe and environmentally responsible workplace by identifying hazards, reporting incidents and participating in EHS initiatives and training.