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Operational Excellence Champion

Lessines, Wallonia
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On the Global Manufacturing and Supply (GMS) team at Takeda, you’ll be part of a rapidly transforming industry that’s applying technology and data in new ways. Within our agile, innovative, people-centric organization, your work will matter every day as you use your skills to help us manufacture therapies for patients on our four platforms:

  • Small Molecules
  • Biologics
  • Plasma
  • Cell and Gene

As part of the GMS team, you'll have the opportunity to pursue unique experiences and build new skills, and you'll know that the work you do every day makes an impact — on our patients, our people, our planet, and on yourself.

Job ID R0147730 Date posted 03/31/2025 Location Lessines, Wallonia

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Job Description

About the Role:

As a Operational Excellence (OE) Champion, you will lead and coach projects using Six Sigma and lean management methodologies to enhance manufacturing and business processes. Your role is pivotal in fostering a culture of continuous improvement, aligning with Takeda’s Operational Excellence Operating System. You will drive efficiency, reduce waste, and ensure site performance targets are met, acting as a change champion and facilitating transformation within the organization.

How you will contribute:

  • Implement Operational Excellence initiatives to create value and achieve strategic goals.
  • Lead and coach teams in Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma projects.
  • Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, and root cause analysis.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams for process improvements and digital integration.
  • Apply Organizational Change Management to Lean & Six Sigma projects.
  • Foster a continuous improvement culture through training and coaching.
  • Conduct performance analysis to identify gaps and recommend solutions.
  • Share knowledge and contribute to best-practice sharing across Takeda.

What you bring to Takeda:

  • 3+ years of experience in manufacturing or operations management with a focus on Operational Excellence.
  • Master’s degree in engineering, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or equivalent.
  • Proficiency in analytical and data-driven approaches, with strong communication skills.
  • Expertise in lean management and problem-solving methodologies.
  • Experience managing cross-functional teams and leading complex projects.
  • Strong leadership, coaching, and change management skills.
  • Knowledge of business operations, financial management, and regulatory compliance.
  • Fluency in French and English; adaptable, challenge-oriented, and eager to learn.
  • Digital skills is a plus
  • Good knowledge of tools as : Microsoft office

What Takeda can offer you:

We want our employees to succeed in everything they do – at work, at home, and in the community. This is why we offer world-class benefits and access to resources that can support people.

Our sector and the needs of our patients are constantly changing, which is why we emphasize continuous training. We actively support and invest in the development of our employees through a 50/40/10 training model.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, prioritizing wellbeing, career growth, and work-life balance:

  • Generous Time Off: 20 days of paid vacation in accordance with Belgian legislation and 12 Working Time Recovery days with additional days granted based on seniority and age.
  • Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive health and hospitalization insurance, annual check-ups starting at age 45, and support for preventive healthcare.
  • Family Support: Paid leave for maternity, paternity, and adoption, along with dedicated spaces for nursing mothers.
  • Career Development: Access to a Learning Catalog, language courses, and opportunities for internal and international mobility.
  • Transportation & Eco-Benefits: Contributions for public transport, incentives for cycling, and on-site charging stations for electric vehicles.
  • Additional Perks: Meal vouchers, eco-cheques, a flex plan, a 13th-month salary, and pension support.

Important Considerations:

At Takeda, our patients rely on us to create quality products, and we aim to create a safe environment for our team members. As a result, we must follow strict rules in our manufacturing facilities to ensure we are not endangering the quality of the product or putting anyone at the site in harm's way. In this role, you may:

  • Work in a controlled environment requiring special gowning and wear protective clothing over the head, face, hands, feet and body. This may include additional hearing protection for loud areas.
  • Need to remove all make-up, jewellery, contact lenses, nail polish and/or artificial fingernails while in the manufacturing environment.
  • Work in a cold, hot environment and load manual handling.
  • Work multiple shifts, including weekends, or be asked to work supplemental hours, as necessary.
  • Work around chemicals and biologicals products that may require specific protection (respiratory, skin, etc.).
  • Occasional travel may be required.
  • Site-based role with potential for up to 2 days of homeworking per week.

More About Us:

The Takeda Lessines manufacturing site plays a vital role in the production of Takeda’s plasma-based therapies. With over 75 years of pioneering legacy, Takeda is a global leader in rare diseases and ranks in the top three for plasma-derived products. Our Lessines manufacturing site is a state-of-the-art biotechnology production facility with over 50 years of experience, specializing in immunoglobulin purification, plasma-derived therapies, and packaging for treatments targeting blood disorders. Serving more than 250,000 patients worldwide, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality therapies that make a significant impact. As Takeda's third-largest global production site, Lessines plays a pivotal role in our international operations, producing and distributing million vials annually to more than 80 countries.

At Takeda, we are transforming patient care through the development of novel specialty pharmaceuticals and best in class patient support programs. Takeda is a patient-focused company that will inspire and empower you to grow through life-changing work.

Certified as a Global Top Employer, Takeda offers stimulating careers, encourages innovation, and strives for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.

#GMSGQ

#LI-ED1

Locations

BEL - Lessines

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time
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Working at Takeda

  • Inclusion

    Here, you will feel welcomed, respected, and valued as a vital contributor to our global team.
  • Collaboration

    A strong, borderless team, we strive together towards our priorities and inspiring mission.
  • Innovation

    Bold initiatives, continuous improvement, and creativity are at the heart of how we bring scientific breakthroughs from the lab to patients.
  • Top Workplace

    Recognized for our culture and way of working, we’re one of only 17 companies to receive Top Global Employer® status for 2024.
  • Work-Life

    Our people-first mission extends beyond patients to include their families, communities, and our own Takeda family.
  • Empowerment

    Through trust and respect, you will have genuine support from leaders, managers, and colleagues to do your best work.

We're Steadfast In Our Commitment to Four Key Imperatives

Patient


Responsibly translate science into highly innovative medicines and accelerate access to improve lives worldwide.

People


Create an exceptional people experience.

Planet


Protect our planet.

Data & Digital


Transform Takeda into the most trusted, data-driven, outcomes-based biopharmaceutical company.

What we believe in

Our values of Takeda-ism are Integrity, Fairness, Honesty and Perseverance, with Integrity as the core. These are brought to life through actions based on Patient, Trust, Reputation and Business, in that order.

Our belief in putting people first extends beyond our patients — it includes their families and communities, as well as our Takeda colleagues and their families.

We are committed to embracing our differences, valuing different perspectives, and fostering a culture of respect, inclusiveness and empowerment.

Our embedded Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy enables us to attract and retain exceptional talent, drives innovation, and helps address systemic inequalities in our communities.

  • Integrity

  • Fairness

  • Honesty

  • Perseverance

Exterior of Takeda Building

About our location

Lessines, Wallonia


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