At Zimmer Biomet, we believe in pushing the boundaries of innovation and driving our mission forward. As a global medical technology leader for nearly 100 years, a patient’s mobility is enhanced by a Zimmer Biomet product or technology every 8 seconds.

As a Zimmer Biomet team member, you will share in our commitment to providing mobility and renewed life to people around the world. To support our talented team, we focus on development opportunities, robust employee resource groups (ERGs), a flexible working environment, location specific competitive total rewards, wellness incentives and a culture of recognition and performance awards. We are committed to creating an environment where every team member feels inspired, invested, cared for, valued, and have a strong sense of belonging.

What You Can Expect

Lead the strategic direction, governance, and enterprise-wide deployment of Operational Excellence programs across Zimmer Biomet manufacturing sites. Accountable for defining the multi-year OpEx roadmap, building senior leadership alignment, and driving a culture of continuous improvement that delivers measurable gains in quality, cost, delivery, and organizational capability.

Serve as a trusted strategic partner to site leaders and cross-functional executives, translating business objectives into prioritized Operational Excellence initiatives. Build and maintain strong relationships across Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure alignment and sustainable results.

Direct a portfolio of high-impact improvement programs, establishing governance frameworks, success metrics, and executive reporting cadences to ensure initiatives deliver on strategic objectives in quality, lead time, delivery, and total cost.

How You'll Create Impact

Set the strategic vision for continuous improvement across the operations organization, aligning all OpEx initiatives with the company's long-term goals and presenting progress, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership on a regular cadence.
Own and evolve the OpEx governance model, including standards, measurement frameworks, performance dashboards, and executive-level reporting that drive accountability and visibility into program health and strategic impact across sites.
Champion the adoption and maturation of Lean and continuous improvement methodologies, guiding site teams through end-to-end value stream transformation from current-state analysis to future-state realization.
Build and cultivate strong relationships with site leadership, plant managers, functional heads, and key stakeholders across the enterprise to identify strategic improvement opportunities and drive cultural transformation.
Lead program governance for a portfolio of cross-site OpEx initiatives, sponsoring operational maturity assessments and translating findings into strategic action plans with clear ownership, milestones, and executive sponsorship.
Shape the enterprise learning, development, and knowledge-sharing strategy for Operational Excellence, creating scalable mechanisms for capability building and best-practice transfer across the global network.
Serve as the regional change leader for Operational Excellence, influencing at all organizational levels to accelerate adoption across sites, functions, and business units.
Partner with senior operations and engineering leaders to develop business cases, strategic recommendations, and ensure OpEx principles are embedded into new product introductions, capacity planning, and investment decisions.
Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing OpEx team while developing and mentoring OpEx leaders and high-potential talent to build a deep bench of continuous improvement capability at the site and regional level.

This is not an exhaustive list of duties or functions and might not necessarily comprise all the essential functions for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

What Makes You Stand Out

Strong strategic, business and financial accumen with the ability to connect operational improvement initiatives to broader business outcomes, manage ambiguity, and navigate complex organizational challenges.
Proven ability to build trusted relationships with senior leaders, influence without direct authority, and engage diverse stakeholders in a matrixed, fast-paced environment.
Broad knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement frameworks with the ability to select and adapt the right approaches for diverse manufacturing environments.
Demonstrated success in leading large-scale, multi-site, programs with the ability to define strategic goals, manage program portfolios, and report progress to executive stakeholders.
Deep expertise in Change Management and Program Management with the ability to articulate complex strategies, influence decision-making, and engage audiences from all levels.
Ability to lead across divisions, functions, and geographies, building coalitions and fostering enterprise-wide collaboration to unlock organizational potential.
Track record of delivering enterprise-level business results through strategic program leadership, including quality improvements, cost optimization, and operational efficiency gains.

Your Background

Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or Business Administration required. MBA or advanced degree preferred.
Eight or more years of progressive experience in Operational Excellence, Lean, or continuous improvement within a manufacturing or industrial environment preferred.
Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean Manufacturing, or equivalent certification preferred.
Minimum three years of experience leading and developing teams, including managing managers or senior individuals contributors, required.
Experience leading multi-site or enterprise-level programs in a global manufacturing organization preferred. Proficiency in MS Office required.

Travel Expectations

Up to 35%
Flexible hybrid work model

EOE

Regional OpEx Assoc Director

Job Description