Associate Director, Operational Excellence

Associate Director, Operational Excellence in Springfield, MOBuild your future at Curia, where our work has the power to save lives

Curia is a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with over 30 years of experience partnering with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to provide life-saving treatments to patients. At Curia, we are on a mission to advance our customers’ therapies from curiosity to cure and ultimately to improve patients’ lives.

We proudly offer
• Generous benefit options (eligible first day of employment)
• Paid training, vacation and holidays (vacation accrual begins on first day of employment)
• Career advancement opportunities
• Education reimbursement
• 401K program with matching contributions
• Learning platform
• And more!

Essential Responsibilities Operational Excellence Strategy and Site Remediation Partner with the Site Leadership Team to develop and execute an operational excellence strategy aligned with site remediation priorities, business objectives, and customer commitments. Translate site goals into focused improvement plans with clear objectives, ownership, timelines, performance measures, and governance. Conduct operational assessments and diagnostics to identify risks, performance gaps, process inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.

Support the development and implementation of effective management systems, standard work, escalation processes, and performance routines. Ensure improvement efforts strengthen operational readiness, compliance, reliability, and the site’s ability to consistently execute the production schedule. Partner with Quality and other functional leaders to ensure operational improvements support cGMP requirements, inspection readiness, and sustainable remediation outcomes. Continuous Improvement and Performance Lead projects that improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, capacity, productivity, and employee engagement.

Establish and mature the site’s Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) program to identify, prioritize, and reduce sources of production loss. Use data and structured problem-solving methods to identify root causes, evaluate solutions, and drive measurable business results. Facilitate value stream mapping, process mapping, root cause analysis, and other improvement activities to simplify workflows and eliminate waste. Apply Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, visual management, and other appropriate tools based on the needs of the process and organization.

Identify and lead cost-improvement opportunities while ensuring changes do not compromise employee safety, product quality, regulatory compliance, or supply reliability. Develop performance measures and reporting tools that provide clear visibility to progress, risks, trends, and business impact. Establish controls and follow-up processes to verify that improvements are adopted, effective, and sustained. Leadership and Organizational Capability Serve as a trusted coach and change leader for the Site Leadership Team, department leaders, supervisors, and employees.

Build site capability in structured problem-solving, daily management, change leadership, and continuous improvement. Develop and deliver practical training, tools, and resources that help employees recognize problems, identify solutions, and improve their work. Mentor project leaders and improvement teams, helping them establish clear objectives, manage priorities, remove barriers, and achieve sustainable results. Engage employees closest to the work when assessing processes and developing solutions, recognizing that their knowledge and participation are essential to lasting improvement.

Encourage a culture in which employees raise concerns, challenge inefficient practices, learn from…