Business Excellence Program Manager in Leeds

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Johnson & Johnson is looking for a Business Excellence Program Manager to support our Joints SC business, based in either Ireland (Cork), UK (Leeds), US (Raynham, Raritan, Warsaw), Costa Rica (Grecia) or China (Suzhou). Please note that this role is available across multiple countries and may be posted under different requisition numbers to comply with local requirements. While you are welcome to apply to any or all of the postings, we recommend focusing on the specific country(s) that align with your preferred location(s).

Johnson & Johnson announced plans to separate our Orthopaedics business to establish a standalone Orthopaedics company, operating as DePuy Synthes. The process of the planned separation is anticipated to be completed within 18 to 24 months, subject to legal requirements, including consultation with works councils and other employee representative bodies, as may be required, regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and approvals. Should you accept this position, it is anticipated that, following conclusion of the transaction, you would be an employee of DePuy Synthes, and your employment would be governed by DePuy Synthes employment processes, programs, policies, and benefit plans.

We are seeking a Business Excellence Program Manager, supporting our Orthopaedics business across Joints Value Streams. This role is ideal for a leader with a broad business background and direct experience in medium- to large-scale manufacturing environments, with strengths in supply chain, process excellence, organizational change, and cross-functional program leadership.

This individual will support our Value Stream teams by leading and deploying business excellence strategies and programs, facilitating cross-functional improvement initiatives, driving performance management and KPI delivery for the VS, enabling value capture through standard methodologies, capability building, and strong change leadership.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead Product Strategy Roadmap development and alignment, partnering with Value Stream leadership to prioritize initiatives that support VS objectives and E2E supply chain goals.
• Drive execution of strategic programs and LCM project plans, to deliver defined business outcomes.
• Define, manage, and communicate performance metrics, diagnostics, and control tower insights to track progress, identify risks, and surface improvement opportunities.
• Partner with VS teams and functional leaders to deliver Continuous Improvement, cost improvement, JJOS deployment, and Value Capture Planning initiatives tied to operational and financial targets.
• Collaborate with supply chain functions, commercial teams, R&D, Finance, Product Management, and NPI launch leads to enable strategic decision-making and seamless integration of new products through Stage Gates 3–6.
• With VS teams, advance key LCM processes, including Product Risk Assessment, Issue Management, and Value Stream Optimization, to improve execution discipline and value stream performance.
• Facilitate Lean Six Sigma and operational excellence events for the Value streams, including Lean-driven workshops and problem-solving sessions, to deliver breakthrough process improvements, strengthen standard work, and drive measurable business results.

Experience & Education

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s and/or University degree is required; a degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Science, Business, or a related field is preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant work experience in manufacturing, supply chain, operational excellence, business excellence, or a related field.
• Advanced expertise in Lean methodologies, tools, and practices to drive process optimization and operational excellence.
• Demonstrated success leading significant change initiatives that have delivered breakthrough organizational results.
• Experience facilitating cross-functional programs and driving alignment across sites, suppliers, and business partners.
• Strong leadership capability, including coaching, training delivery, stakeholder management, and influencing across multiple levels of an organization.
• Ability to build trust and credibility quickly, with strong collaboration, facilitation, communication, and influencing skills.
• Experience defining KPIs, tracking value delivery, and translating data into clear, actionable business insights.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Lean Operations, Process Optimization, Operations Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• Green Belt or Black Belt certification in Lean and/or Six Sigma.
• Experience supporting value stream strategy, capacity modeling, value capture planning, or cost improvement programs is preferred.

Other

• This is a hybrid role (min 3 days per week on site), reporting to the Joints SC SI&D leader.
• May require up to 20% domestic and/or international travel to other locations and sites.