Associate Director – Tech@Lilly MQ Site Leader, Seishin (Japan)

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Position Brand Description:

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We discover, develop, and deliver medicines that help people live longer, healthier, more active lives, and we give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.

Lilly is entering an exciting period of growth and is investing around the world to build new state-of-the-art manufacturing sites and expand existing ones. Our facilities use the latest technology, highly integrated and automated manufacturing systems, and a focus on minimizing environmental impact.

The Tech@Lilly Manufacturing and Quality (MQ) team at the Seishin site in Kobe, Japan is looking for an Associate Director to lead the site Tech@Lilly team. If you are passionate about manufacturing excellence, enjoy applying technology to make reliable, life-saving medicines, and want to work in a diverse, inclusive, and fast-paced environment, bring your skills and talents to Lilly, where you can make an impact on patients with “Safety First and Quality Always.”

The Associate Director – Tech@Lilly MQ Site Leader is the head of the Manufacturing IT team at Seishin, accountable for compliant IT solutions and services that enable the site to make medicine safely, reliably, and at scale.

As Site Leader, you will align the global Tech@Lilly MQ digital strategy with the Seishin operational and manufacturing strategy. You will drive major site initiatives, implement and sustain global and local Tech@Lilly MQ solutions, build a digital culture, and steward the assets and resources of the site IT organization. Key areas of focus include Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), paperless manufacturing, warehouse management (EWM) and SAP integration, implementation of next generation lab capabilities, and IT/OT convergence, network and infrastructure, data and analytics, and digital upskilling. This role will report directly to the MQ Tech@Lilly Vice President for Device Assembly & Packaging and have a dotted line reporting to the Seishin Site Head.

As an engaged member of the Seishin Site Lead Team, you will represent the manufacturing Tech@Lilly function, help shape the site's strategic plan, and partner with regional and global Tech@Lilly MQ leaders so that learnings and capabilities are standardized and shared across the network of sites. You will also develop and coach the site IT team which will consist of 7-10 employees to deliver both short-term and long-term business value.

Key Objectives/Deliverables:

Leading People and Culture

- Establish, enable, and reward a safety culture in the IT organization and at the site, and model Lilly values and leadership behaviors

- Build, coach, and develop a high-performing team; ensure staffing, succession, and career plans meet the site's current and future needs

- Lead recognition, pay, and promotion decisions, and support diversity, equity, and inclusion in recruiting and development

- Lead talent assessment and succession planning activities

- Remain accountable for the performance and results of the Manufacturing IT team

Technology and Digital Delivery

- Lead delivery and sustainment of global and local Tech@Lilly MQ solutions at Seishin, including MES, paperless manufacturing, EWM and SAP integration, next generation QC lab systems, and automation and IT/OT systems

- Enable data-driven decisions by turning manufacturing data into information through digital, analytics, and AI solutions

- Ensure strong lifecycle management for every IT system, from design and development through delivery, maintenance, and retirement

- Identify and evaluate emerging technologies that drive continuous improvement and innovation in manufacturing operations

Compliance and Operational Excellence

- Operate in a state of continuous compliance with GMP, quality, and data integrity requirements, and enable others at the site to do the same through IT

- Define and execute IT inspection readiness activities

- Ensure computer system validation, cybersecurity, and service management practices keep systems secure, available, and inspection-ready

- Manage financials for labor, applications, vendors, and project initiatives, and manage vendor relationships and contracts

- Roll out new systems and changes in a planned, secure manner, with training and change management built in

Strategy and Collaboration

- Contribute actively to the Seishin Site Lead Team and help advance the site's strategic plan

- Develop and execute IT plans with a time horizon of up to five years, and make strategic trade-offs on financial and human resource investments across projects and services

- Understand the external environment, including Japanese regulatory expectations, and incorporate relevant requirements into IT strategy and operations

- Partner with regional and global Tech@Lilly MQ leaders and peer sites to share best practices, apply internal and external benchmarks, and balance global standards with local needs

What You Should Bring:

- Excellent leadership skills, with the ability to build, develop, and inspire a high-performing team

- A proven track record of leading digital transformation and major system implementations in a manufacturing environment

- Strong understanding of GMP, data integrity, and the regulatory requirements that apply to manufacturing and quality systems

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts to business partners and leaders

- The ability to thrive in a complex, changing environment, managing multiple priorities with autonomy

- Curiosity, a commitment to continuous learning, and strategic thinking with an external focus

Minimum Requirements:

- Experience in IT, automation, or engineering within a manufacturing environment, including Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and/or SAP

- Professional experience in a GMP-regulated environment

- People management experience (3+ years), including building and developing teams

- Project management experience, including leading major project implementations

- Vendor management experience

- Business-level proficiency in both Japanese and English or willingness to develop such proficiency

Additional Preferences:

Technical

- Knowledge of GMP and computer system validation

- Knowledge of the S95 (ISA-95) architecture model and IT/OT convergence

- Experience with advanced analytics, machine learning, and other emerging technologies

- Knowledge of Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement practices

- Advanced degree in Computer Science, Information Science, Engineering, or a related field

Personal

- Strong customer focus, balanced with the ability to support global and local policies and standards

- Ability to work with and influence others in a cross-functional team environment

- Negotiation skills and strategic thinking

Education Requirements:

- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience

Other Information:

- Position location: Seishin site, Kobe, Japan

- On-site presence required, with probable after-hours support for site systems given 24 hr nature of site

- Occasional regional and global travel may be required

- Language requirements: Japanese and English

- Must maintain a safe work environment, working safely and accountable for supporting all health and safety corporate and site goals

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

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