Lean Business Excellence Specialist

Location: Leiden / Sassenheim, Netherlands
Contract Length: 12 months
Hours: 40 hours per week
Experience Required: Minimum 3 years of hands-on Lean Six Sigma / Continuous Improvement experience
Work Mode: Fully on-site, 5 days per week
Start Date: September / October 2026

Key Responsibilities

• Drive Lean Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement initiatives within a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.

• Coach operational teams on Lean methodologies, structured problem-solving and continuous improvement.

• Lead and facilitate Kaizen events across Operations, Quality and other site functions.

• Support teams in diagnosing operational challenges, analysing root causes and identifying improvement opportunities.

• Develop practical implementation plans together with operational stakeholders and support teams through execution.

• Apply Lean Six Sigma methodologies and tools to improve manufacturing processes, efficiency and operational performance.

• Perform trend and data analysis to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

• Support the deployment of structured Business Excellence / Operating System programmes across the manufacturing site.

• Work directly with cross-functional teams on the shop floor to embed sustainable improvements.

• Support multiple operational departments as a Business Excellence subject matter expert.

• Help develop Lean capabilities within teams through coaching and knowledge sharing.

• Track improvement initiatives and ensure actions deliver measurable and sustainable results.

Essential Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of hands-on Lean Six Sigma / Continuous Improvement experience.

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt OR Green Belt with significant practical field experience delivering Lean Six Sigma projects.

• Strong practical experience applying Lean methodologies rather than certification alone.

• Demonstrated experience leading or facilitating Kaizen / Continuous Improvement initiatives.

• Experience with structured problem-solving, root cause analysis and process improvement.

• Ability to analyse operational performance and translate findings into practical improvement plans.

• Experience coaching teams and stakeholders on Lean / Continuous Improvement methodologies.

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.

• Experience working within a structured manufacturing or operational environment.

• Fluent English.

• Comfortable working fully on-site, 5 days per week in a manufacturing environment.

Preferred Requirements

• Previous experience within pharmaceutical, biotechnology or life sciences manufacturing.

• Experience working within a GMP-regulated environment.

• Experience from another highly regulated or complex operational environment such as food manufacturing, chemicals, energy, aviation or comparable industries.

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

• Experience deploying structured operational excellence or business excellence programmes across multiple teams.

• Experience working directly with manufacturing, Operations and Quality teams.

• Experience supporting Lean transformation programmes within multinational organisations.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing performance, operational excellence and continuous improvement principles.