Director, DBS - Supply Chain, Operations (Onsite: Deer Park, IL)
Danaher Corporation
Summary
The Director, DBS, will lead high-impact business process improvement initiatives across Leica Biosystems, partnering with functional leaders in Customer Care, Commercial Operations, Supply Chain, Operations, and other enabling functions. This role will apply Danaher Business System principles, Lean thinking, and structured problem-solving to simplify transactional processes, eliminate waste, improve flow, and deliver measurable improvements in quality, delivery, cost, customer experience, productivity, and cycle time. This position serves as a hands-on change leader, coach, and trusted partner to the business.
Job description
The successful candidate will operate with a high degree of independence to assess complex processes, align cross-functional stakeholders, facilitate Kaizen events and improvement workshops, and ensure solutions are sustained through effective governance, metrics, and daily management. This position reports to the Vice President, DBS and is part of the global DBS leadership team; the associate will be located in Deer Park, IL and will be an on-site role.
Primary Responsibilities
- Lead cross-functional Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives to drive measurable gains in Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Customer Experience.
- Partner with business leaders to identify opportunities, translate challenges into improvement roadmaps, and support achievement of strategic objectives.
- Coach, mentor, and develop associates and leaders in DBS fundamentals, including TPI, Standard Work, Daily Management, PSP, and Value Stream Mapping.
- Establish sustainable operating mechanisms through Daily Management, visual performance management, metrics, governance, and accountability processes.
- Serve as a trusted advisor who influences across functions, builds a culture of continuous improvement, and scales best practices across Leica Biosystems and Danaher.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- 7+ years of experience leading continuous improvement, Lean, operational excellence, consulting, or business transformation initiatives.
- Proven hands-on experience applying Lean, Six Sigma, Toyota Production System, DBS, or similar continuous improvement methodologies in transactional or business process environments such as commercial operations, customer care, service, supply chain, or order-to-cash.
- Demonstrated ability to partner strategically with business leaders, influence without authority, and deliver measurable, timebound improvements tied to business metrics.
- Operate with a high degree of independence to assess complex business processes, identify root causes, align stakeholders, and lead execution of sustainable improvement plans.
- Willingness to travel approximately 25% of the time; predominantly domestic with some international travel as needed.
Benefits
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Paid time off
- 401(k)
- Bonus/incentive pay
Company overview
Danaher Corporation is a leading global science and technology innovator headquartered in Washington, D.C., specializing in biotechnology, life sciences, and diagnostics. Founded in 1984 by brothers Steven and Mitchell Rales, the company has evolved from its origins as a manufacturing conglomerate into a premier healthcare technology organization with approximately 63,000 employees worldwide. Danaher operates through three core divisions: biotechnology (28% of revenues), which develops products for therapeutic development; life sciences (31% of revenues), focused on disease identification, new therapies, and drug testing/manufacturing; and diagnostics (41% of revenues), providing instruments, consumables, and software for disease diagnosis. The company's portfolio includes renowned brands such as Beckman Coulter, Cytiva, Pall Corporation, Cepheid, Leica Microsystems, and Abcam, serving pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, healthcare providers, and research institutions globally. Danaher is distinguished by its Danaher Business System (DBS), a continuous improvement methodology that drives innovation and operational excellence. With 2024 revenues of $23.9 billion, the company ranks 180th on the Fortune 500 and plays a critical role in advancing scientific research, improving diagnostic capabilities, and accelerating the development of life-saving therapies.