Operational Coach (Start-up Phase)

Job Description

You are responsible for building not only the future operating team, but also the digital manufacturing culture required to successfully operate a next-generation, paperless production facility.

For our Animal Health location Boxmeer, we are currently recruiting an: Operational Coach – Blend & Fill Facility (Start-up Phase)

As part of a fully digital manufacturing facility, the Operational Coach plays a key role in preparing the workforce to operate in a paperless environment supported by advanced manufacturing technologies, real-time data, connected systems, and digital workflows. The role is instrumental in fostering a culture that embraces innovation, continuous learning, and digital adoption. Working closely with fellow Operational Coaches and cross-functional partners including Maintenance & Reliability (M&R), Engineering, Automation, Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Control (QC), Supply Chain, Digital Manufacturing, and Project teams, the Operational Coach helps ensure the facility is prepared for commissioning, qualification, validation, and commercial operations.

The Operational Coach is responsible for building, developing, and leading a team of operators during the start-up and operational readiness phase of a new Blend & Fill manufacturing facility. The role is critical in establishing a high-performing organization capable of safely, compliantly, and efficiently operating a state-of-the-art manufacturing environment. The role combines people leadership, operational readiness, digital transformation, and hands-on involvement in facility start-up activities. Acting as a change leader, the Operational Coach fosters a culture of safety, quality, accountability, continuous improvement, operational excellence, and digital-first thinking from the earliest stages of facility operation.

Organization & Team Development

• →Recruit, onboard, train, and develop operators to build a high-performing operations team.
• →Establish team structures, shift patterns, clear roles, and accountabilities.
• →Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, continuous improvement, and innovation.

Digital Manufacturing & Capability Building

• →Prepare and coach operators for a fully paperless manufacturing environment.
• →Drive adoption of digital manufacturing systems, electronic batch records, and data-driven workflows.
• →Build digital capabilities and promote the use of performance data for decision-making and operational excellence.

Operational Readiness

• →Support development and implementation of operational processes, standards, and training programs.
• →Contribute to staffing, capability development, and readiness planning.
• →Ensure operators are prepared to execute manufacturing processes safely, compliantly, and right first time from Day 1.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• →Promote a strong safety-first and quality-first culture.
• →Ensure compliance with GMP, EHS, data integrity, and regulatory requirements.
• →Drive risk mitigation and coach teams on quality, compliance, and data governance standards.

Key Success Measures

• →Successful recruitment, onboarding, and qualification of the operations workforce.
• →Readiness of people, processes, systems, and digital tools for commissioning and validation.
• →High adoption and effective use of digital manufacturing capabilities.
• →Safe, compliant, and efficient execution of start-up and qualification activities.
• →Development of a capable, digitally enabled, and self-sustaining operations team.
• →Seamless transition from project phase to commercial operations with strong engagement and continuous improvement.

• Bachelor's degree (HBO level) in Engineering, Process Technology, Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Proven experience in a manufacturing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food, chemical, or other regulated production environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and coach operational teams, preferably within a start-up, expansion, or transformation environment.
• Strong understanding of GMP, EHS, quality systems, and regulatory requirements within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Digitally savvy with an interest in leveraging technology, data, and automation to improve operational performance.
• Experience working with manufacturing execution systems (MES), electronic batch records (EBR), digital workflows, data visualization tools, or other digital manufacturing technologies is preferred.
• Fluent in Dutch and English, both written and verbal.

Our Animal Health division is a trusted global leader in veterinary medicine, dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being, and performance of animals and the people who care for them. We are a global team of professionals working together to make a positive impact on animal care and the world’s food supply, with a strong sense of responsibility toward our customers, consumers, animals, society, and the planet.

Through our commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, we provide veterinarians, farmers, pet owners, and governments with one of the broadest portfolios of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and health management solutions and services. This includes an extensive range of digitally connected identification, traceability, and monitoring products. We invest in dynamic and comprehensive R&D capabilities and a modern global supply chain. We operate in more than 50 countries, with our products available in approximately 150 markets worldwide.

Please send your question along with the vacancy number and job title to this email address: RecruitmentNL@MSD.com. Applications can only be submitted via the website.

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