OE Lead

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. is a leading multinational pharmaceutical company based across global locations. Each of our 24,000 plus employees comes to work every day for one collective purpose: to accelerate access to affordable and innovative medicines because Good Health Can’t Wait.
We started in 1984 with a modest investment, 20 employees and a bold vision. Today, we have research and development centres, manufacturing facilities or a commercial presence in 66 countries. 
For nearly four decades, we have stood for access, affordability and innovation based on the bedrock of deep science, progressive people practices and robust corporate governance. As the pharmaceutical industry evolves and undergoes disruption, we see an opportunity – to strengthen our core further (the next steps) and to build the future (the new bets).
‘The Next and the New’ is how we aim to continue to be the partner of choice – purpose-driven, future-ready and sustainable.  Our aim is to reach over 1.5 Bn+ patients across the world by 2030 by growing our core businesses and building for the future with sustainability at the core of our purpose and strategy. Sustainability for us means operating in a manner that respects people, planet and purpose – helping us conserve precious resources, serve our patients, create value for stakeholders, give back to society, fulfil our potential and maintain our integrity and transparency
Dr Reddy’s maintains a work environment, free from discrimination and is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to employ & nurture all qualified diverse workforce without regard to race, colour religion, nationality, sex, age, disability status, genetics, sexual orientation, gender expression, citizenship or any other characteristic or classification protected by applicable law(s) of the country we operate in. We treasure every talent, and recognize merit and diversity in our organization.

Job Description – Operational Excellence (OE) Lead, IPDO

Role Overview

The OE Lead – IPDO will champion a DLSS‑driven transformation agenda across the R&D ecosystem. The role identifies and delivers improvement opportunities across Productivity, Quality, Delivery, Safety, Cost, and Morale (PQDSCM). The incumbent will drive Design Thinking, Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies to optimize R&D processes, strengthen operational resiliency, and embed a culture of continuous innovation and excellence.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy Development & Deployment

• Co-create and deploy an R&D Operational Excellence strategy grounded in Design Thinking, Lean, and Six Sigma principles.
• Translate the enterprise strategy into X‑Matrix/Hoshin Kanri goals for IPDO.
• Assess the impact of new business initiatives on OE priorities and alignment with DLSS practices.

2. Transformation Methodology (DLSS Framework)

• Develop and own a unified DLSS transformation methodology for R&D, integrating:
  • Design Thinking (empathy → define → ideate → prototype → test)
  • Lean (flow, waste reduction, standardization, value creation)
  • Six Sigma (DMAIC, statistical rigor, variability reduction)
• Train leaders & teams to apply DLSS for structured problem-solving and breakthrough solutioning.
• Build internal capability through tools, templates, playbooks, and community of practice.

3. Design Thinking & Innovation Enablement

• Drive human‑centric solutioning by engaging end-user groups across R&D functions.
• Facilitate co-creation workshops, rapid prototyping, and iterative solution testing.
• Strengthen innovation pipelines by identifying unmet needs across R&D value streams.

4. Cross‑Geography Deployment & Value Realization

• Lead DLSS interventions across global and India R&D teams.
• Ensure measurable value delivery (cost, quality, cycle time, productivity) with 12–18 month sustainability plans.
• Standardize best practices across units and ensure harmonized execution.

5. Knowledge Management & Change Communication

• Institutionalize learnings by embedding them into KM systems, DLSS knowledge assets, and digital repositories.
• Create powerful narratives, case studies, and dashboards to communicate transformation outcomes.

6. Continuous Improvement (Lean + Six Sigma)

• Drive a standardized CI ecosystem across IPDO using common tools & training.
• Lead DMAIC projects, Kaizens, A3 problem solving, value stream mapping (VSM), and waste elimination sprints.
• Monitor KPIs and ensure alignment with annual operating plan.
• Provide technical expertise in Lean methodologies, statistical analysis, and systemic problem solving.
• Track project execution rigor, milestone adherence, and governance discipline.

7. Benchmarking & Manager Model Area Development

• Define the critical R&D value stream to be developed as the Model Area.
• Implement maturity models to achieve top‑quartile performance across PQDSCM.
• Build autonomous, self-managed, zero‑failure work systems using Lean Daily Management, visual controls, and standard work.
• Conduct deep-dive process studies, RCA, FMEA, and risk modeling.

8. Financial & Budget Leadership

• Own the annual OE budget, CapEx proposals, and benefit tracking.
• Ensure financial governance of OE projects, including validation of savings.
• Provide insights to management for critical OE-linked financial decisions.

9. Change Management & Culture Transformation

• Serve as the catalyst for OE-driven cultural transformation across IPDO.
• Shape behaviours aligned to Lean thinking, customer centricity, and daily standard work.
• Manage stakeholder expectations, resistance, and change adoption.
• Strengthen R&D capability through structured development plans and succession planning.

Required Skills & Capabilities

Technical Skills

• Strong command over Design Thinking, Lean tools, Six Sigma DMAIC, Kaizen, Hoshin Kanri, and X‑Matrix deployment.
• Proven experience in driving transformation and large CI programs in R&D or regulated industries.
• Understanding of R&D value chain (FDD, ARD, PM, QA, RA, BE, Packaging Development).
• Deep expertise in statistical tools (Minitab, JMP), data analytics, process mapping, and problem-solving frameworks.

Behavioural Competencies

• Strategic mindset with enterprise perspective
• Strong leadership & influencing capability
• Excellent stakeholder management and customer orientation
• High resilience, decision-making ability, and crisis management
• Negotiation, conflict resolution, and team-building skills
• Strong facilitation and communication abilities

Education & Experience

• B.Tech / BE ad/or MBA (Operations preferred) from a premier institute.
• 12–16 years of relevant experience in OE/Lean Six Sigma/Business Transformation.
• Black Belt certification preferred; Design Thinking certification desirable.

Skills & attributes – 
Functional Skills-
• Best Practice Implementation
• Failure Mode And Effects Analysis
• Overall Equipment Effectiveness
• Process Analysis
• Process Mapping
• Project Management
• Statistics
Resident Skills
• Continuous Improvement Process
• Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs)
• Lean Methodologies
• Operational Excellence
• Operational Excellence
Behavioural Skills
• Proactive Leadership – Takes initiative to identify improvement areas and mobilize cross-functional teams toward impactful solutions.
• Collaboration & Coaching – Builds trust and engagement across teams by mentoring, facilitating workshops, and encouraging shared ownership of outcomes.
• Results Orientation – Maintains a sharp focus on measurable outcomes, driving projects with discipline and accountability to deliver operational excellence.
Critical exposures
• Experience in Lean Six Sigma project execution, process audits and compliance with operational and quality standards  is desired.
• Exposure to data analysis and reporting in transformation projects to track process performance, quality improvements, and change management is preferred.
• Experience in FMEA and Root Cause Analysis to optimize costs and productivity is desired.
• Exposure to Lean tools such as Kaizen, VSM, or SMED for throughput improvement, changeover time reduction, and labour/material optimization is preferred.

Benefits Offered
At Dr. Reddy’s we actively help to catalyse your career growth and professional development through personalised learning programs.
The benefits you will enjoy at Dr. Reddy’s are on par with the best industry standards. They include, among other things and other essential equipment, joining & relocation support, family support (Maternity & Paternity benefits), learning and development opportunities, medical coverage for yourself and your family, life coverage for yourself.

Our Work Culture
Ask any employee at Dr. Reddy’s why they come to work every day and they’ll say, because Good Health Can’t Wait. This is our credo as well as the guiding principle behind all our actions. We see healthcare solutions not only as scientific formulations, but as a means to help patients lead healthier lives, and we’re always attuned to the new and the next to empower people to stay fit. And to do this, we foster a culture of empathy and dynamism. People are at the core of our journey over the last few decades. They have been supported by an enabling environment that buoys individual ability while fostering teamwork and shared success. We believe that when people with diverse skills are bound together by a common purpose and value system, they can make magic.
For more details, please visit our career website at https://careers.drreddys.com/#!/