Vaccines
Where
extraordinary minds
help protect  half a billion people

Job Title: Head of Vaccines RnD Operational Excellence

Location: Marcy-L'Etoile

Le contenu du poste est libellé en anglais car il nécessite de nombreuses interactions avec nos filiales à l’international, l'anglais étant la langue de travail.

This job offer is accessible to all, regardless of gender.

About the Job

We’re an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and helping the world stay ahead of infectious diseases by delivering more than 500 million vaccine doses a year. Across different countries, our talented teams are exploring new technologies to protect people and promote healthy communities. We chase the miracles of science every single day, pursuing progress to make a real impact on millions of patients around the world.

The Head of VRD Operational Excellence (OE) ensures the construction of the OE model, making sure it consistently responds to business needs while demonstrating strong executive presence and a clear ability to transform and perform by driving change and delivering business results efficiently.

He/she leads the OE function within Vaccines R&D and sponsors the organization-wide performance roadmap. The OE team define and deploy standards, build capabilities, align cross-Function efforts, and steer strategic performance roadmaps to deliver measurable impact on business needs. This role is key to embedding sustainable performance, operational agility, and a culture of continuous improvement across Vaccine R&D.

Main Responsibilities

1) Strategic Leadership of the OE Function
Define and drive the OE vision, mission, and operating model for Vaccines R&D in alignment with business priorities. Lead the VRD OE community while designing and evolving OE standards, tools, methodologies, and maturity models.

2) Business Alignment & Strategic Integration

Align Vaccines R&D performance metrics with annual business objectives and transform strategic needs into actionable improvement initiatives. Partner with Vaccines R&D LT to optimize functional improvement programs while driving cross-functional prioritization of improvement opportunities.

3) Executive Leadership Impact
Act as a leader within the leadership team, contributing to strategic decision-making and organizational priorities while ensuring adherence to OE principles. Drive Vaccines R&D culture evolution by promoting desired mindsets, behaviors, and organizational values.

4) OE Resource allocation, Planning & Performance Monitoring

Co-lead with head of function OE resources allocation related to improvement initiatives while leading the annual OE planning cycle in collaboration with function heads and experts.

5) Governance and Cross-Function Support

Define and lead OE structure governance routines and performance reviews while ensuring clarity and consistency of OE roles and responsibilities across the organization. Act as the guardian of methodological consistency and best practice sharing, collaborating closely with Heads of Functions to support deployment of key initiatives.

Expected key impacts

Drive and deliver OE priorities and performance initiatives aligned with Vaccines R&D business needs through accelerated and consistent deployment of OE practices and routines. Strengthen a culture of collaboration, learning, and performance ownership across the organization.

About You

Education:Master’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Business or equivalent

Knowledge /Experience /Technical competencies

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in Operational Excellence, Transformation, or Strategy roles

• Strong track record leading OE programs and global teams in complex environments

• Deep expertise in OE methodologies (Lean, Problem-Solving, Six Sigma, Agile, Theory of constraints)

• Portfolio and initiative planning, KPI system design, maturity model governance

• Data-driven decision-making and performance monitoring.

• Change management and executive stakeholder engagement.

Skills and Abilities

• Visionary leadership and strategic thinking

• Strong influencing and relationship-building skills

• Strong communication skills and impactful message delivery

• Ability to navigate ambiguity and manage complexity

• Solution-oriented, resilient, and highly collaborative

Languages:

• Fluent English
• Fluent French preferred but not mandatory

Why choose us?

• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.​​

• Help protect half a billion people every year, contributing to one of the largest global vaccination efforts in healthcare

• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.​​

• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks’ gender-neutral parental leave.​

Pursue Progress. Discover Extraordinary.

Join Sanofi and step into a new era of science - where your growth can be just as transformative as the work we do. We invest in you to reach further, think faster, and do what’s never-been-done-before. You’ll help push boundaries, challenge convention, and build smarter solutions that reach the communities we serve. Ready to chase the miracles of science and improve people’s lives? Let’s Pursue Progress and Discover Extraordinary – together.

At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

#LI-FR

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Pursue Progress. Discover Extraordinary.

Join Sanofi and step into a new era of science - where your growth can be just as transformative as the work we do. We invest in you to reach further, think faster, and do what’s never-been-done-before. You’ll help push boundaries, challenge convention, and build smarter solutions that reach the communities we serve. Ready to chase the miracles of science and improve people’s lives? Let’s Pursue Progress and Discover Extraordinary – together.

At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

Watch 'One day at Sanofi' and check out our Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives at sanofi.com