Director, Communications Strategy & Operational Excellence

About the role

At Danaher, our work saves lives. Each of us plays a part. Fueled by a culture of continuous improvement, we turn ideas into impact—innovating at the speed of life. Our 60,000+ associates work across the globe at more than 15 unique businesses within life sciences, diagnostics, and biotechnology. This role offers the opportunity to accelerate your potential and make a real difference.

The Director, Communications Strategy & Operational Excellence is an enterprise enablement leader responsible for designing, enabling, and continuously improving the Communications operating model across Danaher. The role provides the systems, governance, and operating cadence that enable enterprise Communications strategic planning, priority-setting, portfolio management, DBS-driven ways of working, and team performance—allowing Communications leaders and teams to deliver impact with clarity and discipline.

Reporting to the VP of Communications Operations and part of the Enterprise Communications function, this role is located remotely or on-site in our Boston office.

In This Role You Will Have The Opportunity To

• Partner with and support Communications leadership in the development, integration, and sustainment of the enterprise Communications long-range strategy, including Policy Deployment (PD), the strategic project roadmap, Bowler/KPIs, etc.
• Design and enable Communications leadership operating rhythms, governance forums, and decision-making cadences that support clarity, alignment, and disciplined execution.
• Serve as the DBS capability lead within the Communications Operations team, coaching senior leaders and teams on applying Transactional Process Improvement (TPI) principles to improve enterprise Communications workflows—eliminating waste, reducing cycle time, improving quality, and strengthening delivery performance through operating frameworks.
• Help build foundational and sustained capability across global Communications teams in DBS Fundamentals (VOC, VSM, 5S, Standard Work, DM, PSP), ensuring tools and behaviors are embedded and visible; translate DBS principles into Communications-specific applications.
• Enable and maintain enterprise-wide standard work for Communications, ensuring clear ownership, consistent review cycles, centralized access.
• Coordinate enterprise planning, performance, and governance cadences, including budgeting, forecasting and measurement frameworks.

Essential Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in DBS, strategic planning, PMO leadership, or enterprise-level Communications Operations within complex, global organizations.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Advanced DBS/Lean practitioner (certified) with enterprise-scale experience applying DBS tools (e.g., TPI, PSP, Daily Management, Policy Deployment), facilitating Kaizen events, and embedding governance systems, planning frameworks, KPI/Bowler management, and portfolio discipline.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities, supported by financial and business acumen to enable data-driven decisions and translate enterprise priorities into high-impact communications strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to orchestrate complex, multi-workstream initiatives through influence, enabling senior leaders, aligning stakeholders, and driving outcomes in matrixed environments where execution occurs through others.

It would be a plus if you also possess:

• PMP certification;
• Experience working closely with Corporate Communications, PMO, or enterprise transformation teams;
• A track record operating effectively across highly matrixed, global enterprises.

Travel

Estimated between 30% – 40% of time.

Benefits

Danaher offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it is a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info.

Work Arrangement

Danaher recognizes the benefits of flexible, remote working arrangements for eligible roles and is committed to providing enriching careers, no matter the work arrangement. This position is eligible for a remote work arrangement in which you can work remotely from your home. The interview team will provide additional information about this remote work arrangement.

Pay

The annual salary range for this role is $140,000 – $190,000. This range may be modified in the future. This job is also eligible for bonus/incentive pay.