Process Optimization Program Manager

About the role

Leads operational process improvement initiatives focused on optimizing blood collections operations, reducing product discards, lowering donor deferrals, and improving collection accuracy by blood type and product demand. Partners with Collections, Recruitment, Manufacturing, Quality, and operational leadership teams to design, implement, validate, and sustain improvements that enhance donor experience, operational efficiency, product utilization, and blood supply alignment across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Leads improvement initiatives focused on reducing blood product discards, minimizing donor deferrals, and improving blood type and product collection accuracy
• Drives operational strategies that align donor collections with inventory demand, utilization trends, and organizational blood supply goals
• Facilitates cross-functional improvement teams and prioritize high-impact operational initiatives across Collections, Recruitment, Manufacturing, and Quality functions
• Conducts operational assessments, workflow analysis, and on-site observations to identify process gaps, inefficiencies, workflow variation, and opportunities for improvement
• Analyzes donor collection processes to improve donor qualification rates, reduce avoidable deferrals, and enhance donor retention and experience
• Supports initiatives that improve collection mix management, ensuring the right blood products are collected from the right donors at the right time
• Identifies and implements operational changes that reduce over-collection, expiration risk, and product waste
• Analyses operational, donor, and inventory performance data to identify trends, risks, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities
• Develops performance metrics, dashboards, and operational reporting tools related to discards, donor deferrals, collection productivity, blood type alignment, and product utilization
• Establishes monitoring and validation processes to ensure improvements are sustainable and operationally effective

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering or related field and five (5) years relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience
• Licenses, Certifications, and Designations: Lean Six Sigma or Project Management Professional certification preferred
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Advanced knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies; strong grasp of data analysis, metrics, and performance measurement (KPIs); knowledge of automation technologies and enterprise systems (RPA, ERP, workflow tools); understanding of financial impact (ROI, cost-benefit analysis) and business operations; advanced analytical and root cause problem-solving skills; expertise in process mapping, redesign, and workflow optimization; ability to translate data into actionable insights and business recommendations; strong stakeholder management and influencing skills (including senior leadership); excellent communication and presentation skills (executive-level storytelling); ability to think strategically and align improvements to business goals; strong systems thinking (understanding cross-functional dependencies); proven ability to deliver measurable results (efficiency gains, cost savings, quality improvements)

Physical Requirements

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Functions involve the ability to exert light physical effort usually involving some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (up to 20 pounds). May involve some climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, walking or standing.

Environmental Requirements

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Functions are regularly performed inside without potential for exposure to adverse conditions, such as inclement weather, atmospheric elements and pathogenic substances. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.