Associate Director - Execution Excellence

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us. 

Purpose

The Execution Excellence Lead drives business planning, performance management and process excellence across IBU Marketing and Medical Affairs. The role is the operational backbone connecting strategy to delivery: building integrated plans, tracking execution against commitments, managing budget and resource trade-offs, and coordinating across affiliates, TA teams and global counterparts. Unlike a single-function project manager, it sits at the intersection of Marketing, Medical and Capabilities, so all workstreams plan, execute and report consistently.

This includes:

• OWN performance management routines: define KPIs, track delivery against plan and surface risks early.
• DRIVE process excellence: standardize and simplify planning, governance and reporting across functions.
• LEAD integrated business planning across Marketing, Medical Affairs and capabilities, aligned to global strategy, affiliate needs and resource realities.
• MAINTAIN execution tracking and cadences that give leadership real-time visibility into status, budget and risk.
• CONNECT Marketing, Medical, affiliates and global teams: align stakeholders and resolve issues.

Primary Responsibilities

Performance Management

• DEFINE the KPI and metrics framework used to track Marketing and Medical execution against plan.
• COLLECT input from functional teams to keep a current, high-level view of initiative status across priority markets.
• OWN budget and performance reporting, giving leadership timely portfolio visibility, forecast risk and early red-flag escalation.
• RUN governance forums and review cadences that hold teams accountable for deliverables, timelines and budget.

Process Excellence

• OWN core planning, governance and execution-tracking processes shared across Marketing and Medical.
• SIMPLIFY and standardize processes and tools across both functions, reducing duplication and administrative burden on affiliates and ICX.
• CAPTURE and share best practices and lessons across markets and TAs, embedding them in planning cycles, training and guidance.
• ASSESS process maturity and recommend improvements that raise efficiency and execution quality.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• COORDINATE Marketing, Medical Affairs, affiliates and global functions as the primary point of contact for aligned execution.
• ANTICIPATE and resolve issues before they escalate; ensure decisions and key information are documented.
• LEAD taskforces and working groups with clear scope, ownership and timelines.
• BUILD relationships with functional leaders, influencing through collaboration rather than positional authority, and onboard affiliates into shared planning and governance.

Business Planning

• LEAD integrated business planning across IBU Marketing and Medical Affairs with global, regional and affiliate teams, aligning strategy, priorities and resources.
• BUILD the consolidated operational plan, integrating Marketing and Medical inputs into one view for leadership.
• OWN budget planning: consolidate plans and forecasts, track actuals against plan, and recommend trade-offs and reallocation.
• MANAGE change in scope, quality, cost and timeline, and facilitate leadership review and approval of annual and in-year plans.

Project Management

• TRACK project, program and initiative status in real time across the portfolio, using appropriate tools.
• APPLY cost, timeline, scope and risk disciplines consistently, keeping documentation current and accessible.
• MANAGE select complex, cross-functional projects that need dedicated coordination.
• ESCALATE and resolve issues affecting key deliverables in a timely, structured way.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required

• Minimum of 2 years of experience business planning, performance management or project/program management in a matrixed organization.

•  Other Information / Additional Preferences
• MBA or equivalent advanced certification beneficial.
• Preferably experience in the pharmaceutical industry across Marketing/Commercial and Medical Affairs.
• Demonstrated business planning, performance management or project/program management in a matrixed organization.
• Strong business fundamentals with a portfolio-level view across functions.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams across functions, geographies and cultures without positional authority.
• Strong interpersonal skills: builds shared vision and manages conflict across diverse stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving and judgment: anticipates systemic issues, diagnoses root causes, and takes and defends positions.
• Proficiency in project management tools and disciplines (chartering, scope, timeline, budget, communication planning).
• Strong organizational skills; independently manages shifting priorities.
• Excellent written and oral communication, credible at all levels.
• Strong AI skills.
• Experience influencing decisions in virtual, multi-geography environments.
• Experience facilitating workshops or forums that turn insight into an actionable plan and book of work.
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma or similar methodologies is a plus.

Additional Information

• Lilly may provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role for internal applicants only.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

#WeAreLilly