Sr. distribution excellence manager

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.

The (Senior) Distribution Excellence Manager is responsible for leading distribution operations, continuous improvement initiatives to ensure reliable, compliant, cost-effective, and scalable product distribution across the market. The role drives operational excellence through process optimization, KPI governance, distribution strategy, risk mitigation, and cross-functional collaboration to support business growth, product launches, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

1. Distribution Governance & Channel Excellence Lead distribution governance processes to ensure compliant and effective product flow through channel partners. Develop and maintain distribution-related operating procedures. Monitor distributor performance, inventory visibility, and channel execution effectiveness. Drive continuous improvement of distribution processes and controls. Partner with commercial teams to support product launches, channel strategy, and market expansion initiatives to smooth end to end process and data visibility.
2. Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement Lead operational excellence initiatives across distribution-related processes. Utilize automation, and digital solutions to simplify processes and improve efficiency. Establish performance metrics, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms to drive accountability. Analyze business and operational data to identify improvement opportunities and implement sustainable solutions. Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational discipline.
3. Commercial Operations Support Support commercial programs related to rebates, discounts, tender subsidies, inventory compensation, and channel management. Establish governance processes to ensure accurate execution, accrual management, and compliance with internal controls. Collaborate with Finance, Commercial, and Compliance teams to strengthen operational effectiveness and transparency. Drive process standardization and monitoring for channel-related programs.
4. Compliance & Internal Controls Ensure compliance with company policies, applicable regulations, and internal control requirements. Maintain oversight of distribution-related SOPs and control frameworks. Support audits, inspections, and remediation activities. Drive identification and mitigation of operational and compliance risks. Ensure proper documentation and governance of key operational processes.
5. Business Continuity & Risk Management Own and maintain Distribution Business Continuity Plans (BCP). Lead periodic risk assessments and contingency planning activities. Coordinate crisis response activities related to distribution continuity. Ensure organizational readiness through training, testing, and governance reviews. Maintain stakeholder communication during business disruption events.
6. Performance Management & Analytics Establish KPI governance and performance review mechanisms. Monitor channel inventory, distribution performance, and business process effectiveness. Develop management reporting, operational insights, and business recommendations. Utilize analytics to identify risks, trends, and opportunities for improvement. Support leadership decision-making through data-driven insights.
7. Stakeholder Management Build strong partnerships across Supply Chain, Commercial, Finance, Quality, Compliance, and Regulatory functions. Influence stakeholders to drive alignment, accountability, and execution excellence. Champion change management and organizational capability development.

Candidate Profile

Education Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain, Business Administration, Operations Management, Finance, Engineering, or related field.

Experience 8-10+ years of experience in Supply Chain (planning preferred), Distribution Management, Operational Excellence, healthcare industry preferred. Strong experience in governance, process excellence, compliance, and cross-functional leadership. Experience in pharmaceutical, healthcare, med-tech, or other highly regulated industries preferred.

Competencies Operational Excellence, Strategic Thinking, Data Analytics, Process Design & Optimization, Stakeholder Influence, Communication & Executive Presence.

Reporting Line Reports to: Associate Director, Supply Chain.

This version positions the role closer to a Distribution Excellence / Commercial Supply Chain Excellence leader, rather than a traditional Logistics or Customer Service manager. 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 does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. #WeAreLilly