Associate Director- Cold Chain Transportation COE

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. Position Summary The Associate Director actively drives the Global Transportation and Cold Chain strategic and operational agenda. The role combines driving strategic and operational initiatives as well as hands-on operational execution for transportation activities with project management leadership for key COE initiatives that advance Lilly's global logistics network. This role will actively support the transportation transformation initiative enabled by the implementation of Regional Transportation Hubs. This is a working leadership role for a candidate who can move fluidly between operational problem-solving (carrier issues, excursion management, customs holds, lane performance) and structured project delivery (productivity initiatives, cold chain qualifications, compliance programs). The ideal candidate brings deep cold chain and transportation expertise, working knowledge of GDP, and the discipline to support Transportation Quality and regulatory processes across multiple geographies. Key Responsibilities Transportation Center of Excellence Execute the global transportation strategy across all temperature-controlled lanes and modes Maintain GDP/GMP-compliant standards for cold chain shipments across markets Maintain and execute business continuity plans for transportation disruptions Drive IoT monitoring use and own the operational response to temperature excursions Oversee multi-modal transportation operations (air, ocean, ground, parcel) Provide operational oversight of carriers, freight forwarders, and 3PLs against SLAs and KPIs Support import/export operations including customs clearance, documentation andnINCOTERMS application, Optimize lanes and networks for cost, service, sustainability, and compliance Collaborates with TMS adoption, real-time visibility tooling, and analytics rollouts Partner with Import/Export Compliance teams to ensure trade, customs, and hazmat compliance across jurisdictions Support thermal packaging selection, qualification, and lane-specific validations Operational Execution Serve as the COE's operational point of accountability for transportation business processes Triage and resolve in-flight transportation issues, escalations, and exceptions Run operational governance cadences (carrier reviews, lane performance, excursion reviews) Drive root-cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions on recurring operational issues Project Management for Key Initiatives Lead end-to-end project management for COE initiatives (scoping, planning, stakeholder alignment, execution, closeout) Manage cross-functional workstreams across Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Trade Compliance, IT, and Commercial Maintain integrated project plans, risk/issue logs, and executive-ready status reporting Apply structured PM methodology (stage-gate, Agile, or hybrid) appropriate to each initiative Transportation Quality & Regulatory Compliance Apply GDP knowledge to support compliance with Transportation Quality and regulatory processes Partner with Quality on deviations, CAPAs, change controls, and audit readiness for transportation activities Ensure sound risk analysis and documentation for our transportation processes Support inspections and audits (internal, regulatory, customer) related to transportation and cold chain Leadership & Cross-Functional Responsibilities Operational Excellence Support KPI definition and governance across the COE's global transportation and cold chain operations Drive continuous improvement using Lean / Six Sigma methods Support the Global Transportation transformation initiative, including the Regional Transportation Hubs rollout Stakeholder Engagement Partner daily with Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Trade Compliance, and Commercial teams Maintain working relationships with logistics service providers and cold chain solution providers Represent the COE in cross-functional forums and operational reviews Change Management Champion adoption of new transportation processes, systems, and digital tools Build cross-functional alignment on operational changes driven by COE initiatives Coach and develop more junior team members and matrixed contributors on transportation operations and project delivery Basic Requirements Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Science or related field 5+ years in global transportation or logistics operations with direct accountability for carrier management, lane performance, and cross-border shipment execution — including 3+ years specifically in cold chain or temperature-controlled logistics in a regulated industry Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1. Additional Preferences Master's degree in Supply Chain Management or MBA Hands-on TMS experience (SAP TM, Oracle TMS, MercuryGate, or equivalent) and IoT monitoring platforms (Sensitech, Berlinger, Controlant, or equivalent) Import/export operational experience: trade documentation, INCOTERMS, customs clearance across multiple jurisdictions Accountable project lead on cross-functional initiatives with defined scope, schedule, and stakeholder reporting from initiation through closeout Pharmaceutical or regulated-industry background on the shipper side — not exclusively CDMO or 3PL APICS CSCP, CLTD, or CTL certification PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management certification Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt Hands-on experience managing temperature excursion investigations end-to-end and serving as a named contributor or lead on cold chain packaging qualification studies (thermal, lane, or modal) GDP applied in a regulated transportation environment: authored or reviewed deviation reports, supported CAPAs, and participated in transportation audits Certifications (Preferred) APICS CSCP, CLTD, or CTL certification PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management certification Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt Core Competencies Technical Expertise: Cold chain transportation operations, GDP compliance, import/export, TMS, supply chain analytics Project Management: Structured delivery of cross-functional initiatives from scoping through closeout Operational Acumen: Hands-on problem-solving for in-flight transportation issues Collaboration: Strong cross-functional partnership across Quality, Procurement, Manufacturing, and external providers Communication: Clear written and verbal communication with operational and executive audiences Industry Knowledge Global regulatory landscape for pharmaceuticals, biologics, or high-value temperature-sensitive goods International trade compliance and import/export operations Transportation Quality standards and audit/inspection readiness Working Conditions Full-time on-site at Corporate Headquarters Up to 15% international travel Occasional after-hours availability to support global operations across time zones . 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 ( 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 Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $127,500 - $187,000 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 At Lilly we strive to ensure our employees are part of a team that cares about them and our shared purpose of making life better for those around the world. How do we do this? We continue to look for ways to include, innovate, accelerate and deliver while maintaining integrity, excellence and respect for people. We hope that you seek to join us on our journey as we create medicine and deliver improved outcomes for patients across the globe! #WeAreLilly