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.
JOB POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Supervisor – North American Logistics Operations (NALO) provides front-line leadership for an Operations Team at the Plainfield Distribution Center (PDC), with as-needed support at the Enfield, CT distribution center. Reporting to the Process Team Leader – NALO, this role is central to NALO’s commitment to Safety First, Quality Always, On-Time Delivery, and Cost stewardship across all warehouse operations. The Supervisor creates the conditions for the team to perform, grow, and succeed by clarifying priorities, developing people, and shaping a positive, aligned work environment.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Champion a culture of safety accountability — ensuring all team members are knowledgeable, compliant, and safely perform their roles in accordance with Eli Lilly Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) standards and applicable regulatory requirements — by setting clear expectations, following through on observations, and maintaining non-negotiable standards for safe behavior across all shifts.
- Ensure full team compliance with quality standards as defined by current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), Global Quality Standards, and local procedures — enforcing data integrity and good documentation practices for all job tasks, clarifying quality priorities daily, and ensuring follow-through on corrective actions, process checks, and documentation requirements.
- Manage day-to-day operations by clarifying task priorities and assigning work for proper resource allocation — overseeing receiving of finished products, packaging components, and purchased materials (including truck unloading, quantity verification, and SAP receipt entry); managing replenishment, pick, pack, and fulfillment to meet accuracy, quality, and productivity targets; coordinating shipment to wholesalers, sales representatives, physicians, and other Lilly sites; and ensuring customer service commitments are met (right product, right patient, right time).
- Lead and support investigations for all HSE and Quality deviations related to operations activities, ensuring corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) are identified, documented, and driven to closure.
- Set clear expectations for security compliance and ensure all team members understand and adhere to the requirements defined in facility Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Monitor and manage adherence to budget commitments, and identify and drive productivity improvement initiatives — tracking follow-through on commitments and holding the team accountable to results.
- Build trust through consistent, fair, and transparent leadership across all team members and shifts — providing day-to-day coaching, guidance, and supervision to develop confidence and technical proficiency, driving performance management (goal setting, ongoing feedback, and individual development planning), and reinforcing accountability by connecting individual behaviors and outcomes to team and organizational commitments.
- Shape a positive team culture grounded in Lilly’s values of integrity, excellence, and respect for people — improving communication across shifts, functions, and the broader NALO organization to reduce ambiguity and friction, creating alignment between team activities and NALO strategic priorities, and fostering an inclusive environment where team members feel safe to raise concerns, ask questions, and contribute ideas.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, with sound documentation practices.
- Demonstrated self-management, organizational, and prioritization skills. Working knowledge of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs).
- Ability to function effectively as a member of a cross-functional team, collaborating with HSE, Engineering, Maintenance, and Quality.
- Education Level: High School diploma, associate degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience: Minimum five (5) years of experience in a manufacturing or distribution environment within the pharmaceutical industry, including experience working in a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulated environment.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS/ PREFERENCES:
- Previous experience in pharmaceutical distribution or warehouse operations. Prior work with SAP or a comparable warehouse management / ERP system. Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Teams, and Outlook.
- Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop front-line teams across multiple shifts.
- Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles, with a track record of driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.
- Proven ability to maintain accuracy, quality, and productivity targets in a high-volume distribution environment.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- The role supports operations that run Sunday – Friday across multiple shifts, with occasional Saturdays as needed; availability for off-hours response to critical operational needs is expected.
- A company-issued cell phone will be provided; off-hours availability is expected for time-sensitive situations.
- Work may involve exposure to extreme temperatures, including chill room environments, and the ability to lift up to 40 lbs. as needed to perform operational tasks.
- Position Location: Plainfield Distribution Center (PDC), Plainfield, Indiana, with as-needed support at Enfield, CT
- Travel Percentage (%): Up to 10%. Occasional travel to Enfield, CT or other Lilly sites may be required.
- Shift Information: Supports a multi-shift distribution operation (Sunday – Friday, with occasional Saturdays) across Day Shift and Extended Shift teams.
NOTE: This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the job requirements at the time it was prepared. The job requirements of any position may change over time and may include additional responsibilities not specifically described in the job description. For GMP purposes, the job description should be updated for significant changes. As always, you should consult with your supervisor regarding your actual job responsibilities and any related duties that may be required for the position.
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
$35.33 - $51.83
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.
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