Overall Purpose of the Engagement
The contractor will support several strategic operational improvement initiatives across our client's specialty pathology services division and broader national operations, over an initial 3 to 6 month engagement. The engagement duration could extend beyond this period should adequate opportunities present throughout the initial term.
The role combines program delivery with hands-on operational improvement — completing an established DIFOT improvement program, rationalising logistics consumables, supporting an offshore customer service transition, shaping the service model for a new national skin laboratory, and identifying further process improvement and efficiency opportunities as they arise.
Primary Focus Areas and Responsibilities
DIFOT Improvement Program
- Drive completion of the current DIFOT (Delivery In Full, On Time) improvement program.
- Embed the measurement, reporting and root-cause disciplines required to sustain performance gains beyond the engagement.
Logistics Consumables Rationalisation
- Lead a consumables rationalisation project across the specialty services environment.
- Identify opportunities to standardise and integrate specialty consumable procurement and inventory management with the wider group's existing warehouse capabilities and buying power.
Offshore Transition
- Support a small offshore transition initiative, aligning specialty customer service activities with the group's existing operating model.
- Work towards consolidating in-scope service functions within the group's established contact centre in Malaysia.
National Initiative
- Help define and execute the service model as the new national initiative takes shape.
Process Improvement and Operational Efficiency
- Identify and deliver additional process improvement and operational efficiency opportunities within the specialty services environment.
- Contribute to the organisation's future focus on automation and AI-driven operational improvement.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- DIFOT performance improvement against agreed targets
- Delivery of the consumables rationalisation project and associated savings
- Successful transition of in-scope customer service functions to the offshore operating model
- An agreed and executable service model for the national skin laboratory
- Additional efficiency opportunities identified, quantified and delivered
- Stakeholder satisfaction and engagement
THE PERSON
- Strong logistics and supply chain experience within operationally complex organisations.
- Demonstrated success delivering operational transformation programs.
- Experience in automation, process excellence, continuous improvement or Lean methodologies.
- Exposure to AI-enabled business improvement initiatives and project delivery.
- Experience within pathology or healthcare is advantageous, although not essential.
Qualifications and Experience
- Tertiary qualification in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
- A track record of delivering operational transformation and improvement programs from strategy through to execution.
- Experience across procurement, inventory management, warehousing and distribution.
- Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma or comparable process excellence methodologies.
- Strong stakeholder management and change management capabilities.
- Well-developed written and oral communication skills.
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinking combined with hands-on delivery
- Program and project management
- Process excellence and continuous improvement
- Analytical and solutions focused
- Stakeholder management and influencing
- Change management
- Commercial acumen
- Delivery of results
- Adaptability and pace
- Communication and presentation skills
Engagement Terms
- An initial engagement of 3 to 6 months, with scope to extend should adequate opportunities present during the initial term.
- Melbourne based, working across the specialty services and broader group operations.
- Contract rate to be determined, commensurate with experience.