Portfolio Execution Leader - Surgical

Job Description

The Portfolio Execution Leader – Surgical is responsible for managing the global portfolio of sustaining engineering efforts and quality/compliance initiatives (including CAPAs, NCRs, and related efforts) for Olympus’s Surgical Business Unit (including Surgical Endoscopy, ENT & Surgical Devices). This role ensures effective execution, oversight, and transparent reporting across all initiatives.

Drawing on extensive experience in product development, sustaining engineering, and project management, the Portfolio Execution Leader will partner with cross-functional business leaders to establish and prioritize the portfolio of sustaining engineering initiatives for this Business Unit. To drive efficient execution, they will coordinate and chair collaborative project reviews, ensuring teams receive the necessary support to achieve milestones. This includes securing adequate resourcing based on priority, clarifying objectives and scope, aligning on execution pathway, and resolving project challenges.

The Portfolio Execution Leader will also lead regular governance forums with BU and Divisional leadership, providing clear visibility into project progress, financials, KPI’s and performance metrics. They will facilitate decision-making to address hurdles, resolve conflicts in priorities, and maintain alignment across the portfolio. Additionally, this role will contribute to project estimation and budget planning processes as required.

This position is supported by Sustaining Engineering Project Managers (indirect reports assigned by Sust. PMO to support BU specific efforts), and by our Sustaining Operations Team.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned professional with a proven track record in sustaining engineering and/or medical device development, combined with strong expertise in project and portfolio management. Success in this role requires exceptional skills in global stakeholder engagement, cross-functional alignment, and leadership within complex environments. A proactive, flexible approach and the ability to foster collaboration and build strong relationships across diverse teams is essential.

Job Duties

• Coordinate and chair weekly cross-functional Sustaining Prioritization Team (SPT) meetings as a member of the Decision Board, to triage new activities, immediately resource mission-critical efforts (and identify tradeoffs), and score / rank non-mission-critical activities, while maintaining the prioritized project portfolio for the BU by project type (e.g., Quality/Compliance related, Lifecycle Management, Cost Improvement)
• Maintain a comprehensive view of action items from the Sustaining Prioritization Team meetings, ideate / establish agenda in collaboration with other Decision Board members, and ensure decisions are reached in a timely manner to advance the SPT’s overall efforts.
• Participate in cross-functional project reviews to ensure teams are promptly provided with cross-functional input, guidance, and support. Actively engage in removing obstacles and identifying solutions to enable efficient project execution.
• Provide guidance and support to project teams (in collaboration with Director of Sust. PMO) to ensure all efforts advance on schedule and with approved budget and staffing. Ensure adherence to quality systems and operating procedures and alignment to functional operating norms, processes and guidelines.
• Support our function in preparation for Divisional / BU Sustaining Governance Board (SGB), enabling efficient review of overall portfolio and project advancements, resolution of issues / escalations, financial status of respective BU, and provide input / monitoring of applicable KPI’s and metrics.
• Oversee targeted interventions for underperforming or at-risk projects through cross-functional SPT review, alignment on action plans, and if needed escalate to SGB. Drive SGB escalations / decisions with sense of urgency.
• Maintain a holistic view of the overall sustaining efforts, priorities, and portfolio with sufficient detail and comprehension to informally report and/or discuss efforts with divisional, business unit, and functional leaders whenever required.
• Continuously seek areas to enhance our functions efficiency, effectiveness, and competency. Proactively collaborate on these opportunities to seek input, support and endorsement where required and lead implementation where applicable.
• Collaborate with Sust. Operations team on financial tracking needs, engagements with the Offshore Development Center, and additional support required.
• Maintain collaborative / trusting relationships with all stakeholders and effectively manage expectations.
• When required, lead initiatives and/or programs as an individual contributor. 

Job Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.
• Minimum of 15 years experience combined experience in medical device product development / sustaining engineering and project management.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in project management.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills; Ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills.
• Highly developed strategic vision.
• Experience finding solutions or resolutions when faced with incongruent BU/portfolio wants / desires, resource / budget limitations, regulatory / quality hurdles, execution timing challenges, etc.
• High degree of personal initiative and drive.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Ability to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with keen attention to detail.
• Ability to support global meetings / discussions (e.g., schedule flexibility to support meetings with teams in Hamburg, DE and Tokyo, JP).
• Travel up to 6x per year (generally to Olympus sites) at one week per engagement.

Preferred:

• Project management expertise with a recognized certification in project management desired.
• Experience in medium to large medtech organizations preferred.