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Program Manager - Design for Excellence - Job Opportunity at Philips

Best, Netherlands
Full-time
Senior
Posted: May 29, 2025
On-site
EUR 85,000 - 110,000 annually. This estimate reflects the senior-level requirements, technical complexity, and strategic nature of the role within the Netherlands' competitive healthcare technology market. Philips typically offers competitive compensation packages that align with or exceed market rates for similar positions in the Eindhoven region.

Benefits

Access to comprehensive health technology innovation environment that enhances professional development and industry expertise
Opportunity to work on meaningful healthcare initiatives that directly impact global patient outcomes and quality of life
Exposure to cutting-edge medical device technology and regulatory frameworks that advance career specialization
Professional development through cross-functional collaboration with diverse international teams and business units
Career advancement opportunities within a Fortune 500 health technology leader with global market presence

Key Responsibilities

Architect comprehensive 12-18 month business transformation roadmaps that drive measurable profitability improvements through data-driven strategic insights and cross-functional partnership alignment
Lead organizational capability development by coaching project teams on advanced Design for Excellence and Design to Value methodologies that optimize operational efficiency
Establish and cultivate strategic expertise networks while driving talent transformation initiatives that enhance organizational competitiveness and innovation capacity
Spearhead high-impact strategic initiatives that fundamentally transform business practices and profitability through innovative engagement models and portfolio optimization strategies
Champion knowledge management excellence by maintaining and expanding sophisticated toolkit databases and best practice repositories that accelerate organizational learning

Requirements

Education

Master's degree in a relevant technical discipline (for example, Engineering or other technical background) + MBA or equivalent experience

Experience

8+ years of strong track record leading cross-functional projects, and developing teams, with a high level of comfort with ambiguity

Required Skills

Project Management principles SAFe/Agile Continuous improvement (for example, LEAN, Six Sigma, Kaizen techniques) value proposition creation design thinking data analysis and visualization tools (for example, Qlikview, Tableau, R, SQL, Python, OBS) cross-functional project leadership team development comfort with ambiguity

Certifications

Six Sigma LEAN SAFe/Agile
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Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

Healthcare technology companies are increasingly prioritizing Design for Excellence (DfX) methodologies as regulatory pressures intensify and margins compress, driving demand for program managers who can navigate complex compliance requirements while optimizing operational efficiency. The convergence of digital health, AI integration, and personalized medicine is creating new challenges in product development that require sophisticated design thinking approaches. The medical device industry is experiencing unprecedented supply chain disruptions and component shortages, making portfolio optimization and component reduction strategies critical business imperatives. Companies are investing heavily in Design to Value methodologies to maintain competitiveness while meeting stringent regulatory standards. Cross-functional program management roles in healthcare technology are evolving to require deeper data analytics capabilities as companies leverage big data and AI to drive business intelligence. The integration of advanced visualization tools and predictive analytics is becoming standard practice for strategic decision-making in product development and portfolio management.

Role Significance

Typically manages matrix teams of 8-15 professionals across multiple business functions including R&D, engineering, operations, and business development. The role involves coaching and developing team members while coordinating with senior stakeholders across different business units, requiring sophisticated team leadership and influence management capabilities.
This is a senior-level strategic role that operates at the intersection of business strategy and technical execution, requiring direct influence over cross-functional teams and business unit decisions. The position carries significant responsibility for driving organizational transformation and profitability improvements, indicating placement within the upper management tier of program management hierarchy.

Key Projects

Implementation of Design for Excellence frameworks across multiple product lines involving regulatory compliance, cost optimization, and quality enhancement initiatives Cross-business portfolio rationalization projects that involve component standardization, supplier optimization, and manufacturing efficiency improvements Strategic business transformation initiatives that require change management, process reengineering, and organizational capability development across international teams

Success Factors

Exceptional ability to navigate complex organizational matrices and influence without direct authority, essential for driving cross-functional initiatives in large healthcare technology organizations where consensus-building and stakeholder alignment determine project success Deep expertise in both technical product development processes and business strategy execution, enabling effective translation between engineering requirements and business objectives while maintaining regulatory compliance in highly regulated healthcare markets Advanced data analytics and visualization capabilities combined with strong storytelling skills to present complex business cases and drive data-driven decision-making across diverse stakeholder groups with varying technical backgrounds Proven track record in regulated industry environments with understanding of quality management systems, risk management frameworks, and compliance requirements that are critical for healthcare technology product development

Market Demand

High demand driven by the critical importance of cost optimization and margin improvement in the increasingly competitive healthcare technology sector. The specialized combination of technical expertise, regulatory knowledge, and strategic business acumen required for this role creates a limited talent pool, resulting in strong market positioning for qualified candidates.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

Data analysis and visualization expertise using tools like Tableau, R, SQL, and Python is absolutely essential as this role requires converting complex datasets into actionable business insights that drive strategic decisions across multiple business units. The ability to identify patterns, trends, and opportunities through data analysis directly impacts the success of profitability improvement initiatives. Cross-functional project leadership capabilities are fundamental to success as this role operates in a matrix organization where influence without authority is critical. The ability to align diverse stakeholders, manage competing priorities, and drive consensus across business functions determines the effectiveness of strategic initiatives and organizational transformation efforts. Deep understanding of continuous improvement methodologies including LEAN, Six Sigma, and Kaizen is crucial for driving operational excellence and margin improvement initiatives. These methodologies provide the structured approach necessary for identifying inefficiencies, optimizing processes, and delivering measurable business results in complex healthcare technology environments.

Beneficial Skills

Advanced knowledge of regulatory frameworks in medical devices, aerospace, or automotive industries provides significant advantage in navigating compliance requirements and risk management protocols that are increasingly important in healthcare technology development Experience with SAFe and Agile methodologies is highly valuable as Philips continues to adopt agile development practices across product lines, enabling faster time-to-market and improved responsiveness to customer needs Consulting experience brings external perspective and proven methodologies for organizational change management, which is particularly valuable for driving transformation initiatives and establishing new ways of working across established business functions

Unique Aspects

This role offers rare exposure to both strategic business transformation and technical product development within one of the world's largest healthcare technology companies, providing exceptional learning opportunities across multiple disciplines and business functions
The position involves direct collaboration with Philips' global innovation network, including access to cutting-edge research facilities, emerging technology platforms, and partnerships with leading healthcare institutions worldwide
The Design for Excellence focus aligns with Philips' strategic priority on sustainable healthcare solutions, offering opportunities to influence environmental and social impact initiatives while driving business performance
The role provides visibility into Philips' portfolio spanning consumer health, professional healthcare, and emerging digital health platforms, offering comprehensive understanding of the evolving healthcare technology landscape

Career Growth

Progression to director-level roles typically occurs within 3-5 years given the strategic nature of current responsibilities and exposure to senior leadership. Advancement to VP-level positions generally requires 5-8 years of continued success in increasingly complex strategic roles.

Potential Next Roles

Senior Director of Product Strategy or Portfolio Management within healthcare technology companies, leveraging expertise in Design for Excellence to drive broader strategic initiatives Vice President of Operations or Business Development roles that require deep understanding of cross-functional optimization and margin improvement strategies Principal Consultant or Partner positions with management consulting firms specializing in healthcare technology, operations excellence, or digital transformation initiatives

Company Overview

Philips

Philips is a global leader in health technology with a market capitalization exceeding $30 billion, operating across consumer health, healthcare informatics, and medical devices segments. The company has successfully transformed from a diversified electronics conglomerate to a focused healthcare technology leader, investing heavily in digital health solutions, AI-powered diagnostics, and connected care platforms.

Philips holds dominant market positions in several healthcare technology segments including medical imaging, patient monitoring, and sleep therapy devices. The company competes directly with industry leaders such as GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, and Medtronic, while maintaining strong relationships with healthcare providers globally through comprehensive solution offerings.
The Netherlands headquarters in Best represents Philips' European innovation hub, housing critical R&D functions, strategic planning teams, and advanced manufacturing capabilities. This location provides access to Europe's leading healthcare technology ecosystem and serves as a gateway to global markets, offering significant opportunities for international career development.
Philips emphasizes purpose-driven innovation with a strong focus on improving patient outcomes and healthcare accessibility. The company culture promotes collaborative innovation, sustainability leadership, and inclusive diversity, with substantial investment in employee development and continuous learning programs that support long-term career growth.
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