Director, Chemical Technical Operations, North America External Manufacturing
Role Overview
Lead the technical oversight of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), intermediates, and drug product intermediates manufactured at contract sites across North America. Reporting to the Executive Director of Chemical Technical Operations, this position drives technical excellence, portfolio strategy, and organizational growth within a science-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage a team providing technical support to external manufacturing partners, ensuring reliable and compliant production of small molecule products
- Direct technical strategy for process scale-up, optimization, and validation, including Process Performance Qualification and Continued Process Verification
- Collaborate with Quality, Supply Chain, Business Development, and Global Procurement to secure sustainable API supply
- Lead initiatives in proactive process monitoring to detect and resolve manufacturing deviations early
- Support new product introductions and commercialization by guiding pre-approval inspection readiness and validation planning
- Develop team capabilities through coaching, career planning, and skill-building aligned with evolving pipeline demands
- Apply operational excellence principles to improve efficiency and technical rigor across external manufacturing networks
- Build cross-functional technical networks to rapidly address complex supply chain and manufacturing challenges
- Ensure control strategies and regulatory requirements are met through data-driven decision-making
- Foster a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and end-to-end process understanding across internal and external teams
Qualifications
A technical bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of pharmaceutical experience, or a master’s with 7 years, or a PhD with 5 years, in fields such as Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or Pharmaceutical Sciences. Prior leadership in Technical Operations, Process Development, or Quality is required. Experience must include API manufacturing, supply continuity, and technical problem resolution. Familiarity with biocatalysts, flow chemistry, enzyme manufacturing, or potent compound handling is advantageous.
Work Environment
This hybrid position operates under a three-day on-site model (Monday–Thursday) with Friday remote, applicable to eligible roles in the U.S. Up to 25% travel may be required to support external manufacturing sites and cross-functional initiatives.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary range: $173,200 – $272,600. Eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentives. Comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage for employee and family, retirement savings with 401(k) matching, paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate leave.
Company Commitment
The organization values inclusion, diversity, and equitable opportunity. It fosters collaborative problem-solving by bringing together individuals with varied backgrounds and perspectives. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristics under applicable law. Accommodations are available for candidates who require support during the hiring process.
