Senior Director Operations

Description

• Own the performance of Operations.
• Lead the manufacturing flow across all departments, remove barriers between teams and solve problems end to end.
• Set a clear direction for Operations and turn it into practical priorities, plans, and decisions that people can act on.
• Make sound trade-offs. Protect patients and employees, maintain quality and supply, control cost, and keep the organization healthy for the long term.
  

• Lead the operation through change without losing focus on today’s commitments. Be clear about what changes, why it matters, and what each team needs to do.
• Improve daily performance through standard work, lean thinking, useful data, practical digital tools, and disciplined follow-through.
• Back the right improvement projects, introduce new technology where it adds value, and stop work that does not improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, or capability.
• Bring new products into the facility successfully while keeping established products stable and reliable.
  
  
• Put safety, quality, cGMP, and regulatory requirements at the center of daily decisions—not only when an audit or issue occurs.
• Keep the organization inspection-ready and make sure leaders and teams own the safety, quality, and compliance of their work.
• Use clear standards, facts, and risk-based judgment. Escalate early, address root causes, and make sure actions are completed and sustained.
  
  
• Build a strong leadership team that is visible, makes decisions, follows through, and develops others.
• Create an inclusive Credo-based culture where people speak up, help each other, learn from mistakes, and take ownership for results.
• Make sure the organization has the right people and skills for today and tomorrow. Take succession, workforce planning, and development seriously.
• Spend time where the work happens. Listen, ask questions, recognize good work, and help people understand how their daily choices affect patients and the future of Leiden.
  
  
• Work closely with Quality, Engineering, MSAT, Planning, Procurement, Finance, HR, EHS, and other partners. Agree on clear ownership, resolve conflicts, and deliver together.
• Bring the Operations perspective into site and network decisions. Be open about risks, needs, and trade-offs, and help turn decisions into action.
• Build relationships that help work move forward. Challenge constructively, listen to other views, and bring people back to the shared goal.
• Deputy for the General Manager when needed and lead with the interests of the whole site in mind.

Qualifications

Highest qualification: University

• A degree in Science, Engineering, Supply Chain, or related discipline is required.
• An advanced degree or other relevant advanced qualification is preferred.
  
  
• A minimum of 15 years of experience in biopharmaceutical manufacturing or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Significant experience in large molecule or biotherapeutics manufacturing, including strong knowledge of large molecule drug substance operations, is required.
• Extensive senior leadership experience within large, complex manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated success leading large organizations through transformation and change while sustaining operational delivery.
• Proven experience building organizational capability, coaching leaders, and developing talent at scale.
• Experience applying lean principles, operational excellence, and continuous improvement in manufacturing. Lean Six Sigma expertise is an advantage.