Associate Director - Production

Walker Cole International is exclusively supporting a growing pharmaceutical manufacturing organisation in the East Midlands in the search for an Associate Director of Production – GMP Operations. This is a fantastic opportunity to take accountability for performance across multiple manufacturing areas and value streams, shaping manufacturing strategy and driving operational excellence at a senior leadership level.

Your responsibilities as the Associate Director of Production – GMP Operations will include:

• Owning and driving a strong EHS and GMP culture, accountable for performance across multiple manufacturing areas and value streams, ensuring compliance with Quality Management System and regulatory requirements.
• Acting as manufacturing owner for major deviations, CAPAs, change controls and complaints, ensuring robust root cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions.
• Translating site strategy into operational delivery, defining and implementing manufacturing strategy aligned to business objectives, capacity and growth targets.
• Owning manufacturing KPIs and driving continuous improvement, while holding accountability for operational expenditure, budget oversight and investment prioritisation.
• Leading inspection readiness and acting as the direct interface to manufacturing during customer audits and regulatory inspections, engaging with key customers and senior stakeholders.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following:

• Significant experience (typically 5+ years) leading GMP manufacturing operations across a broad range of technologies.
• Proven experience leading teams in a regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing environment, with hands-on exposure to deviations, CAPAs, change control and audit support.
• Experience dealing with clients and presenting on manufacturing performance, process control and product quality to internal and external stakeholders.
• A BSc in a Life Science or Engineering subject (MSc desirable), with strong leadership capability and the ability to build and develop teams.
• Strong strategic and financial acumen, with experience of formal problem-solving methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma and risk/quality risk assessment.

Associate Director of Production | GMP Operations | Manufacturing Leadership | Pharmaceutical Manufacturing | CAPA | Deviations | Change Control | Lean Six Sigma | Continuous Improvement | Inspection Readiness | Quality Management Systems | Capacity Planning