Senior Manager, Lab Workflow Systems

Biopharma Asia; Antwerpen; Hybrid; EUR 96,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson seeks an experienced Senior Manager, Lab Workflow Systems to lead digital Lab Workflow Systems across Therapeutics Development & Supply from Malvern or Beerse. You will oversee a global portfolio, mentor Digital Product Owners, and partner with science, data, quality, and IT teams to deliver compliant and innovative laboratory solutions.

The role requires a strong background in regulated pharma environments, experience managing teams, and a strategic focus on data integrity and

Qualifications

• 10+ years in pharmaceutical or regulated technology environments, with digital product or system leadership.
• Experience managing and developing employees in a global setting.
• Strong understanding of laboratory workflows and data strategies.
• Experience with regulated system lifecycles, validation, data integrity, and GMP requirements.
• Proven track record owning roadmaps and governance across complex ecosystems.
• Excellent communication with senior leaders and cross-functional partners.
• Knowledge of FAIR data principles is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Lab Workflow Systems portfolio strategy and roadmap.
• Mentor a global team of Digital Product Owners.
• Drive portfolio prioritization, governance and value realization.
• Ensure lifecycle planning, compliance, and audit readiness.
• Partner with scientific, data, quality, and IT teams to translate needs into strategies.
• Coordinate change, training, and adoption with stakeholders.
• Promote standardization and automation for analytics and AI opportunities.
• Influence vendor strategy and contracts.

Skills

Strategic thinking

People leadership

Global collaboration

Change management

Communication

Fluency in English

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, life sciences, engineering, informatics, or a related field

Tools

SAP Product Lifecycle Management

Agile development

Job description

At Johnson & Johnson,we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build aworld where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured,where treatments are smarter and less invasive, andsolutions are personal.Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.Learn more at jnj.com .

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function

R&D Product Development

Job Sub Function

R&D Digital

Job Category

People Leader

All Job Posting Locations

Beerse, Antwerp, Belgium, Malvern, Pennsylvania, United States of America

Job Description

At J&J Innovative Medicine, we use science, data, and technology to improve how medicines are developed for patients worldwide. This role offers the opportunity to lead a global portfolio that shapes how scientists perform laboratory work, capture trusted data, and connect workflows across therapeutic modalities.

Within Digital Operations & Strategy in Therapeutics Development & Supply, we bring together science, data, technology, predictive modelling, and informatics to accelerate medicine development.

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Senior Manager, Lab Workflow Systems to lead the evolution of digital Lab Workflow Systems across Therapeutics Development & Supply (TDS) as part of our dynamic team in Malvern, USA or Beerse, Belgium.

This role is accountable for the business direction, prioritization, governance, and value realization of the Lab Workflow Systems portfolio supporting CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control) activities across Therapeutics Development & Supply. The portfolio includes electronic laboratory notebooks, laboratory execution and workflow tools, sample and inventory capabilities, and connected laboratory data flows. The Senior Manager, Lab Workflow Systems leads a global team of Digital Product Owners and partners with scientific functions, data, quality, technology, procurement, and external suppliers to build an integrated, compliant, reliable, and sustainable laboratory systems landscape.

The successful candidate combines people leadership, portfolio thinking, and a strong understanding of scientific laboratory workflows and regulated digital systems. They mentor experienced Digital Product Owners, build clarity across challenging priorities, translate business needs into system and data strategies, and influence decisions across a complex global stakeholder network. They balance strategic direction with pragmatic execution and enable accountable partners to deliver architecture, technical implementation, validation, procurement, and change activities.

Role and Responsibilities

Build and communicate the vision, strategy, target landscape, and roadmap for the Lab Workflow Systems portfolio, together with the Digital Product Owners and in alignment with organizational priorities.

Lead and mentor a global team of Digital Product Owners, creating clear accountability, prioritization, capability development, and effective collaboration across the portfolio.

Own portfolio-level prioritization, governance and value realization, using adoption, service, data quality, and productivity measures to guide decisions.

Ensure effective operational stewardship through lifecycle planning, service health oversight, compliance and audit readiness, issue escalation, and sustainable support models.

Partner with scientific, data, quality, validation, architecture, technology, cybersecurity, and delivery teams to translate business needs into practical system and data strategies.

Shape and coordinate change, communication, training, and adoption with functional change leads, local customers and the Digital Product Owners.

Promote workflow standardization and automation and identify relevant opportunities to enable analytics and future AI capabilities.

Influence vendor strategy and performance, partnering with procurement and technology owners on contracts, service levels, roadmaps, and integration commitments.

Build internal and industry networks to benchmark the portfolio, exchange knowledge, and introduce relevant leading practices.

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, life sciences, engineering, informatics, or a related field.

10+ years of proven experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, laboratory informatics, or another regulated technology environment, including meaningful experience in digital product or system leadership.

Demonstrated experience in directly managing, coaching, and developing employees, combined with the ability to lead through influence in a global environment.

Strong understanding of scientific laboratory workflows and the ability to translate business needs into portfolio priorities and practical decisions.

Experience with regulated system lifecycles, validation, data integrity, service management, and Good Manufacturing Practice requirements.

Proven track record owning roadmaps, prioritization, and governance across complex customer ecosystems.

Strong communication and influencing skills, including with senior leaders and cross-functional partners.

Experience with FAIR data principles and laboratory platforms is preferred.

Experience with Agile development is a plus.

Skills & Competencies

Strategic and systems thinking, combined with pragmatic execution.

Visible, inclusive people leadership that supports autonomy, accountability, and development.

Ability to create clarity and alignment in a complex, changing environment.

Strong problem-solving and the ability to turn complex concepts into clear direction and actions.

Global perspective, end-to-end attitude, and confidence working across scientific and technical fields.

Fluency in English and willingness to travel occasionally, up to 10%.

If you want to shape the future of laboratory work and trusted scientific data across a global R&D organization, we would welcome your application. Join our team in Malvern or Beerse and help build an integrated, sustainable Lab Workflow Systems portfolio.

Required Skills

Preferred Skills

Consulting, Data Savvy, Data Structures, Developing Others, Digital Fluency, Digital Strategy, Emerging Technologies, Engineering, Global Market, Inclusive Leadership, Leadership, Negotiation, Operations Management, Product Development, Research and Development, Risk Assessments, SAP Product Lifecycle Management, Tactical Planning

The anticipated base pay range for this position is

€96.000,00 - €165.025,00

Benefits

In addition to base pay, we offer the following benefits*: an annual bonus with set target (% of pay) depending on pay grade / location, where the actual amount is based on the employees’ and companies’ performance of the previous calendar year, or sales commissions. Moreover, we offer vacation days, parental leave for a minimum of 12 weeks, bereavement leave, caregiver leave, volunteer leave, well-being reimbursement, programs for financial, physical and mental health. We also offer service anniversary and recognition awards, and subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees - and in some location’s eligible dependents - can participate in several insurance plans. For more information, visit Employee benefits | Supporting well-being & career growth | Johnson & Johnson Careers.

*This is for informative purposes only. Amounts and actual benefits may vary by location and are subject to change.