Head of Operations Payload Linker

Lonza; Schweiz; On-site; Vertraulich; Full time

Job summary

Lonza in Visp is seeking an experienced Head Operations Payload Linker to lead a large-scale manufacturing unit of ~300 employees. You will own operational performance, safety, quality, compliance, and customer delivery within a GMP framework, driving efficiency and asset management across the site.

Reporting to the Global Head Operations Advanced Synthesis, you will translate business strategy into operational excellence, develop high-performing teams, manage budgets and capital investments,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years in pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations.
• Senior leadership experience in large, matrixed organizations.
• GMP knowledge and regulatory compliance expertise.

Responsibilities

• Lead a dedicated manufacturing unit within Visp site with operational ownership.
• Define and execute strategies to optimize capacity, productivity and resource allocation.
• Foster safety and quality culture in line with GMP requirements.
• Drive performance improvements via Lean, automation, and process optimization.
• Own budgets, asset strategies and sponsor capital investments.
• Develop and empower a multidisciplinary leadership team; succession planning.
• Partner with Quality, Engineering, MSAT, Supply Chain and site leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Automation

GMP knowledge

Data-driven decision making

People development

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Chemical Eng

MBA/EMBA (advantage)

Job description

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across five continents. While we work in science, there's no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that's the kind of work we want to be part of.

We are looking for an experienced and strategic Head Operations Payload Linker to lead a large-scale manufacturing organization operating as a Site-in-Site within our Visp site.

In this senior leadership position, you will have end-to-end accountability for a dedicated manufacturing unit of approximately 300 employees, overseeing operational performance, safety, quality, compliance, customer delivery, financial efficiency and asset management.

Operating within the governance, infrastructure and shared-service framework of the wider Visp site, you will lead your unit with a high degree of operational ownership while ensuring seamless integration with site-wide functions and priorities.

Reporting to the Global Head Operations Advanced Synthesis and serving on the Advanced Synthesis Visp Site Leadership Team, you will play a pivotal role in translating business strategy into operational excellence, developing high-performing teams and driving the long-term growth and competitiveness of our commercial and clinical bioconjugation (highly active payload linkers) operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a dedicated manufacturing unit within the Visp site, taking ownership of operational performance while leveraging shared infrastructure, services and governance.
• Define and execute operational strategies aligned with business priorities, optimizing capacity, productivity, workforce planning and resource allocation.
• Foster a strong safety and quality culture, ensuring adherence to GMP requirements, data integrity standards and regulatory expectations.
• Drive production performance, reliability, right-first-time execution and continuous improvement through Lean methodologies, automation and process optimization.
• Own operational budgets and controllable costs, oversee asset lifecycle strategies and sponsor capital investments to support sustainable growth and operational efficiency.
• Inspire, develop and empower a multidisciplinary leadership team, strengthening organizational capabilities, talent development and succession planning.
• Partner closely with Quality, Engineering, MSAT, Supply Chain, Project Management and Visp site leadership to ensure seamless execution and effective resource allocation.
• Represent Operations in strategic business discussions, customer interactions, audits and regulatory inspections, collaborating with key internal and external stakeholders.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Technology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Process Engineering or a related scientific or engineering discipline. An MBA or Executive MBA is an advantage.
• 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations, ideally within drug substance manufacturing, with exposure to process development and technology transfer.
• Proven senior leadership experience managing large, multilayered manufacturing organizations in complex, matrix-driven environments.
• Strong understanding of GMP manufacturing, regulatory compliance, operational excellence and manufacturing performance management.
• Demonstrated experience managing significant operational budgets, capital investments, asset strategies and organizational transformation.
• Strong business acumen, strategic thinking and ability to translate operational priorities into measurable business outcomes.
• Exceptional leadership, communication and stakeholder-management skills, with a proven ability to develop high-performing teams and influence across functions.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, automation or continuous improvement initiatives is highly valued.
• Fluent English is required; German is an advantage.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to take on a highly influential leadership position, leading a Site-in-Site manufacturing operation within one of Lonza's key pharmaceutical manufacturing locations.

You will combine the ownership and accountability of leading a dedicated manufacturing unit with the capabilities, infrastructure and expertise of the wider Visp site.

You will lead a sizeable organization, collaborate with senior stakeholders across the business and help shape the future of Commercial Bioconjugation manufacturing.

Join us and help drive operational excellence, innovation and sustainable growth in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Every day, Lonza's products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is