Head of Life Science Plant Controlling CDMO (all genders)

Your role

As the Controller Business Partner to the Head of CDMO Operations (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) within our Life Science division, you will join the Global Operations Controlling Leadership team. In this leadership capacity, you will manage a team of dedicated CDMO site Controllers (6 people, including 2 direct reports and 4 in a dotted line) to create a comprehensive overview of our operational network.

Your responsibilities will encompass financial forecasting and reporting for our global CDMO site network (spanning 8 sites and approximately 1,500 employees). You will analyze gross expenditures, manufacturing variances, and inventory at the site level, conducting in-depth financial and operational analyses to support strategic decision-making and business planning. Additionally, you will establish key performance indicators (KPIs), provide insights to optimize site footprint and resource allocation, and ensure standardization in reporting processes. You will also oversee CAPEX reporting and forecasting to support business case development, monitoring, and execution with relevant data insights.

This position can be based in Darmstadt, Germany, or Molsheim, France.

Who you are:

1. Master's degree in Finance or a related field, with a strong understanding of accounting principles, practices, and standards.
2. Over 7 years of experience as a controller in a global and matrix environment, including a minimum of 5 years as a manufacturing controller in a multi-plant setting, ideally within the pharmaceutical or CDMO industry.
3. Proven experience in people management, demonstrating strong leadership skills in team hiring, training, development, and performance management.
4. Expertise in budget creation, financial forecasting, and variance analysis for a CDMO network.
5. Excellent analytical skills with a problem-solving mindset for strategic decision-making.
6. Ability to align financial strategies with broader business objectives.
7. Effective communicator, providing timely and accurate financial insights to stakeholders.
8. Strong collaborative skills to work with various functions and business units, providing financial insights to support decision-making.
9. Fluency in English is required; proficiency in any other European language (German or French) is a plus.

Job evaluation: Manager 4

Department: LS-CL-OB Global Plant Operations Controlling