Project Director, Drug substance expansion

Bavarian Nordic A/S; Denmark; On-site; DKK 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Bavarian Nordic A/S seeks a Project Director to lead a major Drug Substance expansion at the Kvistgaard site in Denmark. You will own the project from design through qualification and handover, balancing technical complexity with cost and schedule while ensuring GMP and regulatory compliance.

You will build and lead the project organization, work with external partners, and drive governance and execution to deliver an industry‑leading manufacturing solution that supports long‑term business

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading large-scale pharma/biotech manufacturing projects.
• Ability to manage complex projects in regulated environments.
• Strong stakeholder management and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Drug Substance expansion from design to handover.
• Establish project governance, budget, schedule, and reporting.
• Manage scope, risks, quality, and change control across functions.
• Coordinate external partners and ensure GMP and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure operational readiness and value realization after delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Pharma manufacturing

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

At Bavarian Nordic, we are committed to saving and improving lives by unlocking the power of the immune system. Our commercial portfolio includes market‑leading vaccines against smallpox/mpox, rabies, tick‑borne encephalitis, typhoid fever, and cholera. We excel in R&D innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization – working every day to protect people’s health and quality of life and protect our tomorrow. Over the past two years, Site Kvistgaard has accelerated its transformation into a key commercial production site within Bavarian Nordic. Through substantial investments in manufacturing capacity, infrastructure expansion, automation, and operational excellence initiatives, we are creating the foundation needed to support future growth and ensure reliable vaccine supply. This journey requires strong project leadership to translate strategic ambitions into tangible engineering solutions and operational improvements.

The role

We are now seeking a Project Director to lead a major expansion of our vaccine manufacturing capabilities at our Kvistgaard manufacturing site in Denmark. This is a rare opportunity to lead one of Bavarian Nordic's most significant manufacturing investment projects. As Project Director, you will take full ownership of a large-scale Drug Substance expansion and shape its journey from design and construction, through qualification and operational handover. We are looking for a seasoned project leader who has successfully delivered complex pharmaceutical, biotech, or vaccine manufacturing facilities in regulated environments. You know what it takes to transform engineering plans into compliant, operational manufacturing capabilities while balancing technical complexity, business priorities, cost, schedule, and risk. Reporting to the Head of Site Engineering, you will build and lead the project organization, establish governance and execution frameworks, and drive collaboration across internal stakeholders and external partners. This is a highly visible role with significant strategic impact, requiring leadership, judgment, and resilience to navigate challenges, create clarity, and maintain momentum throughout the project lifecycle. Success will be measured not only by delivering facilities and equipment, but by ensuring a safe, qualified, operationally ready manufacturing solution that creates long‑term business value.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end delivery of the Drug Substance Expansion from design through construction, commissioning, qualification, PPQ readiness, and operational handover
• Establish and lead the project organization, governance structure, execution strategy, and steering committee reporting to ensure successful project delivery
• Own project scope, budget, schedule, resources, quality, risks, and change management, ensuring disciplined execution and value realization throughout the lifecycle
• Drive alignment across engineering, quality, technical operations, and other key functions to deliver a fully integrated manufacturing solution
• Lead external engineering partners, contractors, suppliers, and technology providers, ensuring robust performance, collaboration, and execution
• Ensure operational readiness and compliance by embedding GMP, EHS, quality, validation, and regulatory requirements throughout the project

What you bring

To become successful in this role, you have a proven record of accomplishment of leading large‑scale pharmaceutical or biotech manufacturing projects and delivering them safely, compliantly, and on schedule. You hold a relevant degree in Engineering, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, or a related discipline.

As a person, you have the skills, ability, and determination to influence senior stakeholders and drive decisions in complex environments.

Why this role?

This is a unique opportunity to lead a major manufacturing expansion with significant strategic importance to Bavarian Nordic's future growth. You will build and lead the project organization, shape the delivery strategy, and drive a complex investment from design through operational handover. For an experienced Project Director, this is a chance to create a lasting legacy by delivering a state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing capability that will support the company for years to come.

Relocation assistance is available for candidates moving to Denmark.

Please note that employment is contingent on residing and working in Denmark, as we are unable to offer cross‑border contracts.

Bavarian Nordic is a global vaccine company with a mission to improve health and save lives through innovative vaccines. We are a preferred supplier of mpox and smallpox vaccines to governments to enhance public health preparedness and have a leading portfolio of travel vaccines. We are headquartered in Denmark and have manufacturing, research, and sales offices across Europe and North America.

Bavarian Nordic is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

For more information, visit www.bavarian-nordic.com

Our values - our Bavarian Nordic DNA, as we like to call it - are what guide our actions every day. We act as persistent pioneers, embrace change, value being boosted by the team, and believe in protecting lives every day. If that is also a part of your DNA, we invite you to join us in Bavarian Nordic!