Site Director

SPI Pharma, Inc.; Septèmes-les-Vallons; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

SPI Pharma, Inc. seeks a Site Director in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur to guide site performance, regulatory compliance, and long-term strategy.

You will lead the local team, oversee capital investments, ensure product quality meets customer needs, and manage site costs and profitability. You will drive safety, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver reliable operations while communicating effectively with senior leaders and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical/Biochemical Process Engineering (minimum).
• Minimum 10 years leadership in pharma/regulatory settings (GMP).
• Experience leading French unionized sites.
• Progressive plant/engineering leadership experience.
• Proven P&L responsibility with financial/ROI focus.
• Strong project management and contractor oversight.

Responsibilities

• Leads site strategic planning, budget delivery, five-year plans, and new product introductions.
• Builds a high-performance, accountable team with clear ownership of results.
• Accountable for KPIs, financial objectives, and regulatory compliance.
• Establishes SHE culture and safety leadership across site personnel and contractors.
• Drives continuous improvement to safety, waste reduction, COPQ reduction, and cost efficiency.
• Develops long-term asset management and maintenance strategies for plant reliability.
• Steers capital processes and delivers capital projects on time and budget.
• Chairs social/economic and health & safety committees, promoting engagement and communication.
• Manages business continuity, risk analysis, and supply security across SPI/ABFI.

Skills

Leadership

GMP experience

Financial acumen

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Bilingual: French/English

Strategic thinking

Decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical/Biochemical Process Engineering

Master of Science preferred

Job description

Summary

The Site Director is the single point of accountability for the performance, health, continuity, and long-term success of the site. The Site Director is accountable for overall site performance, including delivery of the annual budget and operational targets; compliance with safety, environmental, quality, and other regulatory requirements; development and execution of the site strategy; and business continuity.

Key responsibilities include leading the local team, overseeing capital investment, ensuring products meet customer needs, and managing site costs and profitability. The Site Director leads and supports all site personnel to build a high-performing organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads the strategic planning for the site; delivers the budget; develops five-year plans; and supports the introduction of new products.
• Builds and develops a collaborative, high-performance team with a strong sense of urgency, purpose, and clear accountability for results. Builds leadership and technical competencies across the entire site.
• Accountable for key performance indicators, business goals, financial objectives, and regulatory requirements.
• Establishes a strong Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) culture; accountable for the safety and health of all site personnel and contractors, as well as environmental performance and compliance. Exhibits strong safety leadership behaviors.
• Drives a culture of continuous improvement focused on safety improvements, complaint reduction, waste and cost reduction, removal of non-value-added steps within the manufacturing process, and improvement in Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ).
• Develops long-term asset management plans to improve plant reliability and reduce unplanned downtime through maintenance strategy, reliability engineering, utilities, and infrastructure management.
• Steers the capital process, including essential replacement, continuous improvement, safety, quality, and financial compliance. Leads the execution of capital projects on time, within budget, and with benefit delivery using effective project management tools.
• Chairs the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) and, where applicable, the Health, Safety and Working Conditions Committee (CSSCT), promoting workforce engagement and effective communication processes.
• Manages the business continuity process in line with ABF/ABFI/SPI/regulatory requirements, including business crisis plans, risk analysis and reduction plans, succession planning, raw material security of supply, and obsolescence management.
• Develops collaborative working relationships across the SPI and ABFI organizations to help achieve SPI’s overall business goals.

Education, Skills and Experience

• Chemical/Biochemical Process Engineering degree. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent university degree is the minimum requirement. A Master of Science is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of leadership experience in the pharmaceutical, specialty chemicals, or similar highly regulated industry. GMP experience required.
• Prior experience leading French unionized sites.
• Progressive evolution through Plant and/or Engineering leadership roles.
• Proven experience leading site operations and driving safety, preventive maintenance, plant layout and design, automation projects, reliability, and a continuous improvement culture.
• Strong experience in project management and contractor outsourcing and management.
• Previous P&L responsibility, with proven experience managing financials and project deliverables from a financial acumen/ROI perspective.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of employees, including senior leadership and customers.
• Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills in French and English; German is a plus.
• Business Acumen & Judgment: Accurately assesses complex business situations and industry trends, making timely, well-informed decisions.
• Strategic Mindset: Develops and executes strategies that create durable competitive advantage and deliver superior financial results. Able to balance strategic thinking with tactical execution.
• Results Orientation: Consistently delivers outcomes aligned with strategic objectives.
• Customer Impact: Creates value for customers by addressing both known and emerging needs.
• Leads by Example: Skilled in developing talent and building strong teams. Enthusiastic about a strong performance culture and effectively delegates responsibility and accountability to direct reports. Collaborates effectively and manages up, down, and across the organization.

Personal Characteristics

• Honest, with strong integrity and the ability to work collaboratively.
• Highly organized, with strong management skills.
• Comfortable taking initiatives and driving improvements.
• Articulate in discussions and written communications when conveying ideas.
• Drives cross-functional team collaboration and coordinates effectively with stakeholders.
• Methodical and data-driven in decision-making.
• Has a global perspective and is accustomed to working with colleagues in a virtual environment.
• Motivates others to strive for excellence and fosters an environment of openness and teamwork.
• Proven ability to anticipate business needs and provide clear, actionable guidance across all levels of the organization.