Associate Director of Quality Compliance & Validation

Almac Group; Craigavon; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Almac Group is seeking an Associate Director – Quality Compliance & Validation in Craigavon. This key leadership role requires managing Validation and Quality Compliance teams, ensuring compliance of facilities and systems while promoting quality standards across the pharmaceutical sector.

The successful candidate will need extensive experience in pharmaceutical quality, strong knowledge of regulatory expectations, and proven leadership skills. This full-time position offers flexible working patterns and the chance to influence quality and compliance across teams.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing a diverse quality function supporting pharmaceutical quality systems.
• Experience in developing validation strategies for facilities and equipment.
• Strong working knowledge of UK, EU and US regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead Validation and Quality Compliance teams on the Craigavon site.
• Provide governance and oversight of site quality systems.
• Monitor quality and performance metrics and drive improvements.

Skills

Leadership experience in pharmaceutical quality

Influencing stakeholders

Problem-solving

Understanding of regulatory expectations

Knowledge of pharmaceutical quality management systems

Education

Degree in a science-related discipline

Job description

Location: Craigavon, Northern Ireland

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday – Friday. Flexible working pattern.

Business Unit: Almac Pharma Services

Open To: Internal and external applicants welcome to apply

Ref No.: HRJOB11628

Overview

Pharma Services plays a vital role in supporting pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies through the manufacture and packaging of medicines for patients around the world. Working within a highly regulated environment, our teams are committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality, compliance and operational excellence.

Due to continued growth, we are now seeking an Associate Director – Quality Compliance & Validation to provide leadership across the Craigavon site’s Validation and Quality Compliance teams. This is a key leadership role where you will oversee the systems, people and processes that help ensure our facilities, equipment, utilities and computerised systems remain in a compliant and controlled state, while also supporting the effective operation of the wider pharmaceutical quality system at the Craigavon site.

In this role, you will lead experienced managers and specialist teams, providing direction, governance and oversight across site quality compliance and validation activities. You will play an important part in maintaining inspection readiness, monitoring quality performance, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, and ensuring the business is supported with the right resources, skills and systems to meet both operational and regulatory expectations.

This opportunity would suit a strong quality leader who enjoys working across teams, influencing at a senior level, and driving high standards in a fast-paced pharmaceutical manufacturing environment. You will also act as a subject matter expert in good manufacturing practice, internal quality processes and validation strategies contributing to projects, audits, inspections and strategic quality improvements across site.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the Validation and Quality Compliance teams on the Craigavon site
• Providing governance and oversight of site quality systems and validation activity
• Ensuring facilities, equipment, utilities and computerised systems are maintained in a compliant state
• Monitoring quality and performance metrics and driving improvements
• Supporting regulatory inspections, client audits and internal audit activity
• Acting as an escalation point for complex compliance and validation issues
• Representing Quality Assurance and/or Validation on cross-functional and site-wide project teams

What You Need To Be Successful

To succeed in this role, you will bring significant leadership experience within a pharmaceutical quality environment, along with a strong understanding of regulatory expectations governing the manufacture of medicinal products in Europe. You will be confident leading teams, influencing stakeholders, solving problems, and driving a culture of compliance and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• A degree level qualification in a science-related discipline
• Significant experience managing a diverse quality function supporting the development and maintenance of pharmaceutical quality systems.
• Experience in the development and application of validation strategies for facilities, equipment, utilities and computerised systems.
• Experience in the quality and validation aspects of solid oral dose forms.
• Strong working knowledge of pharmaceutical quality management systems
• Proven knowledge of UK, EU and US regulatory requirements governing the pharmaceutical industry.

Desirable Criteria

• A postgraduate qualification in a quality-related discipline
• Experience supporting regulatory inspections and/or client audits
• Knowledge of contract manufacturing organisation business models
• Knowledge of the requirements of ISO quality systems

Further Information

This role is primarily based in Craigavon and may require coverage beyond normal working hours as and when required. The successful candidate will report to the Director of Quality Assurance and will have line management responsibility for the Validation and Quality Compliance Managers.

How To Apply

Apply online and tailor your CV to outline how you meet the role criteria. Please upload your CV in PDF format where possible.

Closing Date

We will no longer be accepting applications after 5pm on Sunday 19th July 2026.

Recruitment Agencies

Almac will only accept applications from agencies/business partners that have been invited to work on this role by our Talent Acquisition team. Speculative candidate CVs received or submitted directly to Hiring Managers will be considered unsolicited and no fee will be payable.