Head of Production

Next Phase Recruitment Limited; Worthing; On-site; GBP 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Head of Production – West Sussex is a senior leadership role at a global pharmaceutical organization. You will drive manufacturing operations at a dynamic West Sussex facility, ensuring safety, compliance, and efficiency across production activities.

You will shape strategy, lead large teams in a regulated environment, and embed lean and continuous improvement programs to enable scale, with a strong focus on cGMP and stakeholder engagement. This is a high-impact opportunity with long-term growth.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in GMP compliant pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Leadership of large teams in matrix environments.
• Proven track record in change management, capacity planning, and operational strategies.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for all site manufacturing activities, ensuring compliance, efficiency and engagement across production operations.
• Champion a Safety-First culture and ensure full cGMP compliance.
• Lead, develop, and motivate the production team to achieve business goals.
• Oversee financial performance, capacity planning, and resource allocation.
• Drive lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage change programs for new product launches and operational enhancements.
• Engage and influence stakeholders, promoting transparency and accountability.

Skills

Leadership

GMP compliance

Lean principles

Process improvement

Capacity planning

Stakeholder engagement

Education

BSc in Scientific/Engineering/Management

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Head of Production – West Sussex

Are you an experienced pharmaceutical operations leader looking to drive transformational change? This is an exceptional opportunity to join a forward‑thinking global organization dedicated to improving patients’ lives through innovative therapies.

We are seeking a proactive, strategic Head of Production to lead manufacturing operations at a dynamic West Sussex facility, ensuring world‑class standards in safety, compliance, and efficiency. This role would suit someone passionate about continuous improvement, lean frameworks, and building strong, future‑proof teams in a highly regulated environment.

The Company:

Join a respected global pharmaceutical company at the forefront of developing life‑changing treatments. With a strong culture of innovation and collaboration, this organization offers a supportive, agile environment where your expertise will directly influence operational success. The business is committed to investing in people and processes, making it an exciting time to become part of their journey toward excellence and growth.

Qualifications & Experience

• Extensive experience in GMP compliant pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• BSc in a Scientific, Engineering, or Management discipline.
• Proven leadership of large teams within complex, matrix environments.
• Track record in driving change, capacity planning, and operational strategies.

Responsibilities

As Head of Production, you will provide strategic leadership for all site manufacturing activities, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and engagement across production operations:

• Champion a Safety-First culture and ensure full cGMP compliance.
• Lead, develop, and motivate the production team to achieve business goals.
• Oversee financial performance, capacity planning, and resource allocation.
• Drive lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage change programs for new product launches and operational enhancements.
• Engage and influence stakeholders, promoting transparency and accountability.

Skills / Technical Competencies

• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical production processes.
• Expertise in lean principles, process improvement, and problem‑solving.
• Ability to manage complex operational and financial performance metrics.

Nice to Haves

• Experience in steriles/biologics manufacturing.
• Familiarity with ERP implementation.
• Previous exposure to large-scale change management projects.

If you’re a passionate and results‑driven leader seeking a high‑impact role with long‑term opportunities, we’d love to hear from you.