Senior Technical Manager (External Manufacturing)

1054 GlaxoSmithKline Services Unlimited; Ware; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

GlaxoSmithKline plc is seeking a Technical Specialist to lead global digital integration and AI-enabled transformation across External Manufacturing and partner networks. The role shapes roadmaps, validates innovations, and drives scalable solutions while coordinating with CDMOs and enterprise product teams.

Based at GSK HQ London or Ware/Barnard Castle sites, the candidate will manage end-to-end delivery, adopt Agile methods, ensure governance and deliver measurable value from investment in

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in a technical discipline with strong foundation in software or data engineering.
• Proven experience leading digital, integration or technology transformation in manufacturing or supply-chain contexts.
• Experience delivering AI-enabled digital solutions and Smart Manufacturing capabilities.
• Strong ability to translate operational priorities into integrated roadmaps and scalable architectures.

Responsibilities

• Lead global External Manufacturing digital & technology roadmap aligning priorities with enterprise strategy.
• Own end-to-end delivery of digital integration solutions across enterprise tech environments.
• Prototype and validate high-value Smart Manufacturing, data and AI-use cases with evidence-based recommendations.
• Collaborate with vendors, partners and internal functions to stay current with tech trends.
• Lead product/program delivery using Agile and hybrid methods with RAID governance.
• Set release quality, service levels and transition criteria for shippable solutions.
• Ensure scalable, reusable architectures and deployment playbooks for wider networks.
• Coach teams and transition validated solutions to product or service teams.

Skills

Application Integrations

API Security

CI/CD

Cloud Engineering

Data Engineering

Data Integration

Education

Relevant Degree (e.g. Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, AI, Engineering, IT, Manufacturing Systems)

Tools

RESTful API Design

Security System Design

SDLC

Version Control

Web Development

Job description

We are now looking for a Technical Specialist to join our Global Supply Chain (GSC) Digital and Technology function to provide global technology leadership for shaping and delivering digital integration, Smart Manufacturing and AI-enabled transformation across GSK’s External Manufacturing and partner network. Job Purpose: The Senior Tech Manager (External Manufacturing) acts as the business-technology integrator between GSK’s departments and Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) partners. The GSK departments includes External Manufacturing, Chemistry, Manufacturing & Control (CMC) / New Product Introduction (NPI), Manufacturing Science & Technology (MSAT), Quality, Supply Chain, R&D, and global Digital and Technology product teams. The role translates operational and technology priorities into integrated roadmaps and scalable solutions across enterprise platforms. The role is explicitly global (rather than aligned to a specific site) but will utilise site insight to validate value and feasibility, then standardises integration patterns, data models, AI-use cases and deployment approaches for re-use across products, sites and external partners. The role leads end-to-end outcomes from opportunity shaping and business case through design, delivery, adoption, transition to service and value realisation.

Location: The successful applicant can be based at GSK HQ (London) or at the Ware (Hertfordshire) or Barnard Castle (County Durham) manufacturing sites.

About You

This role would suit a highly motivated person who has strong experience of designing, developing, and validating AI-enabled digital solutions and Smart Manufacturing capabilities within complex manufacturing and business environments. You will have strong technical knowledge obtained from working in a highly-regulated industry. You will have demonstrably strong people skills, be resilient and calm under pressure, have a strong continuous improvement mindset, and a proven ability to drive performance while managing multiple stakeholders.

CLOSING DATE for applications: Monday 16th of November 2026 (COB).

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the global External Manufacturing digital & technology roadmap, aligning CMC/NPI, technology-transfer, manufacturing, supply, quality and partner priorities with enterprise Digital & Technology strategy (including Smart Manufacturing and AI-roadmaps).
• Own end-to-end delivery of digital integration solutions for External Manufacturing across enterprise technology environments.
• Extends to partnering directly with the External Manufacturing operations and selected CDMOs to identify operational challenges and rapidly shape, prototype and validate high-value Smart Manufacturing, data and AI-use cases (with clear evidence-based continue, adapt or stop recommendations).
• Build internal & external collaboration with Tech vendors, external companies & other industry bodies in addition to collaborating with GSK functions in order to stay current with latest Tech & industry trends.
• Lead product and programme delivery using Agile and hybrid methods, including roadmap and backlog prioritisation, user stories, sprint and release planning, Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies (RAID) management, governance, operational readiness, adoption and measurable value realisation.
• Set release quality, service level and support transition criteria for what ships, and confirm they are met before handover.
• Ensure solutions are scalable beyond the target CMO by converting local learning into global product requirements, reusable agents, integration patterns, reference architectures, onboarding models and deployment playbooks for the wider External Manufacturing network.
• Act as the primary digital & technology partner across External Manufacturing, site leadership and global product teams, influencing distributed teams and external partners without direct authority.
• Embed Responsible AI, cybersecurity, privacy, data governance, GxP, validation, architecture, service management and regulatory requirements from solution inception through industrialisation and lifecycle support.
• Manage your team in using approved AI tools for analysis, prototyping and documentation to improve productivity, role-modelling responsible use with human review and following GSK’s Responsible AI, privacy and security requirements.
• Develop investment cases and scaling strategies, manage financial forecasts and supplier inputs, and provide executive-level reporting on scope, dependencies, risks, decisions, benefits and return on investment.
• Build sustainable capability through coaching, documentation, knowledge transfer and communities of practice, while ensuring validated solutions transition to accountable product or service teams for scale, support and lifecycle ownership.

Basic Qualifications

• Relevant Degree (eg; Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Engineering, Information Technology, Manufacturing Systems, or related technical discipline).
• Proven experience leading digital, integration or technology transformation in manufacturing or supply-chain environments (External Manufacturing/ Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) experience preferred).
• Strong understanding / experience of CMC/NPI, Supply Chain, manufacturing and quality management systems (QMS).
• Demonstrated knowledge of integration architecture, APIs, middleware, event/data platforms, canonical data models and scalable factory integration layers (familiarity with Product Development & Lifecycle Management (PDLM) and FIL (Factory Integration Layer) is desirable).
• Experience shaping and delivering Smart Manufacturing, AI, agent-based, data and analytics use cases, including Proof of Concept (PoC), Proof of Value (PoV), Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and production scale-up.
• We welcome people who bring curiosity, humility and a practical approach.
• We are committed to inclusion and to creating a supportive environment where everyone can grow.

If you enjoy solving real problems, delivering measurable results, and helping teams succeed, we encourage you to apply.

If you would like to learn more about our company wide benefits and life at GSK we would suggest looking at our webpage Life at GSK | GSK.

AGTech Skills

• Application Integrations
• Application Programming Interface (API) Security
• CI/CD
• Cloud Engineering
• Configuration Management (CM)
• Database Management
• Data Engineering
• Data Integration
• Front-End Development
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Mobile Development
• RESTful API Design
• Security System Design
• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
• Version Control
• Web Development

GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law. We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us at [e-mail] where you can also request a call. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels. However, we have created a Recruitment FAQ guide.