Variation Planning Process Manager

Biopharma Careers; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working model

Job summary

GSK seeks a Variation Planning Process Manager to design, develop and implement Variation Planning across Rx and Vx, driving harmonised end-to-end processes and S/4HANA capabilities within the ERP Evolution programme.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, define process design, and lead governance to enable deployment waves and standardised operating models across the network.

Qualifications

• Experience in Variation Planning processes, including pedigree management and their interaction with Supply Chain, Planning, Quality, Regulatory and PLM functions.
• Experience managing API and bulk planning activities, including multiple pedigrees and genealogy requirements.
• Experience supporting regulatory change processes and assessing their impact on supply planning and product availability.
• Experience working on business transformation programmes, ideally involving SAP ECC and/or S/4HANA within Planning, PLM or Supply Chain environments.
• Experience defining business requirements, process documentation, testing activities and process improvements.
• Experience facilitating workshops and collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders to support process and solution design.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and adapting to changing business and programme requirements.
• Experience translating business requirements into technical specifications and working collaboratively across business and technology teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of the Variation Planning process in S/4, including integration with PLM, Veeva, RIMS and related reporting.
• Act as a key member of ERP Evolution and PLM/Planning workshops, ensuring Variation Planning nuances are captured in process design.
• Define and maintain Variation Planning process and system design, with documentation of processes, specifications, integrations, data and reporting.
• Lead or support updating ERP Evolution and PLM documentation to reflect Variation Planning decisions and scope.
• Define and create test scenarios and scripts for Variation Planning across testing stages.
• Collaborate with Deployment teams to ensure consistent implementation across sites and waves.

Skills

Variation Planning

API and bulk planning

Regulatory change impact

Workshops facilitation

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical specification translation

Tools

SAP ECC

S/4HANA

PLM

Veeva

RIMS

APO

Job description

Variation Planning Process Manager

Fixed Term Contract FTC Until 28 February 2028

Job Purpose

The Variation Planning Process Manager will provide specialist expertise to design, develop, and implement Variation Planning processes and supporting S/4HANA capabilities within the ERP Evolution Programme. The role is responsible for driving a harmonised, end-to-end process solution across Rx and Vx, supporting both interim and future-state operating models.

Working closely with cross-functional stakeholders, the role holder will contribute to the development of the Variation Planning process framework and S/4HANA solution blueprint, ensuring alignment with approved programme scope, business requirements, and deployment strategies. The position will play a key role in enabling successful implementation across planned deployment waves while supporting standardisation, operational efficiency, and sustainable process adoption across the network.

Key Responsibilities

The role will require working in collaboration with other team members within the ERP Evolution programme (both internal and external to GSK), including PLM (Product Lifecycle Management, Planning, Quality, Regulatory, GBT (Global Batch Traceability), BRH (Batch Release Hub) and OMP (Order Management planning) teams, to design and deliver a robust Variation Planning process and solution. The role will be expected to take a lead role for the Variation Planning process, in particular:

• Understand and articulate business requirements for Variation Planning (including pedigree management for Rx and Vx, API/Bulk planning and regulatory events) as captured by the ERP Evolution programme, analyse design options and provide proposals and recommendations.
• Lead the design of the Variation Planning process in S/4, including integration with PLM, Veeva, RIMS and related reporting.
• Act as a key member of ERP Evolution and PLM / Planning workshops, ensuring Variation Planning nuances and requirements (suppliable status, projected suppliable dates, country/product impacts, intermediates and pack variations) are discussed and captured in process and solution design.
• Work closely with the PLM & Technical teams within S4 to define and embed an end-to-end Variation Planning process across Rx and Vx, covering both end-state (S/4 solution in Rx Wave 2 and Vx Wave 7) and interim ways of working.
• Ensure that the Variation Planning process design remains aligned with broader ERP Evolution architecture and dependencies, including Global Batch Traceability, Batch Release Hub, Quality Core Design and OMP/APO (Advanced Planning and Optimization) integration, where batch genealogy and variation information are required for compliance and supply planning.
• Define and maintain the Variation Planning process and system design, ensuring documentation of business processes, functional specifications, integrations, data requirements and reporting solutions.
• Lead or support the update of relevant ERP Evolution and PLM documentation (e.g. BPSDs, GSOPs, change impact materials) to reflect Variation Planning design decisions, interims and future-wave scope.
• Define and create test scenarios and test scripts for Variation Planning across Informal Testing, UAT and DIL. Also support and execute UAT and DIL testing for Variation Planning, including defect triage, resolution tracking and alignment with programme test governance.
• Ensure that interim processes (e.g. continued use of Vx ECC Variation Planning and reports, manual processes in Rx) are clearly defined, documented and governed, with clear transition plans into S/4 Waves 2 and 7.
• Work closely with site planning teams and cluster functions to ensure Variation Planning process design is understood, that local ways of working are assessed and change impacts are captured in the Local Change Action Plans.
• Work with system integration partners and business representatives to translate agreed requirements and design decisions into solution development and implementation.
• Ensure that the governance process for global process and solution design is adhered to, including preparation of materials for DRB/CCB/SteerCo, and that Variation Planning-related change requests and actions are correctly managed.
• Collaborate with Deployment teams and Global Process Owners to support the consistent implementation of Variation Planning processes and system designs across sites and programme waves, ensuring changes are managed through established governance processes.

Basic qualifications

• Experience in Variation Planning processes, including pedigree management, and their interaction with Supply Chain, Planning, Quality, Regulatory and PLM functions.
• Experience managing API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) and bulk planning activities, including multiple pedigrees and genealogy requirements.
• Experience supporting regulatory change processes and assessing their impact on supply planning and product availability.
• Experience working on business transformation programmes, ideally involving SAP ECC (ERP Central Component) and/or S/4HANA within Planning, PLM or Supply Chain environments.
• Experience defining business requirements, process documentation, testing activities and process improvements.
• Experience facilitating workshops and collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders to support process and solution design.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and adapting to changing business and programme requirements.
• Experience translating business requirements into technical specifications and working collaboratively across business and technology teams.

Work Arrangements

Primary Location: GSK HQ

• Belgium-Wavre
• UK - Angus - Montrose
• UK - County Durham - Barnard Castle
• UK - Hertfordshire - Stevenage
• UK - Hertfordshire - Ware

This role follows GSK's hybrid working model, combining on-site collaboration with remote working flexibility.

Skills

Cold Chain, Customer-Focused, Data Integrity, Digital Fluency, Financial Acumen, GxP Regulations, Import Processes, Lean Management, Logistics Management, New Product Introduction (NPI), Problem Solving, Product Knowledge, Risk Awareness, Strategic Alignment, Supply Chain Operations, Supply Chain Sustainability, Third Party Logistics (3PL), Transportation And Logistics

Belgium Salary Range / Fourchette salariale – Belgique: EUR 81,000 to EUR 135,000The annual gross base salary range for new hires in this position is listed above for each applicable location. These ranges take into account a number of factors including the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. In addition, this position may offer an annual bonus and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program which is dependent on the level of the role. More detailed information on the total benefits package will be supplied during the recruitment process. This role is available for applicants from multiple locations, and therefore salary ranges for certain locations are also shown. Salary ranges for other locations are shown because some markets have pay transparency laws that require salary information on job postings, and those locations are potential job sites for this role. If salary ranges are not displayed in the job posting for a specific location or country, the relevant compensation will be discussed during the recruitment process. Please note salaries vary by country based on the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. Offers are typically made within the advertised range based on the candidate’s skills, experience and qualifications, with the upper end generally reserved for highly experienced candidates or other exceptional circumstances aligned with these criteria.

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive.

We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.

People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

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.