Associate Director, Facility Readiness & Launch Ops

MSD; Leinster; Hybrid; EUR 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

MSD seeks an experienced Facility Operational Readiness Associate Director to coordinate cross-functional readiness activities across manufacturing, quality, engineering, and supply chain. You will support the transition from commissioning to operational readiness and drive readiness governance and risk management.

The role requires strong stakeholder management, excellent communication, and a track record of leading complex programs in regulated pharmaceutical environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, life sciences, pharma, biotech, business, supply chain, or related field.
• Significant pharma/biotech/vaccine manufacturing experience.
• Strong GMP, quality systems, validation, regulatory compliance, and ops excellence knowledge.
• Experience supporting facility start-up, readiness, tech transfer, PPQ, product launch, or manufacturing.
• Proven ability to lead or coordinate cross-functional programs in regulated manufacturing.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across all levels.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, planning and organizational skills.
• Experience preparing updates, recommendations, and risk assessments for senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of operational readiness strategies linked to manufacturing and product launches.
• Coordinate cross-functional readiness across workstreams, aligning priorities and timelines.
• Facilitate governance forums, readiness reviews, action tracking, and escalation processes.
• Partner with functional leaders to ensure readiness across quality systems, training, supply chain, and facilities.
• Maintain visibility of risks, issues, and milestones to help teams resolve challenges.
• Assist transition from commissioning to operational readiness and routine manufacturing.
• Support operational rehearsal activities, scenario planning, and contingency preparedness.
• Build relationships across site functions to enable collaboration and alignment.
• Assist executive communications with progress, risks, and priorities.
• Capture lessons learned to improve readiness frameworks and processes.

Skills

Cross-functional coordination

GMP knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Project leadership

Communication skills

Planning & organizational skills

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Life Sciences or related field

Job description

MSD seeks an experienced Facility Operational Readiness Associate Director to coordinate cross-functional readiness activities across manufacturing, quality, engineering, and supply chain. You will support the transition from commissioning to operational readiness and drive readiness governance and risk management.

The role requires strong stakeholder management, excellent communication, and a track record of leading complex programs in regulated pharmaceutical environments.