Manufacturing Operations Director - Carlow

1098 MSD Ireland (Carlow); Carlow; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working model

Patient-focused culture

Job summary

MSD in Carlow is seeking an Operations Director to lead a high-potency, multi-product sterile manufacturing facility. You will manage ~50 staff and oversee ongoing product introductions, regulatory milestones, and continuous improvements in a dynamic environment.

You will drive cross-functional collaboration across Operations, Quality, Engineering and Technical teams, while shaping the strategy, culture, and performance of the site with emphasis on safety, quality and delivery.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in sterile drug product manufacturing.
• Proven track record leading large cross-functional teams and driving performance.
• Experience leading manufacturing organisations through regulatory inspections and milestones.
• Experience supporting new product introduction and regulatory readiness.
• Strong technical understanding of sterile manufacturing processes.
• Proven ability to lead through change and improve operations.
• Strong risk management and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders across functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead a large, cross-functional manufacturing organisation focused on sterile drug products.
• Drive safety, quality, delivery and people priorities across the site.
• Lead introduction and commercialisation of multiple new products.
• Ensure robust manufacturing performance and regulatory readiness.
• Develop and execute plans to hit product, manufacturing and regulatory milestones.
• Identify risks and drive continuous improvement and escalation when needed.

Skills

Sterile manufacturing

Cross-functional leadership

Regulatory inspections

New product introduction

Risk management

People development

Agile leadership

Quality processes

Education

Science/Engineering degree

Job description

Job Description About the Role and Site

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Operations Director to lead a strategically important, high-potency, multi-product manufacturing facility at our Carlow site. Leading a team of approximately 50 people, you will have responsibility for a growing sterile drug product operation supporting new products and significant upcoming commercial and regulatory milestones. This is a high-impact leadership role offering significant autonomy to shape how the operation develops, drive operational and technical excellence, and build a high-performing team within a dynamic manufacturing environment.

Bring energy, knowledge, and innovation to carry out the following:

• Lead a large, cross-functional manufacturing organisation, driving performance across safety, quality, delivery and people priorities.
• Lead the successful introduction and commercialisation of multiple new products within a sterile manufacturing environment.
• Drive operational and technical excellence, ensuring robust and reliable manufacturing performance.
• Lead regulatory and inspection readiness activities across the manufacturing organisation.
• Develop and execute integrated plans to deliver key product, manufacturing and regulatory milestones.
• Identify and mitigate operational, technical and quality risks, ensuring timely decision-making and escalation.
• Drive continuous improvement across the high-potency manufacturing operation, challenging established ways of working and improving efficiency.
• Provide strategic direction and ensure strong alignment across Operations, Quality, Engineering and Technical teams.
• Build, coach and develop a high-performing team, creating a culture of accountability, agility and continuous improvement.

What Skills You Will Need

• Significant leadership experience within sterile drug product manufacturing operations
• Strong operational leadership experience with responsibility for sizeable manufacturing teams or technical teams
• Demonstrated experience leading manufacturing organisations through regulatory inspections and major regulatory milestones
• Experience supporting new product introduction, commercialisation and operational readiness
• Strong technical understanding of sterile manufacturing operations and associated manufacturing processes
• Proven ability to lead through change, challenge established ways of working and improve operational performance
• Strong risk management, problem-solving and decision-making capability
• Ability to influence and communicate effectively across senior, cross-functional and technical stakeholders
• Agile and flexible leadership style with a strong focus on people development and building high-performing teams
• Degree in Science, Engineering or a related technical discipline

Additional Information

We keep the patient at the very heart of all that we do and strive to find solutions and treatments for some of the world's most challenging healthcare needs. As an equal opportunity employer, we are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. We are committed to flexible working where possible, and this is why our Company has introduced a new hybrid working model for office-based colleagues around the world. Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.