Senior Manager - Contract Manufacturing

Life Science Recruitment; Ireland; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Life Science Recruitment in Ireland seeks a Senior Contract Manufacturing Manager to lead external manufacturing partnerships and drive transfer programs. You will collaborate with CMOs to ensure supply continuity, quality, and cost control across global platforms.

The role emphasises leadership of cross-functional teams, risk management, and strategic planning for ongoing product supply, with travel ~20% and remote work with 1 day on-site in Dublin monthly.

Qualifications

• Experience managing CMOs and external partners.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements (cGMP).
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive transfers.

Responsibilities

• Act as the principal operational contact for CMOs.
• Lead CMO performance management and risk mitigation.
• Oversee technology transfer and site transfer programmes.
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and capacity planning across partners.
• Travel internationally ~20% as needed.

Skills

CMO management

Tech transfer

Regulatory knowledge

Budget management

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Engineering / Science degree

Job description

Contract Manufacturing Senior Manager | Primarily Remote (1 day onsite in Dublin per month)

We’re currently recruiting for a Senior Contract Manufacturing opportunity with a leading global biopharmaceutical organisation based in Dublin.

This position will act as the senior operational interface between the organisation and assigned external manufacturing partners, with responsibility for CMO performance, commercial relationships, technology transfer and ongoing product supply.

Duties

• Act as the principal operational contact for assigned Contract Manufacturing Organisations.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with contract site leadership and internal stakeholders.
• Lead CMO performance management through operating reviews, KPIs, continuous improvement and structured issue resolution.
• Manage budgets, financial performance, forecasts and capacity planning across external manufacturing partners.
• Support and manage contractual activities including scopes of work, confidentiality agreements, pricing requests and supply agreements.
• Provide leadership and oversight for product and technology transfers into external manufacturing sites.
• Develop and manage transfer plans covering timelines, budgets, resources, risk and execution.
• Lead cross-functional and multi-site teams involving Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Technical Operations and other stakeholders.
• Drive risk management, problem solving and escalation of significant manufacturing or supply issues.
• Champion operational excellence and continuous improvement across the external manufacturing network.

Education & Experience

• Degree in Engineering, Science, Business Administration or a related discipline.
• 8+ years' experience within protein, API, drug substance, drug product or pharmaceutical packaging manufacturing.
• Strong working knowledge of cGMP manufacturing, validation principles and regulatory requirements.
• 5+ years' experience working with external partners and/or leading cross-functional teams supporting clinical or commercial products.
• Demonstrable experience managing CMOs, external manufacturing partners or external supply operations is highly desirable.
• Experience leading technology transfer or manufacturing transfer programmes.
• Strong project management experience across multi-functional and geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience with budgets, commercial agreements, capacity planning and supplier performance management.
• Strong influencing, negotiation, problem-solving and risk-based decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to travel internationally approximately 20% of the time.