Group Lead - DPQA

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 4,500,000 - 7,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd seeks a Senior Drug Product Quality Assurance leader to oversee aseptic DP manufacturing operations, ensure cGMP compliance, and drive continuous improvement. The role emphasizes batch release, risk-based decisions, and strong quality culture across the organization.

You will lead the DPQA team, manage regulatory inspections, and ensure readiness for audits while maintaining data integrity and product quality across phases of manufacturing and release.

Qualifications

• Advanced QA/regulatory knowledge essential.
• Experience leading DPQA or Manufacturing QA teams.
• Strong understanding of cGMP, regulatory standards and data integrity.

Responsibilities

• Provide QA oversight for aseptic DP manufacturing operations.
• Review batch records and support disposition and release.
• Lead deviations, investigations, CAPAs, change controls, and QRM.
• Ensure regulatory inspection readiness and support audits.
• Drive continuous improvement and quality culture across DPQA.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Regulatory Compliance

Leadership

Aseptic Processing

Data Integrity

Process Validation

Education

M.Pharm/B.Pharm/M.Sc.

QA/Regulatory Certification

Job description

At Dr. Reddy's "Good Health Can't Wait"
By joining Dr. Reddy’s, you will contribute to making the breakthroughs of tomorrow a reality today! From making medicines more affordable to discovering innovative treatment options to satisfy unmet medical needs, we are dedicated to helping people lead longer and healthier lives. We are seeking dynamic and energetic individuals ready to inspire, ready to make a difference fortheircommunity andeverycommunity.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
At Dr. Reddy’s, we are deeply committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone belongs and is valued for their contributions to the team. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the role and are open to exploring candidates with a less traditional background.

Job Description

To lead Drug Product Quality Assurance activities and provide strategic quality oversight for aseptic manufacturing operations, ensuring commercial and clinical drug product batches are manufactured, reviewed, and released in compliance with cGMP, global regulatory requirements, and internal quality standards. The incumbent shall be responsible for maintaining a state of control over manufacturing processes, sterility assurance programs, contamination control strategies, data integrity, inspection readiness, and quality systems while driving continuous improvement and fostering a strong quality culture across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Manufacturing Quality Assurance

• Provide QA oversight for Drug Product manufacturing operations, including aseptic processing, filling, visual inspection, and packaging activities.
• Ensure compliance with cGMP, GDP, Data Integrity (ALCOA+), and regulatory requirements on the manufacturing shop floor.
• Review and approve batch manufacturing records and support timely batch disposition and release.
• Act as authorized QA representative for product disposition decisions.
• Drive real-time quality oversight and escalation of critical compliance issues.

2. Batch Release & Product Disposition

• Ensure all quality and GMP requirements are fulfilled prior to batch release.
• Review deviations, investigations, CAPAs, change controls, and impact assessments associated with product batches.
• Support risk-based decision-making for batch release, rejection, reprocessing, or rework.
• Review and approve market complaint investigations, recalls, and mock recall reports.

3. Validation & Qualification Oversight

• Provide quality oversight for:
  • Process Validation
  • Cleaning Validation
  • Aseptic Process Simulation (Media Fills)
  • Equipment Qualification
  • Hold Time Studies
  • Continued Process Verification (CPV)
• Ensure validated state is maintained throughout the product lifecycle.
• Review and approve validation protocols, reports, and associated risk assessments.

4. Quality Systems Management

• Lead timely closure of:
  • Deviations
  • Investigations
  • CAPAs
  • Change Controls
  • Quality Risk Assessments (QRM)
• Review and approve SOPs, protocols, reports, product quality reviews, and GMP documentation.
• Ensure effectiveness verification of CAPAs and continuous improvement initiatives.

5. Sterility Assurance & Contamination Control

• Lead implementation and continuous improvement of the Contamination Control Strategy (CCS).
• Monitor aseptic practices, environmental monitoring trends, utilities, and cleanroom compliance.
• Ensure compliance with Annex 1, FDA, EMA, WHO, and other applicable regulatory expectations for sterile manufacturing.
• Support investigations related to microbial contamination, environmental excursions, and objectionable organism recoveries.
• Provide oversight for sterility assurance programs and contamination prevention activities.

6. Regulatory Compliance & Inspection Readiness

• Maintain a constant state of inspection readiness.
• Lead and support regulatory inspections, customer audits, due diligence audits, and self-inspections.
• Review audit observations and ensure timely implementation of remediation activities.
• Support preparation of regulatory submissions and health authority responses.
• Drive proactive compliance monitoring and risk mitigation across DP manufacturing operations.

7. Product Quality Review

• Lead preparation, review, and approval of Annual Product Quality Reviews (APQR/PQR).
• Ensure timely collection, analysis, and trending of quality metrics.
• Present quality trends, compliance risks, and improvement opportunities to site leadership.

8. Vendor & External Manufacturing Oversight

• Support supplier qualification, contractor qualification, and quality agreement management.
• Review quality aspects of outsourced manufacturing, testing, and service activities.
• Participate in supplier audits and ongoing performance monitoring.

9. Leadership & People Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop the DPQA team.
• Build a culture of quality, accountability, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration with Manufacturing, QC, MSAT, Engineering, Validation, and Regulatory Affairs.
• Support succession planning and capability development within the QA organization.

Educational Qualification

• M.Pharm / B.Pharm / M.Sc. (Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Life Sciences) or equivalent.
• Advanced qualification or certification in Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, or Pharmaceutical Management is preferred.

Experience

• 15-20 years of experience in Biopharmaceutical, Sterile Injectable, Vaccine, or Aseptic Manufacturing environments.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience in Drug Product Quality Assurance or Manufacturing Quality Assurance.
• Hands-on experience supporting global regulatory inspections including USFDA, EMA, MHRA, ANVISA, PMDA, Health Canada, or equivalent agencies.
• Strong experience in aseptic processing, contamination control strategy, sterility assurance, validation, and batch disposition.

Technical Competencies

• cGMP and Global Regulatory Requirements
• Data Integrity and Quality Systems
• Aseptic Processing and Annex 1 Compliance
• Sterility Assurance Programs
• Contamination Control Strategy (CCS)
• Process and Cleaning Validation
• Deviation, CAPA, Change Control, and QRM
• Product Quality Review (APQR/PQR)
• Regulatory Inspection Management
• Root Cause Investigation and Risk Assessment

Leadership Competencies

• Strong quality and compliance mindset
• Strategic thinking and business acumen
• Critical decision-making and risk-based judgment
• Team leadership and people development
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Effective communication and coaching capabilities
• Strong drive for inspection readiness and operational excellence

Qualifications

Educational Qualification

• M.Pharm / B.Pharm / M.Sc. (Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Life Sciences) or equivalent.
• Advanced qualification or certification in Quality Assurance, regulatory Affairs, or Pharmaceutical Management is preferred.

Additional Information

Our Work Culture

Ask any employee at Dr. Reddy's why they come to work every day and they'll say, because Good Health Can't Wait. This is our credo as well as the guiding principle behind all our actions. We see healthcare solutions not only as scientific formulations, but as a means to help patients lead healthier lives, and we're always attuned to the new and the next to empower