Head of Quality – Lonza Capability Center

Lonza; Hyderabad; Hybrid; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

Lonza is seeking a Head of Quality at the Capability Center in Hyderabad. Lead a 250+ quality organization, shape site strategy, and drive digital quality transformation across Lonza’s global footprint.

The role is office-first with the option to work remotely up to 20% of the time. You will collaborate with Global Quality leadership, IT, Regulatory Affairs, R&D, Manufacturing, and HR to ensure inspection readiness and GxP compliance.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of leadership experience in Quality in pharma/biotech/medical devices.
• Experience scaling large, multi-layered teams (150+ employees) in a global capability center.
• Deep knowledge of Digital Quality, CSV, systems validation, and data governance.
• Strong regulatory exposure (FDA, EMA, WHO, ICH) and audit/inspection management.
• Excellent English communication and matrix leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Build, scale a 250+ quality organization and establish delivery models for Digital Quality, CSV, and Training.
• Lead Hyderabad Site Leadership Team and align site strategy with Global Quality leadership.
• Oversee global service delivery ensuring GxP compliance and regulatory alignment.
• Drive digital transformation and scalable quality systems across the organization.
• Attract, mentor, and retain top talent, building a high-performance culture.
• Partner cross-functionally with Global IT, Regulatory Affairs, R&D, Manufacturing, and HR.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Change management

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Quality management

Team building

English fluency

Education

Advanced degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy

Tools

CSV

Systems Validation

Data Management

Job description

Head of Quality – Lonza Capability Center

Head of Quality – Lonza Capability Center

Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates and their families, if needed.

Build, scale, and lead a 250+ Quality organization from the ground up at Lonza’s strategic Capability Center in Hyderabad. In this executive leadership role, you will shape site-wide strategy, drive digital quality transformation, and deliver critical quality services across Lonza’s global footprint.

This is an office‑first role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and team alignment, enabling us to deliver our best work. You will work primarily in the office, with the flexibility to work remotely for 20% of your time (one day per week).

What you will get:

An agile career and dynamic working culture.

An inclusive and ethical workplace.

Compensation programs that recognize high performance.

A variety of benefits dependent on role and location.

Build & Scale: Design, recruit, and scale a 250+ Quality organization from the ground up, establishing delivery models for Digital Quality, CSV, Systems Validation, Data Management, and Training.

Site Leadership: Serve as an active member of the Hyderabad Site Leadership Team, contributing to overall site strategy, culture, and scaling the center into a 1,000-employee global hub.

Strategic Alignment: Act as the primary interface between the Hyderabad Capability Center and Global Quality leadership to align strategy, governance, and inspection readiness.

Operational Excellence: Oversee global service delivery to ensure compliance with GxP, data integrity, and applicable regulatory frameworks (e.g., FDA, EMA).

Digital Transformation: Drive continuous improvement, process automation, digital enablement, and scalable quality systems.

Talent & Mentorship: Attract and retain top-tier talent, building a high-performance culture, strong leadership bench, and continuous learning ecosystem.

Stakeholder Management: Partner cross-functionally with Global IT, Regulatory Affairs, R&D, Manufacturing, and HR to ensure seamless integration across the global matrix.

What we are looking for:

Education: Advanced degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy, or a related technical discipline.

Regulated Industry Experience: Significant leadership experience (15+ years) in Quality within the pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical device industries.

Organizational Build Experience: Proven track record of scaling and managing large, multi-layered teams (150+ employees), preferably within a global capability center or shared service model.

Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge in Digital Quality, Computer System Validation (CSV), systems validation, and data governance.

Regulatory Compliance: Comprehensive expertise in global regulatory standards (FDA, EMA, WHO, ICH) with hands‑on experience in audit and inspection management.

Matrix Leadership: Exceptional change management, strategic thinking, and ability to influence senior global stakeholders within a matrix environment.

Communication: Business fluency in English with outstanding communication and presentation skills.

About Lonza

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally c onnected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity ref lect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions o f lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their uniqu e perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you’re read y to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into vi able therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.