Director Quality Control

Bristol Myers Squibb; Leiden; On-site; EUR 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Director Quality Control at Bristol Myers Squibb leads all QC laboratory operations, ensuring timely testing of drug products, intermediates, stability, and materials in full compliance with cGMP and regulatory requirements.

You will oversee multiple teams, drive continuous improvement, own the QC budget, and partner cross-functionally to deliver safe, high‑quality products while maintaining inspection readiness. A track record in cell therapy QC and strong leadership are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in Chemistry, Cell Biology, or related science.
• Minimum of 12 years of relevant work experience.
• Minimum 6 years of increasing management responsibility in a QC lab for cell therapy, drug product, or related biopharmaceuticals.

Responsibilities

• Directs QC laboratory to ensure timely completion of testing in compliance with regulatory agencies, cGMP, and internal procedures.
• Defines departmental roles and accountsabilities; hires and develops high-quality talent.
• Establishes performance objectives and monitors metrics; provides coaching and creates a collaborative environment.
• Oversees lifecycle management of analytical methods and technology within QC.
• Leads continuous improvement efforts to drive efficiency and reduce turnaround times.
• Participates in regulatory inspections and supports responses to inspections and approvals.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Strategic thinking

Communication

Forecasting & planning

QMS & quality systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry/Cell Biology/related science

12+ years relevant work experience

6+ years of increasing management responsibility

Job description

Working with Us

Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Position Summary

The Director Quality Control (QC) is responsible for leading all Quality Control laboratory operations, ensuring the timely delivery of testing activities, including drug product, intermediates, stability, raw materials, and microbiology/environmental monitoring. This role ensures that all testing is executed in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, cGMP standards, company policies, and local procedures.

As a key quality leader, the Director QC oversees multiple laboratory teams with diverse functions, providing strategic direction, resource planning, performance management, and goal setting to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement. The role is accountable for ensuring the timely closure of laboratory investigations and associated CAPAs, while maintaining a strong culture of quality, compliance, and inspection readiness.

The Director QC also has full ownership of the Quality Control budget, ensuring effective financial stewardship, resource allocation, and investment decisions that support business objectives and future growth. Through strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration, this role plays a pivotal part in delivering safe, effective, and high-quality products to patients.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Directs QC laboratory to ensure timely completion of testing (e.g., drug product, intermediates, stability, raw materials) that is performed in compliance with regulatory agencies, cGMP, and other company policies and procedures.
• Defines departmental roles and accountabilities. Hires, integrates, and develops high-quality talent capable of delivering against the department’s goals and objectives.
• Establishes and communicates performance objectives for QC staff that are consistent with the business unit and Quality goals. Defines and monitors performance measures, provides developmental feedback and coaching, and creates a collaborative environment that attracts, develops, and retains the best talent.
• Accountable for lifecycle management of analytical methods and technology within the QC laboratory.
• Directs and participates in continuous improvement efforts to drive business efficiencies (e.g., TAT improvements, COGM reductions).
• Directs programs which assure the proper operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment and the timely data analysis and reporting of trends.
• Participates in the site team, which prepares for, hosts, and responds to regulatory inspections, reviews, and approvals of the facility and products.
• Accountable for on time completion of quality records within the QMS.
• Accountable for completion of Annual Product Quality Review and periodic investigation trending reports.
• Verifies compliance with applicable BMS Policies and Procedures and ensures consistency with other site procedures and/or specifications.
• Responsible for managing the QC Operations budget.
• Fosters collaboration and communication across site and network teams. Collaborates with managers across the QC network to harmonize best practices.
• Performs other tasks as required to support the QC laboratories.

Qualifications

Specific Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Ability to work independently and to collaborate cross functionally and at network level to drive operational and quality excellence.
• Advanced leadership, strategic thinking, critical reasoning, troubleshooting, and decision-making skills to resolve complex scenarios.
• Advanced mentoring and coaching, influencing, negotiating, and personal interaction skills.
• Advanced knowledge of regulations and guidelines as related to the manufacture of cell therapy products e.g.: cGMP, ISO, FDA, MHRA, USP, and EP.
• Experience with method validation and technical transfer.
• In depth knowledge of QMS and its application to the QC laboratory
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills with the ability to tailor style for a wide variety of audiences.
• Experience leading forecasting, capacity modeling, and resource planning.

Education/Experience/ Licenses/Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Chemistry, Cell Biology, or related science. Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of relevant work experience required
• Minimum 6 years of increasing management responsibility of a cell therapy, drug product, or related biopharmaceutical Quality Control laboratory.

Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers

With a single vision as inspiring as "Transforming patients' lives through science™ ", every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture, promoting global participation in clinical trials, while our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.

On-site Protocol

Responsibilities

BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs. The occupancy type that you are assigned is determined by the nature and responsibilities of your role:

Site-essential roles require 100% of shifts onsite at your assigned facility. Site-by-design roles may be eligible for a hybrid work model with at least 50% onsite at your assigned facility. For these roles, onsite presence is considered an essential job function and is critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, and a positive Company culture. For field-based and remote-by-design roles the ability to physically travel to visit customers, patients or business partners and to attend meetings on behalf of BMS as directed is an essential job function.

Supporting People With Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to [e-mail]. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Data Protection

We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at https://careers.bms.com/fraud-protection.

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

If you believe that the job posting is missing information required by local law or incorrect in any way, please contact BMS at [e-mail]. Please provide the Job Title and Requisition number so we can review. Communications related to your application should not be sent to this email and you will not receive a response. Inquiries related to the status of your application should be directed to Chat with Ripley.

R1605441 : Director Quality Control