Head of QA

Ace Pharmaceuticals; Zeewolde; On-site; EUR 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Ace Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Head of Quality Assurance based in Zeewolde, The Netherlands, to safeguard product quality and enable business continuity through risk-based decision making and timely product release.

As a senior leader reporting to the CEO, you will own the QMS, GMP/GxP compliance, and inspection readiness, guiding quality performance in a fast-paced, PE-backed environment with a focus on patient safety and regulatory adherence.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant scientific field.
• 15+ years in the pharmaceutical industry.
• 10+ years in progressive QA leadership.
• Experience in a mid-sized pharma company preferred.
• Fluent in English; Dutch preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide calm, credible and visible leadership in a regulated environment.
• Own QMS, GMP/GxP compliance, and product disposition.
• Lead inspections and audits with robust documentation.
• Balance regulatory requirements with business priorities.
• Drive continuous improvement of quality systems and processes.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Quality management

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Communication

People development

English fluency

Dutch language (preferable)

Education

Master's degree in Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences/Life Sciences/related field

Job description

Ace Pharmaceuticals (Ace) is an independent pharmaceutical company operating in the niche market of medical need products to satisfy the unmet demand of small patient groups. By doing this, the company makes a valuable contribution to society.

Via its state-of-the-art facility and C(D)MO’s, Ace carries out the development, production, and distribution of its products. In addition, Ace manufactures and distributes pharmaceutical compounded products for pharmacies.

Ace is based in Zeewolde, The Netherlands. For more information please visit: www.ace-pharm.nl

Position Overview

The Head of Quality Assurance is ultimately accountable for safeguarding product quality while enabling business continuity through balanced, risk based decision making, timely product release, and sustainable regulatory compliance.

The Head of Quality Assurance is a senior leader and member of the Management Team, reporting directly to the CEO.

The role requires sound judgement, a pragmatic leadership style and the ability to balance regulatory requirements with business objectives with much focus on product quality and patient safety. This role holds end to end accountability for product releases, Quality Management System, GMP compliance, inspection readiness and overall quality performance within a fast paced, private equity backed pharmaceutical environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide calm, credible and visible leadership in a regulated environment.
• Lead through influence, collaboration and accountability rather than hierarchy.
• Drive a culture of ownership, continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Demonstrate excellent judgement and consistently makes balanced, risk based decisions, recognizing both quality requirements and business priorities without compromising patient safety or compliance.
• Ensure timely and compliant product disposition and batch release to safeguard uninterrupted patient supply.
• Lead successful Health Authority inspections and customer audits while maintaining full GMP, GDP and GxP compliance.
• Drive continuous improvement of quality systems, quality processes and organizational effectiveness.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Life Sciences, Chemistry, Biotechnology or a related scientific discipline.
• Additional education in Leadership, Quality Management and Operational Excellence is preferred
• At least 15 years+ of experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry
• At least 10 years+ of progressive leadership experience within Quality Assurance
• Experience within a mid-sized pharmaceutical company is preferred
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to challenge constructively when required.
• Strong people leader with a proven track record in coaching, developing and retaining high performing teams.
• Fluent in English and preferably also in Dutch
• The role is based in Zeewolde, The Netherlands and a regular presence is needed. Candidates must be able to work and live in The Netherlands and preferably live within a 90 minutes travel distance.

Ace Pharmaceuticals offers a competitive compensation package, aligned with the scope, seniority, and strategic impact of the role. The total remuneration will be tailored to the experience, track record, and overall fit of the selected candidate.