Associate Director, Manufacturing

AstraZeneca GmbH; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 127,000 - 191,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca GmbH in Santa Monica announces a senior manufacturing leadership role overseeing site operations and programs in cell therapy. You will translate manufacturing strategy into safe, compliant execution, managing capacity, resources, and workload while developing leaders and ensuring inspection readiness.

The role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration with Quality, MSAT, Process Development, and Regulatory, driving continuous improvement and right-first-time performance in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 7–10 years experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Extensive experience in GMP/manufacturing, biotech or cell therapy manufacturing.
• Experience leading multiple teams, shifts, or functional areas.
• Strong understanding of cGMP, SOPs, batch records, quality systems and safety.
• Experience with deviation investigations, CAPAs and change controls.
• Proven ability to build teams, develop leaders, and manage performance.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and influence in a matrixed environment.
• Strong technical judgment, risk-based decision making, communication and problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing operations across assigned teams, shifts, programs, or areas.
• Ensure GMP compliance, safety, and contamination control in a multi-product facility.
• Establish and maintain an operating model for safe, compliant execution.
• Mentor Manufacturing Managers and specialists; ensure training and qualification levels.
• Schedule people, facility, equipment, materials, documents, and systems to support capacity.
• Drive performance using KPIs and structured action tracking.
• Collaborate with Quality, MSAT, Process Development, Supply Chain, and Regulatory to align operations.
• Support capacity planning, tech transfer, scale-up, and future manufacturing readiness.
• Ensure readiness for audits and maintain documentation and inspection readiness.

Skills

Leadership development

Communication

Problem solving

Operational leadership

Risk-based decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in science, engineering, life sciences, business, or related field

Tools

MES

Quality management systems

Job description

The Associate Director, Manufacturing leads manufacturing operations for a site, program, shift structure, or major functional area supporting TCR T, CAR T, and allogeneic cell therapy programs. This role is accountable for translating manufacturing strategy into operational execution while ensuring safe, compliant, reliable delivery of patient supply, resource and workload management, leadership development, operating model maturity, and future commercial readiness!

Typical Accountabilities

• Lead all aspects of manufacturing operations across assigned teams, shifts, programs, or manufacturing areas.
• Lead operations related to the production of cell therapy products, ensuring adherence to applicable regulations, cGMPs, approved procedures, safety requirements, and site standards.
• Establish and maintain an operating model that supports safe, compliant, predictable, manufacturing execution.
• Build, mentor, and develop Manufacturing Managers, Leads, Specialists, and Associate Specialists.
• Ensure teams maintain appropriate training and qualification levels for cell therapy GMP manufacturing in a multi-product clinical facility.
• Ensure schedules for people, facility, equipment, materials, documents, and electronic systems are established and maintained to support expected capacity.
• Drive manufacturing performance through KPIs, SQDCP or SQSCP systems, tiered communication, Tier 2/Tier 3 escalation, day-to-day execution rigor, and structured action tracking.
• Establish department goals and ensure performance is tracked, reviewed, and acted upon.
• Support capacity planning for clinical manufacturing, technology transfer, scale-up, installed capacity, employed capacity, shift structures, and future commercial manufacturing.
• Partner with Quality, MSAT, Process Development, Supply Chain, EHS, Facilities and Engineering, Regulatory, HR, Training, and Site Leadership to ensure operational alignment.
• Ensure safe work practices, GMP compliance, contamination control, inspection readiness, and patient safety are embedded into daily execution.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks that could impact patient supply, product quality, schedule adherence, capacity readiness, or inspection readiness.
• Ensure deviations, CAPAs, change controls, process transfers, OOS/non-conformance support, and other business drivers are supported and closed on time.
• Review and approve key manufacturing documents as assigned, including SOPs, batch records, training materials, validation protocols, reports, and operational procedures.
• Lead or support engineering runs, technology transfer runs, process implementation, new program introductions, and introduction of new manufacturing systems or digital tools.
• Develop and implement programs to improve right first-time performance, timely delivery, release predictability, cycle time, and operational robustness.
• Ensure sufficient qualified personnel are available to support current and future manufacturing demand, including visual inspection execution and requalification requirements.
• Champion inspection readiness and ensure manufacturing behaviors, documentation, and cleanroom discipline can withstand internal and external audit scrutiny.
• Support development of organizational structure, shift structure, career pathways, succession planning, leadership bench strength, and direct labor progression models.
• Ensure communications delivered to the team are accurate, consistent, timely, and aligned with Manufacturing and site priorities.
• Drive continuous improvement through staff engagement, operational excellence, standard work, visual management, 5S, problem solving, and data-based decision making.
• Perform additional responsibilities and project-based assignments as needed to support Manufacturing operations, site strategy, and business objectives.

You Are Accountable For

• Manufacturing performance across assigned site, program, or functional scope.
• Delivery of patient supply in alignment with clinical demand and business priorities.
• Safe, compliant, and right first-time execution across teams and shifts.
• Capacity readiness across people, equipment, facility, materials, documentation, electronic systems, and training.
• Effective leadership, development, and performance management of Manufacturing Managers and teams.
• On‑time support and closure of deviations, CAPAs, change controls, and manufacturing actions.
• Cross‑functional alignment involving Quality, MSAT, Process Development, Supply Coordination, EHS, Facilities and Engineering, Regulatory, Training, HR, and Site Leadership.
• Establishing and maintaining a culture of safety, quality, accountability, collaboration, inclusion, execution excellence, Great Place to Work behaviors, and patient focus.
• Building readiness for scale‑up, commercial manufacturing, inspection readiness, and future operating model maturity.

Required

• Bachelor's degree in science, engineering, life sciences, business, or related field with 7 – 10 years experience, significant confirmed experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Extensive experience in GMP manufacturing, biologics manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotech manufacturing, or cell therapy manufacturing.
• Experience leading multiple teams, shifts, managers, or functional areas.
• Solid understanding of cGMP requirements, SOPs, batch records, quality systems, safety expectations, contamination control, and regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience with deviation investigations, CAPAs, change controls, SOPs, batch records, training programs, inspection readiness, and regulated documentation.
• Proven ability to build teams, develop leaders, manage performance, coach leaders, and make difficult decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and influence in a matrixed environment.
• Strong technical judgment, risk‑based decision making, communication, problem solving, and operational leadership skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, complex, and changing manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the production of cell‑based therapies.
• Supporting clinical and commercial manufacturing operations.
• Technology transfer, new program introduction, engineering runs, process validation readiness, commercial readiness, or digital manufacturing systems such as MES.
• CMC development, biologics manufacturing, global operations, or multi‑product manufacturing environments.
• Paper and electronic batch records, MES, quality management systems, inventory systems, scheduling systems, or electronic quality systems.
• Developing operating models, shift structures, workforce plans, career ladders, frameworks for advancing direct labor, or succession plans.
• Applying Lean, 5S, standard work, Tier management, SQDCP, visual management, operational excellence, or continuous improvement tools.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $127,211.20 - $190,816.80. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short‑term incentive bonuses, equity‑based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we ignite bold thinking with the power to inspire life‑changing medicines. In‑person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That’s why we work five days per week onsite. But that doesn’t mean we’re not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility.

Join us in our unique and ambitious world

Why AstraZeneca:

Here, courage, curiosity, and collaboration fuel a relentless focus on redefining cancer outcomes, powered by a pipeline that fuses innovative science with advanced technology. You will work in an environment where unexpected teams come together to fuel aggressive ideas, backed by meaningful investment and a clear path from discovery to impact. We value kindness alongside ambition, and we empower leaders at every level to ask sharp questions, take smart risks, and turn data into decisions that help patients sooner!

Date Posted

31-Aug-2026

Closing Date

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.