Associate Director, Project Quality - QC

CSL Behring; Kankakee (IL); On-site; USD 154,000 - 193,000; Full time

Job summary

CSL Behring is expanding IgG manufacturing capacity at the Kankakee site (M7/8) and seeks an Associate Director, Quality Control to lead the QC organization. You will guide change control, laboratory qualification, method lifecycle management, and regulatory readiness to support startup and commercialization for expanded capacity.

The role partners with Site QC, Operational Quality, and cross-functional teams to ensure compliant, robust QC operations, while delivering project milestones and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, microbiology, chemistry or related field. Advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years' experience in microbiological/biochemical analytics in a pharmaceutical GMP environment.
• Significant laboratory management experience and operations optimization.
• Experience supporting regulatory inspections and customer audits.
• Extensive knowledge of analytical instruments and GxP regulations.
• Demonstrated leadership and experience in global matrix organizations.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and governance for all M7/8 QC activities to ensure startup, qualification, validation, and readiness of the IgG facility.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks impacting QC deliverables and timelines.
• Lead QC activities supporting facility design reviews, equipment selection, and workflow optimization.
• Ensure readiness of QC activities including environmental monitoring, testing, and TPQ activities.
• Develop and execute operational readiness plans including staffing, training, and procedures.
• Manage QC activities by timelines, budgets, resources, and risk mitigation.

Skills

Leadership

Project governance

Change control

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in relevant scientific discipline

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

The growing demand for expanding production lined requires an expansion of CSL's manufacturing capacity. To support this growth, immunoglobulin (Ig) production activities—from plasma thawing through sterile filling—will be incorporated into the new Building under construction at the CSL Kankakee (KAN) site to accommodate Ig production. The new fill-finish facility is part of the Ig manufacturing expansion, known as Module (M) 7/8.

This role will provide Quality oversight for change control activities associated with the M 7/8 Site Expansion Project at the CSL Behring Kankakee site.

The Associate Director, Quality Control (QC) will provide strategic and operational leadership for Quality Control activities supporting the M7/M8 Immunoglobulin (Ig) Expansion Project. This role is accountable for building and leading a high-performing QC organization that ensures successful project execution, regulatory compliance, operational readiness, method lifecycle management, laboratory qualification, and commercialization support for expanded manufacturing capacity.

The individual will serve as a key member of the Project Quality leadership team and cross-functional project governance structure. Forming key partnerships with the Site QC and Operational Quality team to ensure delivery of the robust and complaint operational QC laboratory fit to the expansion.

Other partnerships within Manufacturing, QC Technical Services , Engineering, Technical Operations, Validation, Global Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Supply Chain to deliver project milestones while maintaining compliance with cGMP, regulatory requirements, and company quality standards.

Reports To:

Senior Director, Project Quality

Direct Reports:

QC Analysts, QC Sample Management Associate, QCAT Associates

Responsibilities:

1. Provide strategic leadership and governance for all M7/8 QC activities supporting the successful delivery, startup, qualification, validation, and operational readiness of the new IgG manufacturing facility.

2. Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks impacting QC deliverables, laboratory readiness, testing capacity, method implementation, and qualification timelines, escalating critical issues to senior leadership as appropriate.

3. Lead QC activities supporting facility design reviews, user requirements, laboratory fit-out, equipment selection, and workflow optimization in consultation with site Operational QC. Develop and execute the overall project strategy, ensuring alignment with project objectives, regulatory expectations, cGMP requirements, site priorities, and CSL quality standards.

4. Ensure timely readiness of QC activities including utilities and environmental monitoring sampling, testing for project qualification activities, assay tech transfer and validation, equipment purchases and qualification, establishment of new raw materials, and testing support of qualification runs. to support engineering runs, process validation, PPQ activities, and commercial manufacturing.

5. Develop and execute comprehensive operational readiness plans, including staffing, training, procedures, equipment qualification, and inventory management.

6. Manage QC activities by project timelines, budgets, resources, and risk mitigation plans to support successful project delivery.

7. Review and assess existing QC policies and procedures for successful execution of M 7/8. Perform gap assessment and suggest improvements in existing and future procedures and policies.

8. Establish and maintain a comprehensive QC project roadmap, ensuring milestones, resources, budgets, risks, and deliverables are proactively managed and aligned with overall project timelines

9. Provide strategic oversight of change control activities related to analytical methods, specifications, testing strategies, laboratory systems, equipment, and quality processes, ensuring timely implementation to meet project objectives.

10. Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory authorities, equipment suppliers, testing laboratories, consultants, and project partners, as required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant scientific discipline (biology, microbiology,chemistry, etc.); advanced degree preferred
• 10+ years' experience in microbiological and biological, chemical or biochemical analytics in a pharmaceutical/medicinal GMP environment
• Significant experience in laboratory management, including operations optimization
• Strong experience supporting regulatory inspections and customer audits.
• Extensive knowledge of analytical instruments and GxP regulations.
• Management/demonstrated leadership experience
• Experience within a global matrix organization
• Six sigma, lean, and/or variability reduction
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and balance future needs with immediate pressures

The expected base salary range for this position at hiring is $154,000- $193,000. Please note this salary range reflects the minimum and maximum base pay that CSL expects to pay for this position at the listed location as of the time of this posting. Individual base salary for a successful candidate is determined by qualifications, skill level, experience, competencies and other relevant factors. In addition to base salary, total compensation for this role may also include incentive compensation and equity.

About CSL Behring

CSL Behring is a global biotherapeutics leader driven by our promise to save lives. Focused on serving patients’ needs by using the latest technologies, we discover, develop and deliver innovative therapies for people living with conditions in the immunology, hematology, cardiovascular and metabolic, respiratory, and transplant therapeutic areas. We use three strategic scientific platforms of plasma fractionation, recombinant protein technology, and cell and gene therapy to support continued innovation and continually refine ways in which products can address unmet medical needs and help patients lead full lives.

CSL Behring operates one of the world’s largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma. Our parent company, CSL, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, employs 32,000 people, and delivers its lifesaving therapies to people in more than 100 countries.

To learn more about CSL, CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor visit https://www.csl.com/ and CSL Plasma at https://www.cslplasma.com/ .

Our Benefits

For more information on CSL benefits visit How CSL Supports Your Well-being | CSL (https://www.csl.com/careers/your-well-being) .

You Belong at CSL

At CSL, Inclusion and Belonging is at the core of our mission and who we are. It fuels our innovation day in and day out. By celebrating our differences and creating a culture of curiosity and empathy, we are able to better understand and connect with our patients and donors, foster strong relationships with our stakeholders, and sustain a diverse workforce that will move our company and industry into the future.

To learn more about inclusion and belonging visit https://www.csl.com/careers/inclusion-and-belonging

Equal Opportunity Employer

CSL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please visit https://www.csl.com/accessibility-statement .

CSL makes all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, protected veteran status (specifically status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, armed forces service medal veteran, or active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran) or other classification protected by applicable US federal, state or local law. CSL complies with all applicable employment laws, including but not limited to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Immigration Reform and Control Act. https://www.cslbehring.com/careers/eeo-statement