Chief Technical Officer

Argenta; Kansas; On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Argenta, a global animal health CDMO, seeks a Chief Technical Officer to lead scientific and manufacturing technology strategy for a fast-growing business. You will own full P&L accountability and guide strategy across biologics, oral solids, sterile injectables, and other modalities.

The role requires 20+ years in drug development and commercialization, with a PhD and, ideally, an MBA. You will operate at an executive level, shaping enterprise strategy and client-driven delivery.

Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences or related discipline; postdoctoral experience preferred.
• Executive MBA or equivalent preferred.
• Proven track record of P&L or general management ownership.

Responsibilities

• Own full P&L accountability for Argenta's CDO business and translate technical differentiation into commercial results.
• Set scientific and technical strategy across analytical development, formulation and process development, and MSAT.
• Provide senior technical leadership across formulation modalities including biologics and sterile injectables.
• Represent Argenta's capabilities to clients in a hands-on, client-facing capacity from business development to delivery.
• Collaborate with Regulatory Affairs, Quality, PM, and Business Development to align strategy with submissions and timelines.
• Build and lead a high-performing technical organization and shape the talent pipeline.
• Operate as an enterprise leader shaping strategy for a $300M+ business.

Skills

P&L ownership

Executive leadership

Drug development

Analytical development

Education

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Executive MBA

Job description

At Argenta, we\'re more than a company - we\'re a global team, dedicated to healthier animals. We believe that when their lives are made better, we\'re all the better for it.

Founded in 2006, we support companies big and small to develop and manufacture health products for pets and livestock. Our trusted, innovative solutions and services cover every stage of the process, from molecule to market.

We\'re in a unique position. We are the world\'s only combined contract research and contract development and manufacturing organisation (CRO/CDMO) dedicated to animal health.

Our uniqueness means:

• We are ambitious, growing and building a 'one team' culture, guided by our values.
  • We are team players;
  • We are doers;
  • We are customer-centric;
  • We are innovators.

We value diversity, as a global company, we get the richness of working with different people in different places whether it be location, stages of their career, their development, their role. We believe that when everyone works together and puts their best "paw" forward we will make the lives of the animals we care for, better.

With bases in New Zealand, the US, the UK and Europe, our 900+ colleagues are driven by our partnership approach and purpose: Healthy Animals. Let\'s Make It Happen, Together.

We\'re also owners. Every eligible Argenta colleague holds a genuine stake in the value we build together through our Shared Ownership Plan — because when we win, we all share in it. For a role like this one, that\'s not a footnote: you\'ll be building real, lasting value in the business you help lead, and sharing directly in the outcome.

Argenta is currently looking to fill the role ofChief Technical Officer. This is a rare opportunity to lead the scientific and manufacturing technology strategy for a fast-growing CDMO business - and to own its outcome. Sitting on Argenta's Executive Leadership Team, you\'ll carry full P&L accountability for our CDO business, shape technical strategy across biologics, oral solid dose, sterile injectables, extended-release technologies, and soft chews, and represent Argenta directly to the clients who depend on us to bring their products to market.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own full P&L accountability for the CDO business - revenue, profitability, and growth - translating technical differentiation into commercial results.
• Set the scientific and technical strategy across analytical development, formulation and process development, technology transfer, and manufacturing science and technology (MSAT).
• Provide senior technical leadership across our formulation modalities - biologics, oral solid dose, small molecule sterile injectables, extended-release technologies, and soft chews.
• Represent Argenta's technical capabilities directly to clients, in a hands-on, client-facing capacity, from business development through program delivery.
• Partner closely with Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Project Management, and Business Development to keep technical strategy connected to submissions, compliance, delivery timelines, and client pursuit.
• Build and lead a high-performing technical organization, and shape the talent pipeline behind it.
• Operate as a genuine enterprise leader, not just a technical one, shaping strategy for a $300M+ business growing at a rapid rate.

About You:

• 20+ years of progressive experience across drug development and commercialization, spanning human health, animal health, and/or CDMO environments - with strong, demonstrable animal health drug development experience essential.
• PhD (or equivalent advanced degree) in Pharmaceutical Sciences or a related discipline, with postdoctoral experience preferred; an Executive MBA or equivalent is also preferred.
• A genuine track record of P&L or general management ownership. This role carries full commercial and financial accountability, not solely technical leadership.
• Deep technical credibility across analytical development and formulation/process development, ideally spanning multiple modalities.
• Comfortable operating at Executive Leadership Team level, shaping enterprise strategy rather than only functional strategy.
• Experience within a private equity-backed environment, or overseeing a multi-site/multi-country manufacturing network, is a strong plus.

Argenta has strongly embedded company values which is key to who we are and how we deliver. We offer an opportunity to work for a successful and rapidly expanding global business where your input will be valued. At Argenta we are a hard-working group who really enjoy the people we work with each day. That is why we support our people through a strong culture, great benefits, and growth opportunities.

Argenta is an equal-opportunity employer.