Director, Production Operations

Curia Aalborg ApS; Springfield (MO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous benefit options (eligible on

Paid training, vacation and holidays (

Career advancement opportunities

Education reimbursement

401K program with matching

Learning platform

And more!

Job summary

Curia is seeking a Director of Production Operations in Springfield, MO to lead manufacturing across large-scale, pilot plant, and technical services. The role ensures safety, compliance, cost-effectiveness, and growth readiness, while building the next generation of site leaders.

The position requires strategic vision, operational discipline, and cross‑functional collaboration with Quality and Regulatory teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• 5–10 years of mid to senior management experience in manufacturing or process environment.
• Strong knowledge of cGMP compliance, technical operations, and quality systems.
• Proven ability to identify, develop, and inspire leaders at multiple levels.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present strategy and performance to leadership.
• Experience with API development and manufacturing processes.
• Certification in Lean manufacturing or Six Sigma.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement short and long-range goals aligned with growth targets.
• Set strategic leadership goals for key section heads across large-scale, pilot plant, and technical services.
• Review operations plans to assess capacity and improve utilization.
• Maintain KPIs and monitoring systems to drive performance.
• Oversee manufacturing operations for safety, quality, productivity, and efficiency.
• Drive cGMP compliance and quality management with Quality/Regulatory.
• Plan and execute production activities to maximize output and schedule adherence.
• Lead efforts to prepare for productive customer visits.
• Analyze costs and forecast data to meet business and financial objectives.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Communication

cGMP knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering

Tools

Lean/Six Sigma certification

Job description

Director, Production Operations in Springfield, MO

Build your future at Curia, where our work has the power to save lives

Curia is a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with over 30 years of experience partnering with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to provide life‑saving treatments to patients. At Curia, we are on a mission to advance our customers’ therapies from curiosity to cure and ultimately to improve patients’ lives.

We proudly offer

• Generous benefit options (eligible first day of employment)
• Paid training, vacation and holidays (vacation accrual begins on first day of employment)
• Career advancement opportunities
• Education reimbursement
• 401K program with matching contributions
• Learning platform
• And more!

At Curia, manufacturing excellence is at the heart of everything we do. The Director, Production Operations is a key member of the Springfield leadership team, responsible for managing, planning, directing, and coordinating manufacturing processes across our large scale, pilot plant, and technical services organizations. This leader ensures our operations are safe, compliant, cost-effective, and positioned for growth.

This is a role for a proven leader who brings both strategic vision and operational discipline. The Director contributes to the development of business and functional strategies, communicates them clearly across the site, and translates them into action. Working cross‑functionally with Quality, Regulatory, and other departments, this leader drives high performance in cGMP compliance, schedule adherence, and customer satisfaction.

As much as this role is about operational outcomes, it is also about people. The Director identifies and develops the next generation of leaders within the organization, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration that reflects the Curia Way.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategy and Planning

• Develop and implement short and long range goals and objectives that align with business growth and profitability targets.
• Set strategic leadership goals for key section heads within the large scale, pilot plant, and technical services organizations.
• Review operational plans to assess manufacturing capacity requirements and make recommendations to improve capacity utilization and support business development planning.
• Develop, implement, and maintain Key Performance Indicators and monitoring systems to drive high levels of performance within the department and across the organization.

Operations and Compliance

• Oversee manufacturing operations to ensure safety, quality, productivity, and efficiency, working collaboratively with the management team to prevent and resolve operational, quality, financial, and facility issues.
• Partner with Quality and Regulatory departments to drive high performance in cGMP compliance and ensure operations meet organizational requirements for quality management, health and safety, legal, and environmental standards.
• Ensure proper planning and effective execution of production activities to minimize downtime and maximize output per the production schedule, working closely with supporting departments to maintain schedule adherence.
• Proactively lead local efforts to prepare for and execute productive customer visits.
• Analyze activities, costs, operations, and forecast data to assess progress toward goals and initiate corrective action as needed to meet business and financial objectives.
• Perform other related duties as may be reasonably assigned in the course of business.

Good Manufacturing & Documentation Practices

• Perform all documentation in compliance with ALCOA++ principles and site SOPs.
• Adhere to applicable cGMP documents including SOPs, batch records, protocols, change controls, and controlled forms.
• Keep all required cGMP training current and elevate quality concerns along with proposed solutions to the Quality department.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field
• Minimum 5–10 years of mid to senior management experience in a manufacturing or process environment
• Demonstrated understanding of the responsibilities and functions of key departments within a pharmaceutical or industrial manufacturing facility
• Strong knowledge of cGMP compliance, technical operations, and quality systems within a manufacturing environment
• Proven ability to identify, develop, and inspire leaders at multiple levels of the organization
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present strategy and performance clearly to site and functional leadership

Preferred

• Experience with API development and manufacturing processes
• Certification in Lean manufacturing or Six Sigma

Physical Requirements

• Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear.
• Frequently required to use hands to handle or feel objects, reach with hands and arms, and climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• May occasionally lift and/or move up to 55 pounds.
• Visual requirements include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Regular work in a standard office environment, with frequent entry into the production area of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
• Production environment may include moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, extreme heat, wet or humid conditions, low levels of toxic or caustic chemicals, and outdoor weather conditions.
• Noise level in the work environment is typically moderate.

This job description reflects the general nature and scope of the role and is not exhaustive.We’re a growing organization, and opportunities to contribute beyond this list are part of what makes Curia exciting. We’re committed to reviewing reasonable accommodation requests to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role

Other Qualifications

• Must pass a background check
• Must pass a drug screen
• May be required to pass Occupational Health Screening

Education, experience, location and tenure may be considered along with internal equity when job offers are extended.

Curia is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Curia is an E-Verify employer.