Executive Director, Process Development & CMC Lead

MannKind Corporation; Danbury (CT); Hybrid; USD 230,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

MannKind Corporation in Danbury, CT is seeking an Executive Director, Process Development & CMC Lead to provide strategic leadership for Process Development and serve as CMC Lead for development programs. The role requires onsite presence Monday-Thursday with Fridays remote and demands extensive late-stage development experience, including Phase 3 and regulatory submissions.

Responsibilities include directing process development, technology transfer, and manufacturing readiness, coordinating

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field with 18+ years of relevant experience; or MS/BS with 20+ years of relevant pharmaceutical development experience.
• Significant people-management experience leading scientists, engineers, managers, or cross-functional technical teams.
• Demonstrated experience leading Process Development, Manufacturing Science and Technology, Technical Operations, or CMC functions for complex pharmaceutical products.
• Proven experience serving as a CMC Lead, program technical lead, or equivalent cross-functional development leader.
• Direct late-phase development experience, ideally including Phase 3 execution, NDA/MAA preparation, process validation, PPQ planning, and commercial launch readiness.
• Strong understanding of drug product, drug substance, analytical, formulation, process development, manufacturing, and regulatory CMC interdependencies.
• Experience with technology transfer to internal manufacturing sites and/or CDMOs.
• Experience authoring, reviewing, or defending CMC sections of regulatory filings and supporting health authority questions or inspections.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to senior leadership.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, resource-constrained development environment with shifting priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead Process Development Activities: Provide strategic and technical leadership for process development, scale-up, process characterization, technology transfer, and manufacturing-readiness activities across pipeline and lifecycle programs.
• Lead CMC Teams: Serve as CMC Lead for one or more development programs, chair cross-functional CMC teams, drive integrated plans, and align Process Development, Formulation, Analytical, Quality, Regulatory, Clinical Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and external partners.
• Late-Phase Development Strategy: Develop and execute phase-appropriate CMC strategies for Phase 2, Phase 3, registration, process validation, PPQ, and commercial launch readiness.
• Regulatory Leadership: Own or contribute to relevant Module 3 / IND / NDA / MAA CMC sections, support health authority interactions, and ensure CMC strategies are aligned with FDA, EMA, and other regulatory expectations.
• Technology Transfer and Manufacturing Readiness: Lead technology transfer activities, establish manufacturing control strategies, and ensure scalable, robust, and compliant processes.
• Quality and GMP Partnership: Partner effectively with Quality to ensure phase-appropriate GMP discipline, data integrity, investigation support, SOP alignment, and inspection readiness without creating unnecessary development burden. Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate quality and compliance risks while maintaining development agility and efficient program execution.
• Resource and Portfolio Management: Establish departmental priorities, manage resources and budgets, and ensure Process Development capabilities are aligned with CMC program needs and corporate priorities. Partner with senior leadership to evaluate portfolio opportunities, assess CMC investment requirements, and provide strategic recommendations that support corporate objectives and program success.
• Team Leadership: Build, lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Process Development team with clear accountability, strong cross-functional collaboration, and consistent execution against commitments.
• Risk Management and Escalation: Identify and manage technical, operational and program-level CMC risks, drive mitigation plans, make clear recommendations, and elevate issues early with options, tradeoffs, and decision points.

Skills

Strong communication

Leadership

Stakeholder management

People management

Regulatory understanding

Program leadership

Education

PhD in Chemical Engineering or related field

Job description

Position:Executive Director, Process Development & CMC Lead

Location: Danbury, CT

Job Id:112980

# of Openings:1

MannKind Corporation (Nasdaq: MNKD) is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming chronic disease care through innovative, patient-centric solutions. Focused on cardiometabolic and orphan lung diseases, we develop and commercialize treatments that address serious unmet medical needs, including diabetes, pulmonary hypertension, and fluid overload in heart failure and chronic kidney disease. With deep expertise in drug-device combinations, MannKind aims to deliver therapies designed to fit seamlessly into daily life.
At MannKind, our employees are our greatest asset. We foster a close-knit, collaborative culture where every team member plays a vital role in our mission. We are proud to champion a rich blend of backgrounds, perspectives, and working styles as we work together to improve health outcomes and change lives.

Job Summary:

The Process Development & CMC Lead will provide strategic and technical leadership for the Process Development group while also serving as the CMC Lead for one or more development programs. This role is responsible for process development, scale-up, technology transfer, manufacturing readiness, and integrated CMC execution across MannKind's pipeline. The ideal candidate will have significant late-phase development experience, including Phase 3 execution, regulatory submissions, process validation, PPQ strategy, and commercial launch readiness for complex, inhaled, or particle-engineered products. This position is located in Danbury, Ct and requires onsite presence Monday-Thursday, Fridays are remote.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Process Development Activities: Provide strategic and technical leadership for process development, scale-up, process characterization, technology transfer, and manufacturing-readiness activities across pipeline and lifecycle programs.
• Lead CMC Teams: Serve as CMC Lead for one or more development programs, chair cross-functional CMC teams, drive integrated plans, and align Process Development, Formulation, Analytical, Quality, Regulatory, Clinical Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and external partners.
• Late-Phase Development Strategy: Develop and execute phase-appropriate CMC strategies for Phase 2, Phase 3, registration, process validation, PPQ, and commercial launch readiness.
• Regulatory Leadership: Own or contribute to relevant Module 3 / IND / NDA / MAA CMC sections, support health authority interactions, and ensure CMC strategies are aligned with FDA, EMA, and other regulatory expectations.
• Technology Transfer and Manufacturing Readiness: Lead technology transfer activities, establish manufacturing control strategies, and ensure scalable, robust, and compliant processes.
• Quality and GMP Partnership: Partner effectively with Quality to ensure phase-appropriate GMP discipline, data integrity, investigation support, SOP alignment, and inspection readiness without creating unnecessary development burden. Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate quality and compliance risks while maintaining development agility and efficient program execution.
• Resource and Portfolio Management: Establish departmental priorities, manage resources and budgets, and ensure Process Development capabilities are aligned with CMC program needs and corporate priorities. Partner with senior leadership to evaluate portfolio opportunities, assess CMC investment requirements, and provide strategic recommendations that support corporate objectives and program success.
• Team Leadership: Build, lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Process Development team with clear accountability, strong cross-functional collaboration, and consistent execution against commitments.
• Risk Management and Escalation: Identify and manage technical, operational and program-level CMC risks, drive mitigation plans, make clear recommendations, and elevate issues early with options, tradeoffs, and decision points.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field with 18+ years of relevant experience; or MS/BS with 20+ years of relevant pharmaceutical development experience.
• Significant people-management experience leading scientists, engineers, managers, or cross-functional technical teams.
• Demonstrated experience leading Process Development, Manufacturing Science and Technology, Technical Operations, or CMC functions for complex pharmaceutical products.
• Proven experience serving as a CMC Lead, program technical lead, or equivalent cross-functional development leader.
• Direct late-phase development experience, ideally including Phase 3 execution, NDA/MAA preparation, process validation, PPQ planning, and commercial launch readiness.
• Strong understanding of drug product, drug substance, analytical, formulation, process development, manufacturing, and regulatory CMC interdependencies.
• Experience with technology transfer to internal manufacturing sites and/or CDMOs.
• Experience authoring, reviewing, or defending CMC sections of regulatory filings and supporting health authority questions or inspections.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to senior leadership.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, resource-constrained development environment with shifting priorities.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with inhaled drug products, dry powder inhalers, particle-engineered products, complex dosage forms, or drug-device combination products.
• Experience taking at least one product through late-stage development, regulatory submission, validation, approval, or commercial launch.
• Familiarity with QbD, control strategy development, process characterization, continued process verification, and lifecycle management.
• Experience working with FDA, EMA, notified bodies, or other regulatory agencies on CMC, combination product, or manufacturing-readiness topics.
• Experience building or improving development-stage CMC infrastructure, operating models, decision frameworks, SOPs, templates, or governance practices.
• Experience leading teams through technical disagreement, quality interface issues, and cross-functional decision-making with a clear, collaborative, and accountable style.

With the spread of the coronavirus, many individuals are concerned about access to their medication supply. At this time, MannKind does not anticipate that the supply of its inhalable insulin Afrezza ® (insulin human) Inhalation Powder will be affected by the coronavirus.

We will continue to closely monitor our supply chain for potential impact to the supply of Afrezza. MannKind sources critical raw materials from suppliers in the United States and Europe and we remain in close communication with key suppliers to assure a reliable supply of insulin.

Our US manufacturing facility is fully operational and we are taking a number of steps to prevent any impact to our supplies. Afrezza is still readily available in U.S. pharmacies, and if needed, pharmacies can order additional supplies from wholesalers with expected delivery within 1-2 days. As the global situation evolves, we will continue to take the necessary steps to safeguard the reliable supply of Afrezza.