Senior Director, Quality Systems/QMS

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 213,600 - 320,400; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Educational assistance programs

Commuting subsidy

401(k) plan

Job summary

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is seeking a Senior Director, Global Quality Systems to lead and enhance the Quality Management System. This role requires substantial leadership experience, strong regulatory compliance expertise, and a commitment to quality culture across global operations.

The ideal candidate will ensure effective oversight and drive continuous improvement initiatives within the Quality organization, setting strategic direction and managing stakeholder relationships effectively.

Join Vertex to contribute to innovative practices within a supportive, flexible environment and explore market-leading benefits.

Qualifications

• 15 years relevant work experience with 7 years in leadership roles.
• Experience in GMP and/or GCP operational oversight.
• Familiarity with global regulations and ICH guidance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Global Quality Management System.
• Ensure systematic identification and control of QMS-level risks.
• Lead and mentor quality professionals to enhance capabilities.

Skills

Regulatory compliance expertise

Stakeholder management

Quality management systems

Strong problem-solving skills

Data analysis skills

Education

BS, MS, JD, MD, or PhD in a Life Sciences discipline

Tools

Lean methodologies

DMAIC

Six Sigma

Job description

Job Description

The Senior Director, Global Quality Systems holds a pivotal leadership position within the Quality organization. This individual is responsible for providing strategic vision and direction to advance the framework, strengthen organizational capabilities, and ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the Quality Management System.

Position Summary

This leader provides strategic leadership and oversight across all aspects of Global Quality Systems. The role guarantees integrity and effectiveness of the framework, enhances capabilities, and ensures robust execution throughout GxP domains, various products, modalities, and geographies within the Quality Management System. It reports to the Vice President of Global Quality Systems and Compliance and serves on major quality and compliance leadership teams.

The ideal candidate will possess senior‑level leadership skills, extensive regulatory compliance expertise, and robust GxP operational/quality oversight experience in this highly visible role. The candidate will have a proven record of excellent stakeholder management and a strong capability for enterprise thinking in fully aligning stakeholders to achieve optimal standardization and harmonization while ensuring fit‑for‑purpose applications that enhance agility, efficiency, and effectiveness throughout the global QMS.

Key Responsibilities

• Quality Management System Leadership
  • Provides strategic leadership and oversight to ensure Quality Systems health, integrity, and effectiveness throughout GxP domains, products, modalities, and geographies across the global Quality Management System.
  • Ensures QS alignment with global regulatory expectations through global quality standards and effective fit for purpose implementation.
  • Ensures systematic identification, assessment and control of QMS‑level risks, drives a culture of quality by design and continuous improvement, and translates lessons learned into systemic improvements.
  • Owns the overall QSO/Quality Systems model and strategic roadmap for evolution, ensuring readiness and sustainability for emerging and future changes (e.g., scaling, digital enablement, and readiness for emerging technologies and novel modalities).
• Quality Systems Oversight and Strategic Direction
  • Owner and champion across the QMS the overall Quality Systems Ownership model implementation and governance for ensuring system health and effectiveness and integration across QMS and operational governance.
  • Leads team of Quality Systems Owners (QSOs), each with accountability for the health and effectiveness of a defined cross‑QMS‑level Quality System (e.g., Quality Risk Management, Vendor Quality Management, Event Management, Knowledge Management, Data Integrity).
  • Leads/chairs integrated Quality Systems oversight and governance (e.g., PONs, other QS‑specific governance and interfaces with operational governance across the QMS such as QMR).
  • Through cross‑QS strategic oversight, ensures alignment of internal and external (outsourced/third‑party) QS standards, expectations and internal governance to ensure global oversight, transparency and continual improvement across the Vertex QMS.
• Quality Leadership, Enterprise Partnership, Change Management and Quality Culture Championship
  • Role models Quality Leadership, advocating quality culture, and ensuring accountability, transparency, and integrity in how quality decisions are made and communicated across the enterprise.
  • Partners with QA leadership and enables enterprise functions (e.g., Finance, Strategic Sourcing, Human Resources) in proactive management and strategic planning and translation into operating standards, inspection readiness, compliance and excellence.
  • Leads, develops, and mentors quality professionals to mature the capabilities and leadership needed to scale and transform the organization and QMS across a diverse portfolio of products, technologies, geographies, and evolving business needs. Serves as change agent for transformation initiatives, including digitization and advanced technology integration across the QMS.

Minimum qualifications

BS, MS, JD, MD, or PhD in a Life Sciences discipline or equivalent. Fifteen (15) years relevant work experience with 7 years of leadership supervisory role in a global organization.

Operational/Quality oversight experience (GMP and/or GCP, with additional breadth preferred). Experience working across operational functions and at an enterprise level preferred.

Experience building sustainable and advanced oversight programs/Quality Systems/QMS models and governance to ensure compliance across GxP areas and products/programs.

In-depth knowledge in the following areas

• Contemporary understanding of global regulations and ICH guidance, with direct regulatory authority experience or a strong track record of interactions with health authorities across multiple regions.
• QA experience in a sponsor organization or contract organization, with at least 10 years of QA leadership across quality operations such as audit, compliance, inspection, and operational quality management.
• Highly collaborative and effective at building strong enterprise and cross‑functional relationships; a strategic change leader who delivers results through influence, partnership, and leadership.
• Comfortable in a demanding, fast‑paced, patient‑focused environment with a start‑up culture and evolving processes; flexible and able to adapt as business needs change.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills are essential.
• Experience across preclinical, clinical, and CMC processes, with demonstrated application of quality and risk management principles across GxP areas.
• Hands‑on, action‑oriented leader willing to roll up their sleeves, with the flexibility to adapt to a start‑up environment.
• Operational excellence experience, including leading improvement projects and applying root cause analysis and methodologies such as Lean, DMAIC, and Six Sigma.
• Strong problem‑solving, critical‑thinking, and data analysis skills to support sound decision‑making.
• Ability to travel up to 15%.

Pay Range

$213,600 - $320,400

Disclosure Statement

The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job‑related factors permitted by law.

At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive market‑leading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journey while providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations. From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a week‑long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more.

Flex Designation

Hybrid‑Eligible Or On‑Site Eligible

Flex Eligibility Status

• Hybrid – work remotely up to two days per week.
• On‑Site – work five days per week on‑site with ad‑hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex's Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non‑discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E‑Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at [e-mail].