Sr. Director - Quality Control Laboratories

Regulatory Jobs; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 156,000 - 229,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

401(k) plan

Pension

Vacation benefits

Medical/dental/vision benefits

Job summary

Lilly is seeking a Sr. Director – QC Laboratories to provide executive leadership for the site’s quality laboratories in Huntsville, Alabama. The role will build and lead a cross‑functional team, drive GMP/compliance, and establish advanced analytical capabilities to support Lilly’s growing pipeline.

The position requires extensive experience in analytical operations, quality systems, and the ability to influence cross‑functional partners across the network. Travel ~10% may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, microbiology, engineering, or related discipline.
• 10+ years supporting complex analytical testing (chromatography, bioassay, and analytical characterization).
• 5+ years leadership experience.
• Experience with regulatory submissions.

Responsibilities

• Build a high‑quality organization in support of Quality Laboratory Operations.
• Maintain GMP Compliance in all Laboratory Operations.
• Deliver the lab of the future vision for LP1 including integrated digital, paperless processes.
• Participate on the local area lead teams and Quality Lead Team.
• Coordinate laboratory related business planning and budget management.
• Ensure safe work environment that complies with regulations.

Skills

Leadership experience

Regulatory submissions experience

Quality/compliance expertise

MS Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in chemistry, microbiology, engineering, or related discipline

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our 35,000 employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

Lilly is currently constructing an advanced manufacturing facility for production of API molecules located in Huntsvilles Alabama. This facility is Lilly’s largest investment in manufacturing capacity and is intended to provide APIs for current and future products, including new modalities. This is a unique opportunity to be a part of the Lilly Site leadership team for the startup of a greenfield manufacturing site, and the successful candidate will help to build the organization, the facility and the culture to enable a successful startup into GMP manufacturing operations.

The Sr. Director – QC Laboratories will provide administrative leadership for the quality laboratories and ensure appropriate capabilities and business processes are developed at the site. The role will define and lead the organization that will support the quality control and analytical laboratories in support of the site and Lilly’s growing pipeline. Within quality control, a state-of-the‑art facility will utilize the latest in automation to further the analytical capabilities. These capabilities include everything from on-line in process testing through stability and ongoing process monitoring. The analytical capabilities team will consist of high-level scientist focused on the implementation/transfer of new modalities, proposal, and implementation analytical process improvements, along with the establishment of a center of excellence for molecule characterization. This position involves working cross functionally within the site and across the network to develop the strategic functional capabilities needed to support the mission of the site.

The individual in this role must have expertise in analytical operations and quality systems and a demonstrated ability to develop and lead large teams, lead leaders within an organization, and influence across the networks and with global organizations.

Responsibilities:

Business Support

• Build a high-quality organization in support of Quality Laboratory Operations
• Maintain GMP Compliance in all Laboratory Operations
• Deliver the lab of the future vision for LP1 including integrated digital, paperless processes.
• Participate on the local area lead teams and Quality Lead Team.
• Works closely with Global Quality Laboratories and Global QC Operations to ensure consistent and standardized approaches to laboratory organizational design, business processes, and systems.
• Exhibit critical business decision bringing about successful results.
• Communicate to and strive for integration with support groups inside and outside the plant.
• Coordinate laboratory related business planning and budget management.
• Ensure safe work environment that complies with regulations.
• Serve as a conduit for corporate communications as needed.

Compliance Oversight

• Quality and compliance consistency across laboratories.
• Coordinate and manage all regulatory and internal inspections.

Personnel Development

• Participate in Human Resource Development, Human Resource Planning, and Performance Management plans for direct reports.
• Recruit new talent and develop site capabilities to deliver a high functioning QCL organization.
• Ensure administrative and technical capability within the organization.

Basic Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, microbiology, engineering, or related discipline
• Minimum of 10 years supporting complex analytical testing (chromatography, bioassay, and analytical characterization)
• 2+ years working in a GMP/cGMP environment
• 5+ years leadership experience
• Expertise in quality and compliance requirements for analytical laboratories
• Experience with regulatory submissions

Additional Skills/Preferences:

• Proficiency with computer systems including Microsoft Office products
• Demonstrated technical writing ability
• Demonstrated strong oral and written communication
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills with ability to lead leaders and influence cross-functionally and externally
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a safe work environment

Additional Information:

• Ability to travel (approximately 10%)

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is

$156,000 - $228,800

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities). Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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