Make your mark for patients
To strengthen our External Manufacturing – Drug Product & Devices team, we are looking for a talented and motivated individual to fill the position of: External Manufacturing Operations Lead – Drug Product & Devices (Braine L’Alleud).
About the role :
As the External Manufacturing Operations Lead for Drug Product and Devices, you will be responsible for the overall performance of contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) and key suppliers within your portfolio. Your focus will be on ensuring reliable supply, robust manufacturing processes, prompt issue resolution, and strong partnerships with stakeholders. You will guide the UCB vendor team and act as the primary contact and relationship manager with CMOs, maintaining strong connections to ensure sites meet expectations and drive continuous improvement.
You will work with :
In this role, you will collaborate closely with cross-functional and matrix teams within UCB, as well as with CDMO leadership teams and strategic vendors. Your daily interactions will include internal stakeholders from various UCB functions, external business partners, and senior management members of CMOs. Through these partnerships, you will foster effective communication, drive operational excellence, and ensure that all parties are aligned toward achieving shared goals.
Your activities :
1. Support reliability, robust processes, prompt issue resolution, and strong partnerships with vendors and internal stakeholders
2. Guide CMO vendor teams, coordinating cross-functional and inter-company activities
3. Participate in projects to foster operational excellence within UCB external manufacturing
4. Maintain governance structures and facilitate regular meetings between CMOs and UCB teams
5. Conduct operational performance evaluations and management processes for CDMOs
6. Provide technical expertise to support effective processes and optimized capacity utilization
7. Lead troubleshooting and investigations at CDMOs, coordinating corrective actions
8. Identify and deliver continuous improvement projects to enhance quality, cycle times, and cost efficiency
9. Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and industry regulations
10. Prepare business and operations plans, defining operational management and commercial strategy
11. Manage risks, including capacity availability and potential supply chain disruptions
12. Monitor CDMO capacities and implement long-range product plans
13. Share technology knowledge, market intelligence, and product knowledge
14. May include line management of other operations leads
Interested ? For this position, we are looking for the following training, experience and skills :
15. Master’s degree or equivalent
16. Expertise in technical and manufacturing aspects related to the portfolio area
17. Ability to lead multi-functional teams, motivate others, ensure responsibility, and focus on goals
18. Skilled in managing external business partners and relationships
19. Financial and business knowledge. Capable of developing and analyzing business cases
20. Able to clarify complex technical and manufacturing performance issues
21. Capable of summarizing and presenting scenarios to support decision-making
22. Experience in crisis management and related communication
23. Strong problem-solving and strategic thinking
24. Experience in operational excellence
25. Fluent in French and English (written and spoken)
Are you ready to ‘go beyond’ to create value and make your mark for patients? If this sounds like you, then we would love to hear from you!