Job Abstract

The VP Site Director Rockville will have full end-to-end operations responsibility for the site, including managing the long-term vision for this highly strategic site and further strengthening its position within the company’s manufacturing network.

This leader will have overall executive responsibility for all activities related to and supporting the manufacture of bulk drug substance and will serve as leader of the Senior Leadership Team at the site. There are eight primary areas of functional responsibility: manufacturing operations; two value streams (10,000 L and 20,000 L); biopharmaceutical technology; supply chain operations; EHS; engineering operations; GSK production system; and quality operations. Groups supporting these functional activities at site are IT, Finance, and HR. Future focused strategic business and capacity planning and decision-making ability is key to this role.

The GSK Rockville Biopharm site belongs to our Biologics and Device Manufacturing network and is a new product introduction and global supply site for biopharmaceutical drug substance with multi-product large scale and small-scale mammalian cell culture capacity across two facilities with the capability to support process development work.

The two FDA-licensed facilities employ more than 550 highly skilled scientists, engineers and manufacturing and quality professionals among other specialists. It features multiple host organisms, scale flexibility and mammalian cell culture capacity at 10,000L and 20,000L, as well as extensive experience in biologics development and commercialization, a wide range of analytical capabilities and in-depth regulatory expertise.

The Rockville site manufactures products approved for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (belimumab/Benlysta) and severe eosinophilic asthma (mepolizumab/Nucala).

With GSK’s pipeline moving towards specialty medicines, we continue to invest in our capabilities in Biopharm and getting ‘Specialty Ready’. In October 2019, we opened a new manufacturing plant at our Rockville site. The 160 million USD state-of-the-art plant was built to add capacity for Benlysta.

• Lead the Senior Leadership Team for the site.
• Responsible for a staff of more than 550 employees, which includes 9 direct reports.
• Provide strategic leadership and direction to all site functions to ensure successful Strategy Deployment and achievement of key business objectives.
• Perform ongoing analysis and management of risk across the site to ensure business continuity.
• Implement and manage manufacturing outsourcing and fill/finish strategy for the company.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to the materials management and materials planning functions to ensure effective, efficient management of materials inventories in support of manufacturing activities.
• Prepare and maintain all operations at the site in a state of compliance and PAI readiness.
• Manage the hiring, development, and retention of a diverse workforce. This will include developing the SLT 9-Box for talent review and management and ensuring similar activity at all levels of the organization, effective succession planning, and maintaining a participatory management approach within the organization.
• Participate as an integral part of the key governance bodies at site and above site who are charged with overseeing broad development and operations strategy and tactics for the Biopharm Supply Chain.

Basic Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a scientific or technical field (i.e., Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Engineering).
• Experience as Head of a pharma/biopharma manufacturing site.
• Experience in large molecule (biopharma and/or vaccines) drug substance manufacturing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience maintaining and improving EHS and quality standards.
• Experience driving a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Experience developing and recruiting diverse teams and building future talent capability in the organization.
• Experience engaging and managing external stakeholders, including exposure to regulatory authorities.
• Experience establishing and improving on operational and annual KPIs.
• Prior experience as Site Quality Head is an asset.

Please visit  GSK US Benefits Summary to learn more about the comprehensive benefits program GSK offers US employees.

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. We prevent and treat disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines. We focus on the science of the immune system and the use of new platform and data technologies, investing in four core therapeutic areas (infectious diseases, HIV, respiratory/ immunology and oncology).

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued, and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

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