Head: Manufacturing (East London) at Aspen Pharma Group

OBJECTIVE OF ROLE

• The role is responsible for driving the implementation of production activities and taking accountability for achieving production targets while identifying operational challenges and implementing effective solutions. The successful candidate will ensure OTIF delivery within cost budgets and lead the Production, Engineering, and SHE functions, ensuring alignment and collaboration across all functional streams supporting the East London factory. This leadership role focuses on ensuring the efficient, compliant, and safe production of liquid dosage forms in line with regulatory standards. The Head of Manufacturing will work closely with cross-functional teams to drive operational excellence, cost optimization, continuous improvement and maintain the highest standards of quality, safety, and productivity.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Activities

• Lead and inspire all the personnel on the site with a specific focus on the management team to ensure that they are aligned on the outputs and services promised in line with an agreed plan
• Drive the site strategy deployment process. Develop a 3-5 years strategy with SA Commercial and factory leadership teams, including cost optimisation activities without compromising safety, quality, and compliance.
• Use manufacturing principles to develop and implement site operational strategies to achieve optimal performance and output.
• Define the vision, mission and objectives for the site and make sure that there is a high level of engagement from all employees
• Responsible for management of manufacturing operations on the site
• Make sure that technological upgrades of site are encouraged and duly implemented (through proper coaching, training, better skills and better behaviours).
• Ensure all demand is appropriately planned to meet supply requirements
• Lead a performance driven organization
• Ensure compliance at the site. Keep improving the quality standards and ensure strong compliance standards with external regulators. Ensure compliance in all areas.
• Understand the commercial relevance of the sites output in terms of the customers, supply chain and products manufactured at the site
• Develop people on site to ensuring a strong talent pool. Establish performance targets for each department that contribute towards strategic and operational goals
• Ensure all managers are equipped and able to deliver on their responsibilities
• Ensure the maintenance of all process equipment and facilities and ensure a critical spares and equipment strategy is in place
• Ensure the quality of relationships with unions with a culture of transparency. Support the actions around ER/IR climate.
• Build budget / P & L and ensure management of operational expenses (CAPEX/OPEX)
• Ensure the competitiveness of the factory (COGS)
• Represent the site in regards of all relevant authorities

Production Planning and Process Management

• Ensure operational excellence with regards to safety, quality, and productivity of the Focus Factory as well as housekeeping, and its ability to deliver high levels of service to internal and external customers
• Manage people, materials, equipment, business and manufacturing processes to deliver Factory performance objectives, as measured by factory KPI's
• Ensure compliance with policies/procedures for shift rotation, vacation scheduling, and training to meet business needs including peak production periods
• Manage the development and implementation of daily production schedule to ensure high levels of OTIF to internal and external customers
• Ensure effective implementation of new technology and products
• Implement TPM and other continuous improvement programs
• Develop and implement CAPEX budgets
• Ensure integrity of business processes related to finished goods inventory replenishment, and new product introductions
• Drive efficiency improvement and error and waste reduction through continuous improvement in People, Technology and Processes

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure adherence and compliance to regulatory requirements
• Health & Safety: Enforce strict adherence to safety protocols and regulations.
• Ensure that appropriate validations are completed as per validation requirements and schedule
• Initiate and set targets, and review GMP, quality and training needs

Accountability & Decision Right

• Develop, communicate, manage, and implement corporate and divisional strategic plans and budgets, policies and procedures.

Independent decisions relating to:

• Design and implementation of strategy for programmes/ processes
• Interpretation and execution of and recommendations on policy/ procedure related modifications
• Short- and long-term department schedules, quality, compliance and resource allocation
• Operation objectives and work plans, and delegation of assignments

Innovation, creativity & problem solving

• Regularly drives innovation across area(s) of responsibility and identifies opportunities to initiate operational change within families/disciplines
• Works with broad objectives to solve complex problems for multiple disciplines.
• Apply advanced interpersonal, communication and problem-solving skills

Requirements
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• A minimum of a bachelor's degree is preferred, ideally in Pharmacy, Engineering, or Chemistry.

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing experience.
• 10+ years of leadership experience, including managing large-scale manufacturing operations.
• Project management experience.
• Experience managing a strategic production site.
• Proven leadership capability and managerial experience.

SOFT SKILLS AND COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

• Strong working knowledge of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• Problem Solving and Solution Engineering
• Pharmaceutical standards and Compliance requirements
• Coaching Leadership and mentoring
• People and Departmental management
• Deep understanding of quality, operations and logistics