Site MS&T Head SMO - Drug Substance

Job Description Summary

Location: Morrisville, NC

**The Site, Manufacturing, Science & Technology Head - Small Molecule Drug Substance is an Associate Director level role.**

Imagine leading the scientific and technical strategy behind a cutting-edge manufacturing site that delivers life-changing medicines to patients around the world. As the Site MS&T Head for Drug Substance (DS), you will play a critical leadership role in shaping manufacturing excellence, driving innovation, and ensuring robust product stewardship across the full product lifecycle. You will lead a highly skilled Manufacturing Science & Technology DS organization, partnering across site functions and global teams to optimize processes, enable successful product launches and transfers, strengthen validation and compliance programs, and build the technical capabilities that support the future growth of the Morrisville site. In this highly visible position, you will influence site strategy, develop top talent, and help bring breakthrough therapies to patients with quality, reliability, and speed.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the site MS&T DS organization, setting vision, priorities, and technical strategy aligned with site objectives.
• Ensure end-to-end product stewardship and technical oversight throughout the commercial product lifecycle.
• Drive process robustness, continuous improvement, and manufacturing excellence across products, processes, and technologies.
• Oversee technical changes, validation programs, and compliance activities to maintain inspection readiness.
• Lead technology transfers, product launches, and scale-up activities to deliver successful implementation outcomes.
• Partner with site and global teams to resolve technical challenges and strengthen process capability.
• Develop technical talent, succession plans, and knowledge-sharing programs to build organizational capability.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree Required. Master’s degree in Science, Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Technology, or equivalent scientific discipline preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in manufacturing. Additional specialist experience is preferred (e.g., pharmaceutical formulation, process development, manufacturing technology).
• Proven experience driving quality and compliance in an organization.
• Strong working knowledge of applied statistics, quality systems and regulatory requirements across multiple health authorities.
• Fundamental understanding of standard pharmaceutical analytical testing. .
• Demonstrated leadership experience building, developing, and leading high-performing technical and scientific teams.

Desirable Requirements

• Diverse pharmaceutical experience needed.  Specifically, Small Molecule experience - API/Drug Substance/Oligonucleotide is highly preferred.   

The salary for this position is expected to range between $138,600 and $257,400 per year. The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors. Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards. US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

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EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. 

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call +1(877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Salary Range

$138,600.00 - $257,400.00

Skills Desired

Applied Statistics, Leadership, Manufacturing Production, Manufacturing Technologies, Operational Excellence, Process Control, Quality Compliance, Regulatory Compliance, Technical Leadership, Technology Transfer