External Manufacturing Operations Lead - Drug Product & Devices

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 :

• Support reliability, robust processes, prompt issue resolution, and strong partnerships with vendors and internal stakeholders


• Guide CMO vendor teams, coordinating cross-functional and inter-company activities


• Participate in projects to foster operational excellence within UCB external manufacturing


• Maintain governance structures and facilitate regular meetings between CMOs and UCB teams


• Conduct operational performance evaluations and management processes for CDMOs


• Provide technical expertise to support effective processes and optimized capacity utilization


• Lead troubleshooting and investigations at CDMOs, coordinating corrective actions


• Identify and deliver continuous improvement projects to enhance quality, cycle times, and cost efficiency


• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and industry regulations


• Prepare business and operations plans, defining operational management and commercial strategy


• Manage risks, including capacity availability and potential supply chain disruptions


• Monitor CDMO capacities and implement long-range product plans


• Share technology knowledge, market intelligence, and product knowledge


• May include line management of other operations leads

Interested ? For this position, we are looking for the following training, experience and skills :

• Master’s degree or equivalent


• Expertise in technical and manufacturing aspects related to the portfolio area


• Ability to lead multi-functional teams, motivate others, ensure responsibility, and focus on goals


• Skilled in managing external business partners and relationships


• Financial and business knowledge. Capable of developing and analyzing business cases


• Able to clarify complex technical and manufacturing performance issues


• Capable of summarizing and presenting scenarios to support decision-making


• Experience in crisis management and related communication


• Strong problem-solving and strategic thinking


• Experience in operational excellence


• 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! 

About us 
UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are over 9.000 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science. 

Why work with us? 
At UCB, we don’t just complete tasks, we create value. We aren’t afraid to push forward, collaborate, and innovate to make our mark for patients. We have a caring, supportive culture where everyone feels included, respected, and has equal opportunities to do their best work. We ‘go beyond’ to create value for our patients, and always with a human focus, whether that’s on our patients, our employees, or our planet. Working for us, you will discover a place where you can grow, and have the freedom to carve your own career path to achieve your full potential. 

At UCB, we’ve embraced a hybrid-first approach to work, bringing teams together in local hubs to foster collaborative curiosity. Unless expressly stated in the description or precluded by the nature of the position, roles are hybrid with 40% of your time spent in the office.

UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable laws. 
 
Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on [email protected]. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments; we will not be able to support you through this channel.