Sanofi

Head of R&D Quality

Sanofi$293K — $423K *
US-AnywhereRemote in United States
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 15+ years in pharmaceutical R&D Quality with GxP experience
  • Leadership of large, cross-functional quality teams (100+ FTEs)
  • Experience in organizational transformation and change management
  • In-depth understanding of the entire R&D lifecycle
  • Experience with regulatory agency inspections and high-stakes interactions

Responsibilities

  • Lead the creation of a centralized R&D Quality organization
  • Drive cultural and operational transformation for a compliance-centric organization
  • Oversee quality across the full R&D lifecycle
  • Develop the enterprise quality strategy aligned with corporate goals
  • Build standardized quality frameworks and processes
  • Act as a strategic partner representing R&D Quality to stakeholders
  • Implement risk management and compliance frameworks

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work within a supportive, future-focused team
  • Career development through promotions and lateral moves, domestically and internationally
  • A comprehensive rewards package recognizing employee contributions
  • Wide range of health and wellness benefits, including quality healthcare
  • Minimum 14 weeks of gender-neutral parental leave
  • Engagement in innovative drug development strategies
  • Contributions that positively impact global health
Full Job Description
Job title: Head of R&D Quality
  • Location: Morristown, NJ


Main Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership & Transformation
  • Lead the design, build-out, and operationalization of a centralized R&D Quality organization, establishing a unified R&D OneQuality operating model
  • Drive cultural and operational transformation to build a high-performance, collaborative, compliance-focused organization
  • Serve as the single accountable leader for quality across the full R&D lifecycle from early research through regulatory submission and post-approval activities
  • Develop and execute the enterprise quality strategy aligned with corporate objectives
  • Drive digital transformation and AI-enabled quality processes


Functional Quality Oversight

Provide strategic direction and oversight to dedicated functional quality teams including:
  • Clinical Quality: GCP compliance, clinical trial quality oversight
  • Pharmacovigilance (PV) Quality: GVP compliance, safety data quality
  • Medical Quality: RWE, PASS studies, Post Trial Access, IVDR compliance
  • Regulatory Quality: Regulatory submission quality and compliance
  • Ensure deep GxP expertise is maintained within each functional domain while enabling cross-functional collaboration and business partnering


Transversal Quality Capabilities

Build and lead standardized, scalable transversal quality frameworks including:
  • Quality Documentation & Training Compliance: Harmonized documentation standards and training frameworks across R&D
  • Vendor Quality Oversight: End-to-end vendor qualification, monitoring, and performance management
  • Audits & Inspection Management: Coordinated audit planning, inspection readiness, and regulatory agency interaction
  • R&D Quality Transversal Operations: Performance metrics, cross-functional change controls, data quality, and dynamic resource allocation
  • Drive standardization of processes, tools, and ways of working to eliminate duplication and variability across R&D functions


Strategic Partnership & Governance
  • Act as the OneQuality voice for R&D; a trusted, embedded strategic business partner enabling innovation through quality excellence
  • Partner closely with R&D leadership, the CMO office, and cross-functional stakeholders (Regulatory, Clinical, Medical, M&S) to align quality strategy with R&D priorities
  • Represent R&D Quality in senior governance forums, Works Councils, and regulatory agency interactions
  • Establish clear decision rights, governance structures, and escalation pathways across the new organization


Risk, Compliance & Performance
  • Ensure comprehensive, proactive quality coverage across all R&D deliverables, including but not limited to RWE & PASS studies, Post Trial Access, Research activities, and IVDR compliance
  • Implement integrated risk management frameworks and quality alert systems to identify and mitigate compliance risks early
  • Define and monitor KPIs to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence
  • Oversee deviation & CAPA management, change control, and risk management processes across R&D


About You

Experience & Background
  • 15+ years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical R&D Quality, with a strong track record in GxP-regulated environments (GCP, GVP, GLP, and/or GMP)
  • Demonstrated experience leading large, complex quality organizations (100+ FTEs) across multiple functions or geographies
  • Proven track record in organizational transformation; designing and implementing new operating models, driving change management, and building high-performing teams
  • Deep knowledge of the R&D lifecycle from early research through post-approval, with familiarity across clinical, pharmacovigilance, medical, and regulatory quality domains
  • Experience managing regulatory agency inspections (FDA, EMA, and other health authorities) and representing quality in high-stakes regulatory interactions


Leadership & Interpersonal Skills
  • Exceptional executive presence with the ability to influence and engage at C-sui
  • Strong people leadership skills; able to inspire, develop, and retain diverse, geographically distributed teams
  • Collaborative and strategic mindset; able to balance the role of quality guardian with that of an enabling business partner
  • Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity and drive alignment across complex, matrixed organizations
  • Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex quality and compliance topics for non-specialist audiences


Technical Competencies
  • Comprehensive knowledge of GxP regulations (GCP, GVP, GLP/GcLP) and international regulatory frameworks
  • Familiarity with IVDR and evolving regulatory requirements in real-world evidence and post-approval settings
  • Experience with quality management systems, audit and inspection management, vendor oversight, and documentation/training compliance
  • Data-driven approach to quality, comfortable with metrics, dashboards, and performance management frameworks


Why Choose Us
  • Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.
  • Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it's through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.
  • Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.
  • Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks' gender-neutral parental leave
  • Be part of a pioneering biopharma company that engages patients early in drug development and uses their insights to design studies that reflect real-world needs.
  • Work at the forefront of drug discovery, harnessing cutting-edge AI, data, and digital platforms to push the boundaries of science.
  • Help improve the lives of millions of people globally by making drug development quicker and more effective.


The salary range for this position is:
$293,250.00 - $423,583.33

All compensation will be determined commensurate with demonstrated experience. Employees may be eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs. Additional benefits information can be found through the LINK.

About Sanofi

Sanofi is a global pharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of prescription drugs and vaccines. The company operates in over 170 countries and has a diverse portfolio of products that includes treatments for diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rare diseases. Sanofi is committed to improving global health and has a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. The company has received numerous awards for its research and development efforts and is recognized as a leader in the pharmaceutical industry.
Learn more about Sanofi
Market Cap
$121.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$12.3 billion
Founded
1990
5 Year Trend
+2.5%
Revenue
$37.3 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Sanofi

  • Sanofi
    Junior Product Owner
    $100K — $150K *
    Toronto, ON M3C 0E3
    Enterprise Technology
    In-Person
  • Sanofi
    Automation Engineer
    $100K — $145K *
    Framingham, MA 01702 (Middlesex County)
    Manufacturing & Automotive
    In-Person
  • Sanofi
    RWE Project Lead
    $148K — $214K *
    Morristown, NJ 07960 (Morris County)
    Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
    In-Person
  • Sanofi
    RWE Project Lead
    $148K — $214K *
    Cambridge, MA 02139 (Middlesex County)
    Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
    In-Person
  • Sanofi
    Senior Director, Heplisav B - Vaccine
    $206K — $343K *
    Morristown, NJ 07960 (Morris County)
    Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
    In-Person

More Pharmaceuticals & Biotech Jobs

Find similar Head of R&D Quality jobs: