Elanco Animal Health

Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations

Elanco Animal Health$150K — $180K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, or related field; advanced degree preferred
  • Significant leadership experience in biopharmaceutical, biologics, or vaccine manufacturing
  • Proven ability to lead large, complex organizations
  • Deep knowledge of GMP manufacturing and regulatory environments
  • Strong business and operational acumen

Responsibilities

  • Provide strategic and operational leadership for all manufacturing functions
  • Own site manufacturing performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity
  • Ensure consistent, compliant, and reliable supply through strong production planning and execution
  • Embed a culture of quality, compliance, and inspection readiness
  • Lead and develop a high-performing organization
  • Drive continuous improvement through Lean, Six Sigma, and digital manufacturing
  • Partner cross-functionally with various teams to enable successful product launches and tech transfers
  • Oversee capital strategy and execution, including facility expansions and automation

Benefits

  • Multiple relocation packages for eligible roles
  • 8-week parental leave
  • 9 Employee Resource Groups
  • Annual bonus offering
  • Up to 6% 401K matching
Full Job Description
Your Role: Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations

As Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations, you will lead end-to-end manufacturing operations for monoclonal antibody (mAb) vaccine production, including upstream, downstream, fill/finish, and site support functions. In this role, you will be accountable for delivering a safe, compliant, and reliable supply while building organizational capability, driving operational excellence, and shaping long-term manufacturing strategy. You will serve as a key member of the site leadership team and a critical link to enterprise manufacturing priorities.

Your Responsibilities:
  • Provide strategic and operational leadership for all manufacturing functions, ensuring alignment with business goals and portfolio needs
  • Own site manufacturing performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity, with full accountability for results
  • Ensure consistent, compliant, and reliable supply through strong production planning, capacity management, and disciplined execution
  • Embed a culture of quality, compliance, and inspection readiness in alignment with global regulatory requirements and internal standards
  • Lead and develop a high-performing organization by building leadership capability, strengthening technical depth, and driving engagement and succession planning
  • Drive continuous improvement through Lean, Six Sigma, and digital manufacturing to improve right-first-time performance, cycle time, yield, and cost efficiency
  • Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Technical Operations, Supply Chain, R&D, and Commercial teams to enable successful product launches, tech transfers, and lifecycle management
  • Oversee capital strategy and execution, including facility expansions, automation, and equipment upgrades to support long-term growth
  • Proactively manage operational risk and resilience, including deviations, capacity constraints, and business continuity planning
  • Represent manufacturing at the enterprise level, contributing to global strategy, network decisions, and senior leadership forums


What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred
  • Required Experience: Significant leadership experience in biopharmaceutical, biologics, or vaccine manufacturing with accountability for site-level performance
  • Top Skills: Proven ability to lead large, complex organizations; deep knowledge of GMP manufacturing and regulatory environments; strong business and operational acumen


What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (preferred qualifications):
  • Experience in monoclonal antibody (mAb) or biologics manufacturing
  • Demonstrated success leading multi-functional manufacturing organizations
  • Strong experience with regulatory inspections and compliance (FDA, USDA, global agencies)
  • Track record of driving Lean, Six Sigma, and digital transformation initiatives
  • Experience leading capital projects, facility expansions, and automation programs


Additional Information:
  • Travel: Occasional travel required
  • Schedule: Monday-Friday with flexibility based on business needs
  • Location: Elwood, Kansas


Don't meet every requirement? Studies have shown underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification. You may be the right candidate for this role or others.

Benefits and Perks:

We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well-being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:
  • Multiple relocation packages for eligible roles
  • 8-week parental leave
  • 9 Employee Resource Groups
  • Annual bonus offering
  • Up to 6% 401K matching

About Elanco Animal Health

Elanco Animal Health is an American pharmaceutical company that develops and produces products for animal health. The company was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Greenfield, Indiana. Elanco produces a wide range of products for both livestock and pets, including vaccines, antibiotics, and parasiticides. The company operates in more than 90 countries and has a global workforce of over 5,500 employees. Elanco was spun off from Eli Lilly and Company in 2018 and became a publicly traded company in September of that year. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ELAN.
Learn more about Elanco Animal Health
Size
9,000 employees
Market Cap
$5.3 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$560 million
5 Year Trend
+10.3%
Revenue
$3.2 billion
NASDAQ

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