Senior Manager, Supplier Quality Operations

Location: This is a hybrid position based near one of Lonza’s major U.S. locations in Houston, TX; Walkersville, MD; Portsmouth, NH; or Vacaville, CA. Candidates should be within reasonable commuting distance of one of these sites. Up to 25% travel may be required.

Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Standard Business Hours).

We are seeking a high-caliber professional to join our global team as the Senior Manager, Supplier Quality Operations. Reporting directly to the Head of Global Quality Supply Chain and Compliance Operations, this newly created position serves as the single point of accountability for supplier quality execution and strategy across our U.S. manufacturing sites. Operating under general supervision, you will independently drive supplier compliance programs in accordance with emerging FDA requirements, manage a global supplier footprint, and lead complex supply chain quality projects from concept to deployment to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of safe, compliant materials.

What will you get?

• An agile career and dynamic working culture

• An inclusive and ethical workplace

• Strategic Visibility & Autonomy: Define and own the regional global governance model for supplier quality operations, directly shaping risk-based evaluation methodologies.

• Impactful Sourcing Footprint: Manage high-stakes quality relations with global vendor networks and act as the primary U.S. account manager for our Integrated Facility Management (IFM) partners.

• Compensation programs that recognize high performance

• Medical, dental and vision insurance, as well as PTO and more

• Our full list of global benefits can be found here: https://www.lonza.com/careers/benefits.

What you’ll do:

• End-to-End Quality Ownership: Own the supplier quality strategy and performance metrics for assigned U.S. manufacturing sites and their respective global supply networks to ensure uninterrupted campaign operations.

• Regulatory & Inspection Leadership: Ensure all regional suppliers and supply chains strictly meet U.S. regulatory expectations (FDA and others); serve as the primary on-site quality liaison during regulatory inspections involving supplier and raw material topics.

• Rapid Deviation Response: Lead rapid response, containment protocols, and escalation governance with speed and authority for supply chain disruptions, material defects, and vendor-related non-conformances impacting production.

• Global Project Execution: Drive cross-functional supply chain quality projects, task forces, and vendor remediation initiatives independently to successful delivery on time and on quality.

• IFM Regional Account Management: Act as the U.S.-based account lead for the global Integrated Facility Management (IFM) service provider, governing performance metrics, managing quarterly KPIs, and ensuring tight alignment with European counterparts.

• Risk Reporting & Trend Analytics: Establish real-time visibility of active supply chain risks by leveraging Quality Risk Management (QRM) fundamentals, supplier audits, change management protocols, and complaint/deviation trend analytics.

• Supplier Maturity Uplift: Partner with global vendors to drive targeted performance improvement programs, Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPAs), and quality maturity uplifts tailored to U.S. plant operational parameters.

• System Deployment: Champion the implementation, simplification, and site-level adoption of global quality tools, including electronic supplier lifecycle systems, audit trackers, and master risk registers.

What we’re looking for:

• Experience: Highly experienced (typically 8+ years) within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or medical device quality operations. A deep, proven background specializing in supply chain quality, supplier qualification architectures, and vendor monitoring workflows is required.

• Technical & Regulatory Mastery: Deep technical knowledge of cGMP/cGDP requirements, Quality Risk Management (QRM) tools, and direct experience defending supplier quality systems during FDA or health authority inspections.

• Matrix Leadership & Conflict Resolution: Outstanding leadership and communication capabilities within a complex global matrix framework; ability to resolve cross-functional conflicts with speed through stakeholder proximity and proactive alignment.

• Supplier Performance Drive: Demonstrated experience driving supplier performance improvement frameworks, managing supplier-specific KPIs, and leading Tier 2 supplier performance meetings.

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree (B.Sc.) in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Microbiology, Biotechnology, or a closely related scientific discipline is required. A Master's Degree (M.Sc.) is preferred.

• Attributes: High-integrity leader who skillfully manages ambiguity, removes barrier blocks, and fosters an operational culture centered around speed, ownership, and disciplined compliance execution. Professional affiliation or membership with the PDA is preferred.

About Lonza

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you’re ready to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into viable therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences? Apply now.