Director QA, GMP External Operations Cell and Genetic Therapies - VCGT
About this opportunity
Job Description
General/Position Summary
The Director , Quality Assurance GMP Operations is responsible for the applicable Cell & Gene CDMO and is responsible for the end to end quality oversight of all product and activities at the CDMO. Responsibilities include day-to day operational quality oversight including assuring progression of batch record operations , resolution and on time disposition of product, quality continuous improvements, changes associated with the process and associated implementation, trends, and overall quality performance of the CDMOs .
The role will closely partner with operational stakeholders to lead/support the development and execution of quality & technical risk mitigation, execution of operational activities and participat ion in governance committees . A key expectation is the ability to closely collaborate and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders to drive compliance and continuous improvement activities . The role may also be required to support on site manufacturing activities at the CDMO .
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Establishment of quality oversight for external C T O/C D MO operations including assurance of on time of batch disposition process , across development, launch and commercial manufacturing globally.
Lead, Develop, and implement continuous quality improvements to a dvanc e quality outcomes and operational excellence in processes.
Proactively develop Compliance metrics as key indicators and takes action to mitigate .
Maintain full oversight of CDMO QMS including driving deviation reduction a nd assuring timely resolution of CAPAs.
Act as the SME for the CDMO , understanding scope of all changes, driving applicable global change control implementation with the external manufacturing partner to meet global product goals.
Represent Quality and serve as a trusted partner for the disposition activities of drug product.
Build strategic relationships and foster a culture of collaboration with internal and external partners – CDMOs and CTOs within the Quality organization to ensure Quality issues are raised and addressed, as necessary.
L ead/support the development of quality & technical risk mitigation through identification and mitigation compliance gaps .
Lead and mentor other team members, support development of organizational capabilities and talent building.
Act as the batch disposition subject matter expert (SME) in support of regulatory inspections and audits.
Establish /parti ci pate and lead GxP Cell & Gene Therapy Management Reviews to gain insights regarding efficiency and operational performance across the GXP operations, including identification of opportunities for improvement and associated actions.
Work closely with the cross- functional partners to prepare for and support Health Authority inspections, respond to information requests, adjudicate compliance discussions, and negotiate any required corrective actions.
Represent C&G Quality to lead/participate in complex projects and partner with key stakeholders for alignment in strategic and operational planning and delivery of business & financial priorities and goals.
May be required to support manufacturing on site activities.
Required Education Level
Batchelor 's degree or relevant comparable background.
Masters preferred.
Required Experience
10 + years of experience and 5 + years in a management/supervisory role, or the equivalent combination of education and experience in a regulated pharmaceutical environment
Required Knowledge/Skills
In-depth global health regulatory agency knowledge and experience across GXP life cycle in Cell & Gene therapy and/or Biologics (EU GMPs, FDA 21CFR Part 1271, GxPs ).
Broad and c urrent knowledge of batch disposition industry trends and best practices in Cell/Gene therapies.
Preferred QA Operational experience for Autologous Cell Therapy Operations.
Broad technical knowledge in Cell technology, aseptic manufacturing technology, analytical assays, cell & genetic therapies/Biologics processing, fill/finish and testing.
Demonstrated strategic planning and execution skills required for operational effectiveness and compliance. P roven ability with Root Cause Analysis, data analytics, and other Operational Excellence experience, such as LEAN, DMAIC, Six Sigma.
Excellent communication skills and a proven track record Influencing/building/promoting a culture of Quality and Excellence.
Ability to apply risk management principles to decision making and operational priorities.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving skills
Ability to closely collaborate and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders .
Other Requirements
Indicate required certifications, licenses or specialized trainings.
Up to 25 % Travel may be required
Flex Designation:
Hybrid-Eligible Or On-Site Eligible
Flex Eligibility Status:
In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as:
1. Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2. On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.
Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.
#LI-Hybrid
Company Information
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.
Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.
Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com
Job details
How this role compares
Computed from every other active Quality role in our database, not just this employer's listings.
We currently track 55 comparable Director Quality roles across 18 biopharma companies.
Salary context
28 of 55 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)
Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.
Where these roles are based
Top locations among the 55 comparable roles
+ 5 more countries
Seniority mix
55 of 55 peers have a known seniority level
Therapeutic area mix
0 of 55 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden
No peers with a known therapeutic area yet.
Similar opportunities
The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.
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Get an email when we spot other openings like this one – same job function, comparable seniority, roles you'd actually want to see.
How we calculate "similar"
No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.
Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.
0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.