Novartis Posted June 23, 2026

Head of Production and Operations, Millburn

Millburn, United States Regular
Manufacturing & CMC

Novartis is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Location: Millburn, NJ, USAStep into a pivotal leadership role where your expertise will help shape the future of cancer treatment through advanced radioligand therapy (RLT). As Head of Production and Operations, you will lead a high-performing manufacturing organization at the forefront of innovation, ensuring safe, reliable, and high-quality production in a complex cGMP environment. This is a unique opportunity to influence site strategy, drive operational excellence, and build a culture of ownership and continuous improvement, while directly contributing to bringing life-changing therapies to patients around the world.

Key ResponsibilitiesLead manufacturing operations to achieve safety, quality, supply, cost, and people objectivesEnsure full compliance with cGMP and employee health and safety (EHS) requirementsOversee production processes, equipment qualification, and continuous workflow optimizationLead site and network projects, including product launches, validation, and process improvementsDrive inspection readiness and participate in health authority audits and internal reviewsManage budgets, project timelines, and financial performance across production and site projectsBuild and develop high-performing teams while promoting a culture of ownership and continuous improvementEssential RequirementsBachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry, pharmacy, or a related scientific fieldEight or more years in the pharmaceutical industry, including direct experience with sterile manufacturingMinimum three years of leadership experience managing teams in a regulated manufacturing environmentExperience with regulatory inspections from agencies such as FDA or EMAStrong ability to plan and manage operational processes to maximize efficiency and productivityExcellent leadership and communication skills, with experience developing high-performing teamsDesirable RequirementsExperience or training in radiochemistry or radiopharmacyThe salary for this position is expected to range between $160,300 and $297,700 per year. The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors. Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards. US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.To learn more about the culture, rewards and benefits we offer our people click here.

Job details

Seniority
Not listed
Function
Manufacturing & CMC
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Millburn, United States
Employment type
Regular

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Manufacturing & CMC role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 1527 comparable Manufacturing & CMC roles across 125 biopharma companies.

1527Comparable roles tracked
1434Currently active
125Companies hiring similar roles
44Countries represented

Salary context

455 of 1527 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.

This roleSubject $160,300/yr – $297,700/yr
Lowest disclosed · Senior Scientist II – CMC Developmental Sciences · AbbVie $0/hr – $0/hr (≈ $0–$0/yr)
Peer group range $0 – $540,400 (median $140,000)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 1527 comparable roles

United States781
India104
Germany74
Singapore67
France64
Ireland54

+ 38 more countries

Seniority mix

705 of 1527 peers have a known seniority level

Senior251
Manager165
Principal79
Associate68
Director64
Associate Director44
Senior Director21
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc8
Executive/VP5

Therapeutic area mix

7 of 1527 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Vaccines & Infectious Disease6
Oncology1

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.

40%similar
Alexion New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
Same function Same country
40%similar
AstraZeneca Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America Director
Same function Same country
40%similar
Alexion New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
Same function Same country
40%similar
40%similar
Lilly Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America Associate
Same function Same country
40%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Senior Director
Same function Same country

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.

40%
Scientist II, LC Development, Biologics Analytical Development
Alexion · New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America · Seniority not listed
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Director, Global Regulatory Affairs – Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), Platform Innovation – Synthetic Peptides and Oligonucleotides
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Senior/Principal Scientist, Bioprocess Purification Development
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Senior Principal Scientist - Bioanalytical Research
Lilly · Louisville, Colorado, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 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.