Role Description
The CMO Director is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing end-to-end operations with an assigned Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO). This individual acts as the primary interface between Bavarian Nordic and the external partner, ensuring reliable supply, operational excellence, and strong cross-functional alignment across internal stakeholders, including Supply Chain, Quality, MSAT, Regulatory, Finance, and Procurement. This role requires a strategic, highly organized, and influential leader capable of managing complex external relationships, navigating technical and quality challenges, and driving performance within an outsourced manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities
-
External Manufacturing Partner Management
-
Serve as the primary point of contact for the assigned CMO, managing day-to-day communication, governance meetings, and performance oversight.
-
Lead the execution of the external manufacturing strategy to ensure uninterrupted supply of commercial and/or clinical vaccine products.
-
Oversee contractual deliverables, service level expectations, and adherence to master service agreements (MSAs), quality agreements, and supply agreements.
-
Identify and resolve operational issues, escalating internally when needed to maintain supply continuity.
-
Cross-Functional Leadership
-
Coordinate with internal Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Technical Operations, and Regulatory teams to ensure alignment of production plans, quality requirements, investigations, and change controls.
-
Drive scenario planning, risk mitigation, and issue resolution with internal SMEs to support CMO performance.
-
Partner with Finance and Procurement to manage budgets, review CMO invoices, support cost modeling, and contribute to contract negotiations.
-
Supply Planning & Operations Oversight
-
Ensure accurate forecast communication to CMOs and confirm capacity availability for commercial and development programs.
-
Monitor production schedules, batch execution, deviations, and release timelines to ensure adherence to supply plans.
-
Ensure production plans are executed in full and on time, with any risks proactively escalated.
-
Support inventory management activities, including material planning, work-in-process tracking, and lot disposition coordination.
-
Quality & Compliance Interface
-
Facilitate investigations, CAPAs, audits, and regulatory inspections involving the CMO.
-
Track operational and quality KPIs, ensuring performance meets internal expectations and industry standards.
-
Support change control processes, ensuring cross-functional impact assessments and timely implementation.
-
Technical & Process Support
-
Partner with Technical Operations to manage technical transfers, process improvements, validation activities, and troubleshooting at the CMO.
-
Ensure documentation, protocols, and reports generated by the CMO meet internal standards and regulatory requirements.
-
Strategic Contribution
-
Assist in strengthening the current ways of working and business processes used to manage external operations.
-
Contribute to long-range external manufacturing strategy, including capability assessments, risk evaluation, and network optimization.
-
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance partnership effectiveness, reduce cost, and improve supply reliability.
Qualifications
-
Required
-
Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field.
-
7+ years of biopharmaceutical, vaccine, or biologics manufacturing experience, with at least 3+ years in external manufacturing, CMO management, or similar supplier-facing roles.
-
Strong knowledge of GMP manufacturing, quality systems, and supply chain processes.
-
Demonstrated ability to lead in a matrixed environment and influence senior stakeholders.
-
Excellent communication, problem-solving, and relationship-management skills.
-
Experience managing complex projects and cross-functional workflows.
-
Preferred
-
Advanced degree (MBA or MS in a technical discipline).
-
Experience in vaccines, sterile manufacturing, or biological drug product operations.
-
Familiarity with tech transfer, scale-up, and process validation activities.
-
Experience working with mid-sized or fast-growing biopharma organizations.
Benefits
-
Join a mission-driven global vaccine company at a pivotal stage of growth and evolution.
-
Opportunity to help shape innovative commercial programs, support public health initiatives, and contribute to how vaccines are accessed across healthcare channels.
-
Collaborative, entrepreneurial culture where cross-functional partnership, creativity, and impact are valued alongside scientific excellence.
Company Description
Bavarian Nordic is a global vaccine company focused on helping to protect lives through innovative vaccines, public health partnership, and expanded access to disease prevention. We work across emerging infectious diseases, travel health, and public health preparedness to help communities, healthcare providers, pharmacies, and health systems improve vaccine awareness, access, and delivery. With a growing commercial portfolio and strong global partnerships, Bavarian Nordic is evolving how vaccines are supported across healthcare ecosystems — combining scientific innovation with customer engagement, education, and public health impact.
