Allerton Bishop Search
Director of External Manufacturing

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Director of External Manufacturing
Allerton Bishop is searching on behalf of a global pharmaceutical company with European headquarters who is hiring on a remote basis in United Kingdom. Our client is expanding globally with a strong emphasis on Europe and we are searching for a Director of External Manufacturing — a strategic leader responsible for commercial readiness and external manufacturing.
This role is critical to ensuring a successful new and existing product introduction (NPI / EPD), overseeing complex CMO/CDMO operations and driving the technical execution required for global regulatory approval and commercial supply.
Key Responsibilities
- You will lead external manufacturing activities for small molecule drug products, partnering closely with MSAT, Regulatory, Quality, and Supply Chain.
- Lead end-to-end external manufacturing across oral solid dose and sterile/aseptic liquid drug products.
- Partner with MSAT to provide robust technical oversight of products, processes, and external manufacturing partners.
- Oversee technology transfer activities across external manufacturing sites.
- As Director of External Manufacturing, oversee execution of commercial batch manufacturing in line with supply, quality, and regulatory requirements.
- Provide technical oversight of CMOs/CDMOs, ensuring manufacturing performance, technical capability, and operational delivery.
- Manage budgets, timelines, vendor performance, and programme resources.
- Identify and resolve manufacturing risks, deviations, process challenges, and supply issues across the external network.
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Experience & Expertise
You will be an experienced pharmaceutical manufacturing leader with a strong background in small molecule drug product manufacturing, ideally covering both oral solid dose and/or sterile/aseptic liquid products.
Requirements include:


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- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related scientific discipline; MS/PhD preferred.
- Strong technical knowledge of small molecule pharmaceutical manufacturing.
- Experience across oral solid dose manufacturing, including tablets and/or capsules.
- Experience with sterile/aseptic liquid drug product manufacturing, such as vials, ampoules, or pre-filled syringes.
- Strong preference for external manufacturing / CMO / CDMO management experience.
- Proven leadership, stakeholder management, and project management capabilities.
Director of External Manufacturing | Small Molecule | Oral Solid Dose | OSD | Tablets | Capsules | Sterile Manufacturing | Aseptic Manufacturing | Sterile Liquids | Drug Product | External Manufacturing | CMO | CDMO | MSAT | CMC | Technology Transfer | Tech Transfer | Commercial Manufacturing | Commercial Launch | Technical Operations Director
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