Executive Director, Global Commercial Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturing
Are you ready to orchestrate a time-critical global supply so that patients receive radiopharmaceuticals exactly when they need them? Can you turn half-life constraints and unpredictable demand into a reliable, high-performance network that supports rapid launches and sustained growth?
In this senior role, you will lead the end-to-end manufacturing strategy and operations for our radiopharmaceutical portfolio—matching global demand with dependable supply, safeguarding quality and compliance, and optimizing cost and service across an intricate, highly regulated chain. Your work will directly enable patient access to targeted therapies by ensuring on-time production, right-first-time performance, and time-definite delivery from isotope source to final mile.
You will shape a global network that spans internal sites and external partners, build the digital capabilities that improve forecast accuracy and response, and lead a cross-functional organization focused on continuous improvement and patient impact. This is a global role with significant inter
national travel.
While the advertised location for this position is Gaithersburg, US - We are able to offer flexibility where the role can be based and other US and international locations will be considered where possible
Accountabilities
Network Strategy and Capacity: Design and maintain a resilient global manufacturing network across internal sites and CDMOs/CMOs, including aseptic fill-finish, labeling, and final mile logistics; develop short-, medium-, and long-term capacity models aligned to portfolio growth and lifecycle events to ensure supply readiness.
Operational Excellence: Drive right-first-time performance, yield improvement, and cycle-time reduction using Lean, Six Sigma, and digital operations; establish KPIs and tiered governance to monitor OTIF, service levels, cost-to-serve, and scrap/waste—translating insights into actions that lift productivity and reliability.
Supply–Demand Alignment: Own the S&OP/IBP cadence for radiopharmaceuticals; translate global demand forecasts into executable production plans, capacity commitments, and inventory targets across internal and external nodes to protect patient schedules and market commitments.
Quality and Compliance: Partner with QA and Regulatory to assure GMP compliance globally; maintain validated processes, robust batch release, inspection readiness, and controlled tech transfers and changes without supply disruption.
Launch and Lifecycle Management: Lead manufacturing readiness for new launches and indication expansions; scale capacity on time, manage label/pack variations, and configure markets while planning for demand volatility and radiolabel half-life constraints.
External Manufacturing and Partnerships: Negotiate and manage CDMO/CMO agreements with clear capacity guarantees and business continuity provisions; assess and onboard new partners to strengthen geographic coverage and diversify risk.
Logistics and Final Mile: Orchestrate just-in-time distribution for time- and temperature-sensitive materials, ensuring cold chain integrity, dangerous goods compliance, and time-definite delivery; optimize routing, hubs, and courier networks to meet half-life windows and patient appointments.
Risk and Business Continuity: Build proactive risk management for reactor outages, isotope shortages, geopolitical events, and transport disruptions; maintain dual-sourcing, safety stock strategies, and contingency playbooks tied to demand signals.
Digital and Analytics: Implement digital planning tools, demand sensing, and predictive analytics to improve forecast accuracy and supply responsiveness; enable real-time visibility from isotope production through patient administration.
Financial Stewardship: Own manufacturing budgets, COGS optimization, and capital investments in capacity and technology; deliver productivity targets while continuously improving service and quality.
Leadership and Culture: Lead a global, cross-functional organization spanning manufacturing, planning, tech ops, logistics, and external manufacturing; foster a culture of safety, quality, continuous improvement, accountability, and patient focus.
Essential Skills/Experience
Experience: 15+ years in pharmaceutical manufacturing or supply chain, including 8+ years in senior global leadership. Direct experience in radiopharmaceuticals or nuclear medicine operations strongly preferred (e.g., PET/SPECT isotopes, cyclotron/reactor supply, radiolabeling, aseptic operations).
Technical Expertise: Deep understanding of GMP, aseptic processing, radiolabeling, cold chain logistics, and dangerous goods regulations. Proven track record in S&OP/IBP, capacity planning, and network strategy.
Regulatory & Quality: Demonstrated success navigating global regulatory requirements, inspections, and quality systems; strong partnership with QA/RA to maintain compliance and support submissions/variations.
Business & Partnerships: Experience leading external manufacturing networks and complex supplier relationships, including contract negotiation and performance management.
Analytics & Digital: Proficiency with advanced planning systems, demand forecasting, and operations analytics; ability to leverage data to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
Leadership: Exceptional people leadership, stakeholder management, and change management skills; adept at influencing across R&D, Commercial, Finance, and Operations.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Pharmacy, Chemistry, or related field required; advanced degree (MS/MBA/PhD) strongly preferred
Desirable Skills/Experience
Lean and Six Sigma certification with a record of deploying continuous improvement and digital operations in GMP environments.
Proven success launching and scaling radiopharmaceutical products across multiple regions, including label/pack variation readiness and market-specific configurations.
Experience negotiating and operationalizing CDMO/CMO capacity guarantees, risk-sharing models, and business continuity clauses.
Deep expertise in time-definite, cold-chain logistics for dangerous goods, including courier network optimization and final mile orchestration.
Experience implementing IBP/S&OP, demand sensing, and predictive analytics across a global manufacturing network.
Track record of building and leading high-performing, geographically dispersed teams through growth and change.
When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.
Why AstraZeneca
Here, you will help push the boundaries of science and manufacturing to bring new, targeted medicines to patients faster, working at the intersection of advanced technology, data-rich operations, and disciplined execution. We bring diverse experts together to solve the hardest problems in time-critical supply, backed by sustained investment and a pipeline with multiple high-potential medicines. You will collaborate with leading institutions and cross-functional teams that value courage, curiosity, and kindness, and you will have the scope to architect a global network that measurably improves patient outcomes while advancing your craft.
Lead the global radiopharmaceutical manufacturing platform that delivers when every hour counts—take the next step and put your expertise to work where it will matter most for patients and for your career.
The annual base pay for this position ranges from $254,706 - $382,060 USD Annually. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.
Date Posted
10-Jun-2026Closing Date
09-Jun-2026Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.
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