Director, Manufacturing - Cell Therapy

Are you ready to lead and shape the future of life-saving cell therapies? We are seeking a visionary and results-oriented Director of Cell Therapy Manufacturing to oversee and scale GMP manufacturing operations across our Santa Monica and Tarzana sites. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a direct impact on patients’ lives by delivering high-quality autologous and allogeneic cell therapy products globally.

As a key member of the Site Leadership Team, you will combine strategic vision with hands-on leadership to build and sustain world-class operations. You will drive site readiness, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant manufacturing of innovative therapies.

What You’ll Do

• Lead end-to-end GMP manufacturing at both sites, delivering on clinical and commercial production goals.

• Drive a culture of accountability, safety, compliance, and quality, fostering ownership and excellence across teams.

• Translate enterprise manufacturing strategy into site-level execution, including new product introductions (NPIs), scale-up, and capacity expansions.

• Design and evolve site governance, organizational structures, and operational interfaces to support multi-product operations and a growing commercial pipeline.

• Contribute to global capacity planning, resource forecasting, and scenario-based planning.

• Lead operating model implementation across sites, including change management and effective communication.

• Partner across functions—MS&T, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Regulatory Affairs—to ensure seamless tech transfers, scale-up, and process robustness.

• Champion Lean principles and continuous improvement, driving efficiency, throughput, and cost competitiveness.

• Ensure inspection readiness and support health authority interactions.

• Mentor and develop a high-performing team of manufacturing leaders, building succession readiness and a culture of engagement.

• Apply lessons learned across sites to support network standardization and continuous improvement initiatives.

What We’re Looking For

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, or related field; Master’s or MBA preferred.

• Experience: 10–15 years of progressive leadership in Cell/ Gene therapy manufacturing or GMP biologics, including multi-site or network exposure.

• Proven track record in clinical and commercial operations, tech transfer, scale-up, or launch readiness.

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach to execution.

• Deep expertise in GMP compliance, batch execution, capacity planning, and change management.

• Strong financial acumen and experience managing budgets and cost optimization.

• Experience leading operations through site build-outs, expansions, or digital transformation.

• Familiarity with MES, LIMS, and ERP systems in regulated manufacturing environments.

• Successful in matrixed, global organizations with cross-site responsibility.

Why Join Us

• Make a tangible impact on patients’ lives worldwide.

• Lead and develop a dynamic, high-performing team.

• Drive innovative cell therapy manufacturing at the forefront of the industry.

• Collaborate across a cutting-edge, multi-site operation and influence the future of cell therapy production.

If you’re ready to bring your leadership, vision, and expertise to a role that truly makes a difference, we want to hear from you.

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $162,682.40 - $244,023.60. However, 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).

Our Benefits:

Benefits offered include:

#celltherapy #LI-Onsite

Date Posted

Closing Date

Our 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.