EVP – Operations Transformation — Biologics Platform

The mandate

A Cambridge biologics platform has converted scientific partnerships into a demanding operational pipeline. Six molecules are moving between cell-line development, process characterisation, analytical validation and GMP supply, including three partner programmes carrying time-bound milestones. Research output is not the constraint. The development laboratories and external manufacturing network are struggling to turn promising constructs into repeatable, transferable processes at the pace promised.

Two recent transfers required unplanned engineering runs, one stability method is being reworked, and deviation closure has slowed as specialists move from one urgent programme to another. Partners receive technically accurate updates but not always a coherent view of schedule, risk and decision ownership. Investment proposals range from expanding internal pilot capacity to reserving more external suites; none yet starts from a reconciled demand profile or the capabilities the company should strategically retain.

The EVP – Operations Transformation will take executive responsibility from candidate nomination through clinical supply release. The mandate spans process and analytical development, technical transfer, external manufacturing, supply planning, quality interfaces, engineering and operational excellence. It is designed to create reliable flow and scientific accountability, not to impose a factory model on development work. The executive will determine which variability is legitimate learning, which reflects weak process design and which is caused by overloaded governance.

Approximately 600 employees and key partners sit within the wider operating perimeter across the United Kingdom, Europe and North America. Cambridge is the central base, and regular on-site leadership is required. The EVP will report to the Chief Executive or designated executive sponsor and will interact directly with board representatives and collaboration partners when material commitments are at risk.

Why this seat is open

The preceding operations leader left following an agreed review of the role after partner milestones were missed. There was no allegation of misconduct. The board concluded that responsibilities divided among technical development, supply and alliance leadership had left no one executive accountable for an executable end-to-end promise. The replacement role therefore carries a broader perimeter and explicit authority to reset commitments.

What you will own

• Establish a molecule-level operating plan from candidate nomination through released clinical supply, with one critical path, named technical assumptions and controlled changes.
• Lead approximately 600 employees and material partners across process development, analytics, technical operations, planning and connected quality and engineering activities.
• Decide the internal-versus-external capability model for pilot scale, analytical testing, GMP manufacture and specialist characterisation, supported by demand, risk and total-cost evidence.
• Restore technical-transfer discipline through readiness criteria, process descriptions, method maturity, receiving-site involvement and learning captured after each run.
• Agree realistic programme commitments with collaboration leaders and personally govern recovery where schedule, quality or cost moves outside contracted tolerances.
• Protect independent quality authority while reducing aged deviations, repeat investigations and avoidable review queues that do not add scientific or compliance value.
• Control a multi-year operations investment envelope above GBP 200 million, including capacity reservations, laboratory systems, automation and selected facility modifications.
• Build succession and technical depth in process engineering, analytical sciences, supply planning and external-site leadership so delivery does not depend on a few rescuers.

The first 12 months

• Days 1–90: Rebaseline all six molecules using technical evidence and actual capacity, not contractual aspiration. Identify the transfers that cannot responsibly proceed, secure partner agreement to recovery plans and establish daily control for clinical-supply risks. Review every major capacity commitment before additional capital or reservations are approved.
• Months 4–9: Implement transfer-readiness and method-maturity gates, reduce the deviation and investigation backlog, and install integrated planning across laboratories and external sites. Select the capability footprint and begin only those investments supported by the reconciled portfolio. Reset partner governance so risks and trade-offs reach decision-makers early.
• Months 10–12: Complete at least two transfers against the new standard, demonstrate improved right-first-time execution and deliver the priority clinical batches to the agreed release window. Lock a two-year capacity and skills plan, close persistent root causes and move crisis forums back into normal operating governance.

What the board will measure

• Percentage of development and GMP milestones met against rebaselined commitments, with no schedule reported green where an unresolved critical technical assumption remains.
• Improvement in right-first-time engineering and validation runs, method transfer acceptance and batch-release predictability.
• Reduction in overdue high-impact deviations and repeat root causes, achieved without weakening investigation quality or independent release authority.
• Partner confidence evidenced by accepted recovery plans, fewer escalations and accurate advance notice of decisions affecting shared milestones.
• Capital and capacity commitments traceable to approved molecule demand, with idle reservations and duplicate capabilities actively removed.
• Succession and retention coverage for critical technical roles, alongside lower dependence on unplanned overtime and individual expert intervention.

The person

You are an EVP, SVP, site-network leader or head of technical operations in biologics, vaccines, advanced therapies or another complex biopharmaceutical modality. Across 22–28 years, you have carried multiple molecules from development into GMP supply and have fixed at least one transfer system that routinely surprised partners or clinical teams. You have led at least 400 employees and controlled an operations or capital perimeter of at least GBP 150 million or equivalent.

Your credibility must extend across science, quality and execution. You can test whether a process is characterised well enough to transfer, recognise when an analytical method is the true schedule constraint, and support quality in rejecting a batch or plan when evidence requires it. You have managed contract manufacturers as extensions of a network without pretending that contractual leverage can replace technical stewardship.

Relevant candidates may come from platform biotechnology, biologics product companies, vaccines or high-complexity development and manufacturing services. Experience with partnership milestones and alliance governance is important because this role must repair confidence as well as flow. The board does not require a career spent in one modality, but it does require direct accountability for clinical supply and regulated transfer outcomes.

The appointment is based in Cambridge. International candidates are welcome where UK relocation is workable and experience leading European and North American partners is current. This role suits a leader who goes to the laboratory or site to understand the constraint, then changes the system rather than repeatedly celebrating heroic recovery.

Compensation and terms

The base salary is expected to fall between GBP 250,000 and GBP 340,000, with annual incentive and long-term participation. Measures will centre on clinical-supply reliability, transfer quality, partner commitments, capability choices and sustainable technical depth. This permanent executive appointment includes board exposure. Relocation and evidenced forfeited incentives may be addressed in the final package.

Confidentiality

The company, partner programmes and manufacturing sites remain confidential at this stage. Details will be disclosed through the retained-search process after relevance is established and the appropriate agreement is complete. Candidates must not approach potential partners or suppliers to infer the client.

Each response must contain no more than 49 words.