External Manufacturing Process Team Leader

Role Summary

External Manufacturing Process Team Leader within the Elanco External Manufacturing (EEM) Operations team, supporting end-to-end supply chain and manufacturing performance across Elanco’s contract manufacturing network. Responsible for ensuring continuity of product supply through cross-functional coordination, risk mitigation, and operational execution with internal teams and external partners. Lead joint process teams, manage performance with contract manufacturers, and support projects such as tech transfers, revalidations, and regulatory changes.

Responsibilities

• Lead internal and joint process team (IPT/JPT) meetings with contract manufacturers and Elanco stakeholders, presenting operational performance metrics, facilitating decision-making, and ensuring alignment on production timelines, artwork changes, and capacity constraints.
• Manage day-to-day operations with contract manufacturers, including procurement, production, inventory, and logistics, while proactively identifying and addressing risks to ensure uninterrupted supply of products to market.
• Drive operational excellence by tracking and analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs), monitoring slow-moving inventory, overseeing material losses, and identifying opportunities for cost savings and supply chain optimization.
• Coordinate and manage complex changes and deviations, including label updates, product reworks, bridging stock plans, and regulatory-driven modifications, ensuring timely execution and compliance through systems like PCAP and the Blue System.
• Support product lifecycle and technical agenda execution, including launches, geo-expansions, revalidations, rationalizations, and tech transfers, collaborating with quality, regulatory, master data, warehousing, and affiliates to maintain supply continuity.

Qualifications

• Required: A minimum of 4 years of experience in manufacturing operations or supply chain, preferably in a regulated environment
• Required: Strong cross-functional coordination and project management skills with experience working with contract manufacturers and managing operational KPIs
• Preferred: Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, or animal health industry, especially working with external manufacturing partners; sterile injectable manufacturing experience preferred
• Preferred: Proficiency with SAP (S4 Hana) and Elanco tools such as IBP (Integrated Business Planning), Veeva, CORRS, and Ariba
• Preferred: Ability to create and interpret data dashboards and performance reports using tools like Power BI, Excel, or other reporting platforms
• Preferred: Familiarity with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and experience navigating change control, deviation management, and regulatory workflows
• Preferred: Demonstrated success in supply chain issue resolution, lifecycle management, and stakeholder engagement across production, quality, and regulatory functions

Skills

• Cross-functional coordination
• Project management
• KPIs tracking and analysis
• Stakeholder engagement
• Data visualization and reporting (Power BI, Excel)
• Change control, deviation management, GMP familiarity

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, supply chain, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

Additional Requirements

• Travel: 10–15% annually (domestic or international as needed)
• Location: Global Elanco Headquarters – Downtown Indianapolis – Hybrid Work Environment