Head of External Sterile Operations (Anywhere in Europe)
Viatris
August 21, 2026
Remote friendly (Denmark, WI)
United States
Operations
Head of External Sterile Operations
Role Summary
- Overall responsibility for the strategy, governance, and performance of an assigned segment of the external manufacturing network within the Sterile Vertical.
- Leads a team of External Operations Managers and is accountable for senior-level supplier relationship management across supply, quality, service, cost, contract compliance, and risk.
- Works with Supply Chain, Quality, Technical Services, and other partners to align priorities and drive performance across external manufacturers.
- Leads major negotiations, capacity decisions, and escalation management; defines external operations standards and ways of working across the network.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead a team of External Operations Managers for assigned CDMO relationships.
- Own strategy, governance, and overall performance of external manufacturing partners within assigned scope.
- Lead supplier relationship management across supply, quality, service, cost, and contract adherence.
- Lead executive governance meetings, business reviews, and performance discussions.
- Lead major commercial, contractual, and capacity negotiations with CDMO.
- Partner on supply strategy, capacity alignment, and network priorities.
- Own major escalations and recovery direction for significant issues.
- Drive cross-functional alignment across Supply Chain, Quality, Technical Services, Procurement, and other functions.
- Set priorities/expectations and drive accountability across stakeholders.
- Support development of external operations standards, governance, and operating practices.
Shared
- Partner with Supply Chain, Quality, Legal, and Technical Services on supplier strategy, risk management, and execution.
- Partner with senior leadership on external network performance, supply continuity, and long-term partner management.
Qualifications/Experience
- 15+ years of sterile operations experience.
- Significant experience leading complex third-party manufacturing/CDMO relationships in highly regulated industries.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
- Strong background in external manufacturing, supplier relationship management, or network operations.
- Experience leading commercial, capacity, or contract negotiations.
- Experience engaging directly with third-party suppliers in supply chain/manufacturing/technical operations/procurement/quality.
- Experience managing major escalations, supply disruptions, or performance issues.
- Experience setting supplier performance strategy and governance (business reviews, scorecards, risk management).
- Prior people leadership experience.
- Experience with sterile manufacturing/sterile external networks preferred; product transfers/launches/lifecycle or network changes valuable.
- Exposure to financial/commercial/business planning related to supplier management.
Skills
- Supplier governance and performance management; negotiation and escalation management; cross-functional collaboration.
Role Summary
- Overall responsibility for the strategy, governance, and performance of an assigned segment of the external manufacturing network within the Sterile Vertical.
- Leads a team of External Operations Managers and is accountable for senior-level supplier relationship management across supply, quality, service, cost, contract compliance, and risk.
- Works with Supply Chain, Quality, Technical Services, and other partners to align priorities and drive performance across external manufacturers.
- Leads major negotiations, capacity decisions, and escalation management; defines external operations standards and ways of working across the network.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead a team of External Operations Managers for assigned CDMO relationships.
- Own strategy, governance, and overall performance of external manufacturing partners within assigned scope.
- Lead supplier relationship management across supply, quality, service, cost, and contract adherence.
- Lead executive governance meetings, business reviews, and performance discussions.
- Lead major commercial, contractual, and capacity negotiations with CDMO.
- Partner on supply strategy, capacity alignment, and network priorities.
- Own major escalations and recovery direction for significant issues.
- Drive cross-functional alignment across Supply Chain, Quality, Technical Services, Procurement, and other functions.
- Set priorities/expectations and drive accountability across stakeholders.
- Support development of external operations standards, governance, and operating practices.
Shared
- Partner with Supply Chain, Quality, Legal, and Technical Services on supplier strategy, risk management, and execution.
- Partner with senior leadership on external network performance, supply continuity, and long-term partner management.
Qualifications/Experience
- 15+ years of sterile operations experience.
- Significant experience leading complex third-party manufacturing/CDMO relationships in highly regulated industries.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
- Strong background in external manufacturing, supplier relationship management, or network operations.
- Experience leading commercial, capacity, or contract negotiations.
- Experience engaging directly with third-party suppliers in supply chain/manufacturing/technical operations/procurement/quality.
- Experience managing major escalations, supply disruptions, or performance issues.
- Experience setting supplier performance strategy and governance (business reviews, scorecards, risk management).
- Prior people leadership experience.
- Experience with sterile manufacturing/sterile external networks preferred; product transfers/launches/lifecycle or network changes valuable.
- Exposure to financial/commercial/business planning related to supplier management.
Skills
- Supplier governance and performance management; negotiation and escalation management; cross-functional collaboration.