Senior Manager - Kennesaw, GA

Senior Manager
- Kennesaw, GA

Department/Function:
Research & Development

The Senior Manager, R&D – Kennesaw provides strategic leadership for the deployment and operationalization of R&D technologies into ADM’s manufacturing, quality, and product development pipelines. This role ensures successful translation of phage, spore‑former, and enzyme programs into Operations, Quality, Regulatory, CD&D. Responsibilities include ensuring readiness of specifications, documentation, tech‑transfer packages, and compliance elements for commercial deployment. The Senior Manager leads a team of scientists and technicians and partners closely with Operations, QA/QC, Supply Chain, CD&D, Regulatory, and Medical to ensure new technologies are robust, scalable, compliant, and fully supported post‑launch.

This is an operationally anchored role focused on site execution, deployment, and production support rather than early‑stage discovery research.

• Ensure compliance with ADM global safety standards and regulatory requirements, maintaining updated SOPs and laboratory safety documentation.
• Partner with QA/QC to ensure data integrity, method reliability, and GMP‑aligned expectations across deployed technologies.
• Lead the translation and deployment of R&D technologies into Operations, including preparation and oversight of tech‑transfer packages, specifications, and process documentation.
• Collaborate with Operations to troubleshoot issues, refine procedures, and support production teams during onboarding and scale‑up of new materials or methods.
• Coordinate validation, verification, and performance qualification activities required for operational adoption and manufacturing readiness.
• Ensure alignment with Operations, QA/QC, Regulatory, Medical, Supply Chain, and CD&D, maintaining manufacturability, compliance, and business continuity.
• Develop timelines, risk assessments, and mitigation plans focused on operational execution and deployment readiness.
• Lead and develop a team of ≥5 scientists and technicians, setting expectations, coaching, and capability development aligned with operational excellence.
• Provide scientific oversight for manufacturability, stability, process behavior, and QC readiness, including development of operationally relevant data packages (stability, robustness, impurities, tolerances).
• Drive cross‑functional communication and continuous improvement, preparing technical materials for stakeholders and enhancing R&D–OPS–QA workflows to support efficient and successful product deployment.

• Operational Leadership:
  Proven ability to lead, coordinate, and develop multidisciplinary technical teams, driving execution excellence and manufacturing‑ready outcomes.
• Cross‑Functional Communication:
  Excellent written and verbal communication skills for effective collaboration with Operations, QA/QC, Regulatory, Medical, Supply Chain, and CD&D.
• Project & Deployment Management:
  Strong capability to manage tech‑transfer, validation, troubleshooting, and production support activities from planning through execution.
• Organizational Strength:
  Ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously, ensuring structured documentation, workflow clarity, and operational discipline.
• Mentorship & Talent Development:
  Demonstrated success in coaching, guiding, and developing scientists and technicians toward high performance and operational excellence.
• Technical & Analytical Problem Solving:
  Skilled in diagnosing and resolving technical, operational, or quality‑related issues using data‑driven methodologies.
• Adaptability & Resilience:
  Flexible and effective in dynamic operational environments, adjusting to evolving technologies, priorities, and production requirements.
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement:
  Ability to identify, drive, and implement improvements across R&D–OPS–QA workflows, enhancing efficiency, quality, and deployment success.

• PhD required in relevant scientific field.
• 8–12+ years industry experience, including 3–5+ years people leadership.
• Experience across R&D, Operations, QA/QC, Regulatory, Medical preferred.
• Experience with phage, spore-formers, and enzymes…