Molecule Steward; Senior Director - Inhalation Products

Molecule Steward (Senior Director) – Inhalation Products

The Molecule Steward (Sr Director) is the single point of end‑to‑end technical accountability for a portfolio of inhalation products, including drug substance, drug product, analytical strategy, assembly, packing and related support activities. This role provides strategic technical leadership to ensure successful new product introduction and continuous improvement across the product lifecycle.

• Responsible for defining and owning the technical strategy through a product's lifecycle, including product transfers R&D to GSK sites or external manufacturing sites, Product Performance Qualification and Ongoing Continuous Process Verification, leading the Product Technical Lifecycle Team (PTLT) and yearly Manufacturing Robustness Review Board meetings (MRRB) to ensure risks are identified, escalated, mitigated and resolved, ensuring alignment and consistency across supply nodes.
• Accountable for developing and delivering the Technical Lifecycle Plan (TLCP), including major geographical expansion requiring additional CMC activities on top of wave 1, new technologies and second‑generation programs impacting the manufacturing process, analytical process, pack, device, and associated specifications.
• Ensures that product history and knowledge from development through the product's lifecycle is maintained and aligns with knowledge management standards for the product or dose form within the GSC network. Molecule steward contributes as key inputter for process history file (PHF) reviewer and approver (if applicable).
• Provides technical leadership and subject matter expertise where required for multi‑site investigations and/or critical deviations, troubleshooting, and major change programmes across supply nodes.
• Stays current and maintains solid knowledge and understanding of complex scientific subject matter as well as evolving regulatory policies and guidelines and industry best practices.
• Responsible for co‑ordinating the technical review of regulatory submissions and responses to technical questions across MSAT, ensuring review by appropriate SMEs and sites (if required).
• Representing MSAT, providing an MSAT single point accountable decision maker for the GSC strategic team, CMC team, for established and new products, ensuring that a product control strategy is defined and maintained.
• Develops and manages strong collaborations with technical staff across Supply Chain sites, MSAT & R&D and maintains and develops technical talent through mentoring across the network, with effective and clear communication on highly technical topics.
• Manages stakeholders effectively.
• Demonstrates knowledge of risk management approaches.

Basic Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in life sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, biochemical engineering or a related field. PhD preferred.
• Extensive years of experience in small molecules inhaled product development, analytical development or related area.
• Proven experience in molecule stewardship, quality or formulation support across preclinical and clinical stages.
• Track record of leading cross‑functional teams and driving technical decisions.
• Comprehensive knowledge of external regulatory requirements (FDA, EMA, MHRA, PMDA, etc.) and internal/external quality and safety requirements.
• Experienced in technology transfer, with an understanding of the product development process.
• Knowledge of current and emerging Regulatory Strategies (e.g. Quality by Design, GMP for 21st century, ICH Q7, Q8, Q9, Q10) and Product Lifecycle Management.
• Project management and prioritization skills gained within a complex matrix.
• Track record of improving products, processes and troubleshooting, execution of technical activities including trials and validation activities.
• Excellent problem solver and ability to think and work creatively.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical aspects of investigations.
• Demonstrated experience in the pharmaceutical industry in leading the technical aspects of Product Lifecycle Management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Quality by Design and risk management approaches.
• Strong technical acumen and communication,…