Regional Director, Engineering – Clinical Trials

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Switzerland, +1 more country.

📋 Description

• Formulate and implement a regional engineering strategy that aligns with the objectives of the Clinical Trials Division.

• Direct site master planning, long-term capital investment strategies, and engineering roadmaps.

• Set engineering standards, project governance, and best practices, ensuring alignment with global initiatives and regulatory standards.

• Prioritize strategic investments while fostering engineering organizational capability and culture.

• Provide strategic engineering leadership across regional sites, encompassing facilities, utilities, equipment, automation, and infrastructure.

• Promote technical standardization, innovation, reliability, scalability, and operational efficiency.

• Manage technical risk, asset lifecycle planning, infrastructure modernization, sustainability, and engineering support for growth and client opportunities.

• Mentor engineering leaders and cultivate regional engineering talent.

• Own and prioritize the regional capital investment portfolio.

• Oversee capital governance, project management standards, portfolio evaluations, business cases, and resource allocation.

• Ensure that projects are delivered within scope, on schedule, within budget, and meet quality and operational readiness standards while managing risks.

• Track portfolio performance through metrics, financial oversight, and executive reporting.

• Establish regional engineering governance and ensure compliance with corporate standards.

• Lead initiatives related to maintenance, reliability, asset utilization, predictive maintenance, and continuous improvement.

• Apply engineering standards for capital execution, equipment lifecycle management, and facility operations.

• Assess and enhance engineering performance using KPIs, benchmarking, and data-driven initiatives.

• Collaborate with business leaders, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Global Engineering, and site leadership.

• Manage CTD locations in the EMEA region with potential travel up to 50% to global network locations.

⛳️ Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a relevant technical field is mandatory.

• Over 10 years of relevant experience in the Pharmaceutical or related industries, covering engineering, operations, program, and project management.

• At least 5 years of functional leadership experience across two or more areas such as Process Engineering, Facilities/Engineering, Maintenance, Automation, I&C, Validation, or related functions.

• Proficiency in the design, qualification, and operation of facilities, utilities, equipment, and automation utilized in the Manufacturing and Packaging of Clinical Trials.

• Experience in building and leading high-performance teams.

• Understanding of relevant regulatory requirements and industry guidelines, particularly FDA, EMA, ICH, and ISPE.

• Awareness of current issues and trends concerning clinical trials and FDA regulations.

• Strategic leadership capabilities, including long-term engineering strategy formulation, investment prioritization, and business alignment.

• Outstanding communication, executive influence, and cross-functional collaboration abilities.

• Strong business and financial insight, including capital planning, portfolio management, risk assessment, and data-driven decision-making.

• Demonstrated leadership in people management, talent development, change leadership, accountability, engagement, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Professional Engineering (PE), Chartered Engineer (CEng), or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is preferred but not essential.

• A Master's degree is desirable but not required.

🏝️ Benefits

• Annual incentive plan bonus scheme.

• Employee benefits.

• Opportunities for career development and advancement.

• A culture that is innovative and forward-thinking.