Associate Director of Upstream Process (USP) Operations (m/f/d)

About the role

Job Description Our Company`s Schachen site serves as a magnetic force that attracts, recognizes, and integrates people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Employees feel not only that they belong at Schachen, but that the site belongs to and is shaped by them. Schachen Biotech is a premier, state-of-the-art facility that integrates advanced technologies into the early-stage clinical pipeline, refining them for future commercial launch. The site supports biologics drug substance manufacturing for early-phase clinical supply and serves as a hub for technology innovation and strategic advancement. The Associate Director of Upstream Process (USP) Operations plays a pivotal role in leading both day-to-day USP manufacturing execution (vial thaw, seed train, and bioreactor operations through harvest) and strategic support functions with focus on cultivating people leadership and operational excellence. This role ensures the facility operates with agility and readiness to support a multiproduct pipeline for early-phase clinical supply. The Associate Director oversees USP shop floor operations, production planning, and operational readiness for new product introductions (NPIs), while driving digitization, automation, and continuous improvement. The role manages a team of direct-report specialists and functional managers, fostering a culture of safety, compliance, and performance excellence. As a member of the Schachen Biotech Manufacturing Operations Leadership Team, reporting to the Director of Manufacturing Operations, the Associate Director is responsible for the reliable, efficient, and cGMP-compliant execution of USP production campaigns from vial thaw to harvest, delivered right-first-time and on schedule. This includes oversight of process implementation activities for new and existing products, batch record review, deviation management, campaign reporting, and calibration activities, ensuring these are executed to the highest standards by the team. Leadership & Culture: Lead a diverse team of process specialists and operators within USP operations, fostering a culture of empowerment, accountability, collaboration, and trust. Build team capabilities through hiring, mentoring, coaching, and performance development fostering a high-performance culture rooted in operational excellence. Promote our Company`s Ways of Working by embedding a "Safety First, Quality Always" mindset and fostering high-performing teams across all operational areas. Drive continuous improvement and innovation, encouraging agility and adaptability in a multiproduct environment. Act as an organizational architect and change catalyst by shaping and reshaping team structures and capabilities through strategic use of skill matrices and workforce planning. Represent the USP Operations function in cross-functional forums and contribute to site-wide strategic initiatives. Operational Management: Oversee day-to-day manufacturing process execution and support operations, ensuring readiness for clinical campaigns and alignment with GMP standards. Lead production planning, resource allocation, and coordination of USP shop floor activities in line with New Product Introduction (NPI) schedules. Support process implementation for NPIs, including integration of new materials, equipment, and procedures into routine operations specific to upstream unit operations (e.g. seed reactors, production bioreactors, harvest systems), and lead execution of process implementation activities across USP, ensuring successful translation from tech transfer to routine manufacturing operations. Ensure personnel are appropriately trained and qualified for assigned tasks, maintaining operational readiness and compliance. Oversee batch record review, deviation management, campaign reporting, and calibration activities to ensure consistent and compliant execution. Drive operational simplification by eliminating non-value-added activities and reducing effort and cost through digital solutions, including robotic process automation (RPA). Champion digitization and automation to enhance efficiency, agility, and readiness for clinical campaigns. Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure tech transfer readiness and contribute to Quality Risk Assessments (QRAs), with focus on USP process robustness and scalability. Drive harmonization of standards and sharing of best practices across the network to reduce local workload and accelerate product launch. Quality & Compliance: Ensure deployment of Quality Management Systems (QMS). Act as business approver for complex and high-impact GMP documentation, including validation protocols, change controls, and deviation records. Support the resolution of complex deviations and CAPAs in collaboration with Quality and Regulatory Affairs. Facilitate Quality Risk Assessments (QRAs) and support internal and external audits. Required Qualifications: Bachelor's or Master's degree in biology, Chemical Engineering, or related