Head of Quality Control (QC)

At Bavarian Nordic, we are committed to saving and improving lives by unlocking the power of the immune system. Our commercial product portfolio includes market-leading vaccines against smallpox, mpox, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, typhoid fever, and cholera. We excel in R&D innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization, striving to improve people's health and quality of life worldwide, protecting our tomorrow.

As part of our growth journey, we have established a new Site Leadership Team for our biggest manufacturing site, Kvistgaard. As Head of Quality Control, you will be a strong contributor to the site leadership team, and you will lead a diverse team of +70 employees.

The role
We are seeking a people manager who thrives with leading leaders, scientists, lab technicians, and student workers. You will be responsible for all QC operations while driving significant improvements in efficiency, automation, and employee satisfaction. The lab has been on a major transformation journey over the last four years, with a strategy now in place. We are looking for a leader to drive the next phase—creating a more streamlined, modern, and innovative QC laboratory that aligns with the site and company strategy while supporting business growth.

Key Responsibilities
As a transformative leader, you will drive the evolution of the QC organization, enhancing structure, automation, and workflows to create a high-performing lab environment. You will shape strategy, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and collaboration within a global QC matrix (Munich, Bern, and external CROs). You will ensure regulatory excellence by maintaining compliance with cGMP, FDA, EMA, and other global standards while leading audits and strengthening quality systems. Operational efficiency will be a priority, optimizing lab processes, increasing automation, and leveraging Lean methodologies to improve turnaround times and resource utilization.

People leadership is at the core of this role—mentoring and developing a high-performing team, ensuring clear roles and responsibilities, and fostering cross-functional collaboration with QA, R&D, Manufacturing, and Regulatory Affairs. Your focus on continuous improvement will drive innovation, integrating advanced data analytics, digitalization, and new analytical technologies to enhance QC’s strategic impact on business growth and operational excellence.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Solid experience from a QC leadership role within the pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical industry
• Proven track record of leading transformation, implementing automation, and optimizing laboratory processes
• Strong understanding of vaccine manufacturing processes, analytical methods, and QC testing
• Extensive knowledge of GMP, FDA, EMA, ICH, and other regulatory guidelines.
• Experience managing large, multidisciplinary teams and driving cultural change
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional collaboration and implement innovative solutions
• Excellent problem-solving, strategic thinking, and stakeholder management skills

Why this role?
This is a unique opportunity for a visionary leader to make a lasting impact on a global QC organization. You will lead a transformative journey, shaping the future of laboratory operations through automation, digitalization, and strategic process improvements. As a key decision-maker, you will work within a dynamic, global matrix structure, collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive innovation and efficiency. Your leadership will directly contribute to business growth, regulatory excellence, and scientific advancement. Beyond the technical and strategic influence, this role offers the chance to mentor and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous learning. If you are passionate about leadership, operational excellence, and cutting-edge quality control, this role provides the perfect platform to make a meaningful impact.

Caught your interest?
If you are ready to take on a pivotal role in a growing organization and drive meaningful change in healthcare, apply now and join Bavarian Nordic in our mission to improve health outcomes and foster sustainable growth. Please contact Talent Acquisition Partner Charlotte Kehlet Godt at +45 3137 2437 if you have any questions regarding the position – available after the 24th of March 2025.

We kindly request that headhunters or recruitment agencies refrain from contacting us regarding this position.

Founded in 1994, we have +30 years of experience developing life-saving vaccines. We are a global leader in smallpox and mpox vaccines. Our commercial product portfolio contains market-leading vaccines against rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, cholera, typhoid, and Ebola. We are headquartered in Denmark and have manufacturing, research, and sales offices across Europe and North America. Our values – our Bavarian Nordic DNA, as we like to call it – are what guide our actions every day. We act as persistent pioneers, embrace change, value being boosted by the team, and believe in protecting lives every day. If that is also a part of your DNA, we invite you to join us in Bavarian Nordic! Bavarian Nordic is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

www.bavarian-nordic.com

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Location: Kvistgaard - Hejreskovvej 10A