Head of Business Operations

Head Of Business Operations

Provides strategic execution for business operations across formulation, filling, inspection, and packaging (FFIP) at the Swiftwater manufacturing site. Develops and implements programs to ensure execution to schedule, optimize performance against targets, and manage headcount resources aligned with production requirements and business demands. Serves as the primary interface between factory operations and key stakeholders including operational excellence, finance, supply chain, and human resources.

We deliver 4.3 billion healthcare solutions to people every year, thanks to the flawless planning and meticulous eye for detail of our manufacturing & supply teams. With your talent and ambition, we can do even more to protect people from infectious diseases and bring hope to patients and their families.

We're an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people's lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system and innovative pipeline – enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve lives.

Main Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive programs to ensure execution to schedule within the factory for formulation, filling, inspection, and packaging operations
• Assess and analyze operational performance against targets, identifying areas of opportunity to improve efficiency and productivity
• Communicate performance metrics, KPIs, and operational insights to key stakeholders, management, and factory leadership
• Define and manage internal factory interfaces for process step hand-off, process ownership, inventory management, and business system activities
• Serve as the "voice of the factory" relating to operational performance, representing manufacturing needs to external stakeholders
• Interface with operational excellence, finance, operations teams, supply chain and human resources to ensure factory needs are understood and met
• Drive strategic direction for management of headcount resources including registered headcount (RHC), temporary workers (TPW), and flexible staffing aligned with budget and evolving process requirements, ensuring adherence to financial targets
• Forecast short-term and long-term staffing needs that align with production requirements and business demands across FFIP operations
• Provide FFIP capacity and capability planning with respect to staffing, including short-term shop-level control through long-range planning over a 5-year horizon
• Provide oversight of budget and financial updates throughout the year, ensuring communication and action is taken to ensure adherence to financial targets
• Lead strategic projects driving savings and operational excellence
• Collaborate with all support groups to ensure unified efforts toward the common goal of supply to customers

About You

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, operations management, engineering, or related field. Candidates with degrees in unrelated fields will be considered if they have experience in vaccine manufacturing.
• Master's degree highly preferred.
• Minimum 8+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing operations, business operations, or a related field within pharmaceutical or vaccine manufacturing or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience managing cross-functional relationships and serving as a liaison between operations and support functions.

Technical skills:

• Proficiency in SAP (MM/PP modules preferred)
• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio) with advanced Excel skills for data analysis and presentation
• Familiarity with master data governance (MDG) processes
• Proficiency in the development and use of business intelligence tools (Power BI, Tableau or equivalent)

Soft skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with demonstrated capability to assess performance data and identify improvement opportunities
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with ability to effectively present complex information to all organizational levels
• Ability to influence and negotiate across organizational boundaries
• Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills
• Ability to work effectively across the organization as well as upward and downward
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and drive results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
• Strategic thinking with ability to balance short-term operational needs with long-term planning utilizing strategic tools like Plai, GenAI (e.g. Concierge) to dive data driven decision-making.

Physical requirements:

• Primarily office-based with occasional presence on the manufacturing floor
• Ability to sit for extended periods during meetings and computer work

Preferred qualifications:

• Prior experience in resource management, capacity planning, or business operations leadership roles
• AI or data science foundational experience
• Experience with long-range strategic planning and budget management
• Experience implementing operational excellence initiatives and driving continuous improvement
• Familiarity with 3P (production preparation process) methodologies
• Demonstrated success in driving cost savings and efficiency improvements

Special working conditions:

• Flexibility to respond to operational needs outside standard business hours when necessary
• Occasional travel to other Sanofi sites or meetings (estimated less than 10%)

Why Choose Us?

• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.
• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it's through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.
• Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.
• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks' gender-neutral parental leave.
• Shape the future of medicine and vaccine delivery with cutting-edge technology, ensuring seamless launches and a resilient global supply.
• Power industry-leading performance by leveraging digital, data, and AI-driven innovation – at speed and scale
• Transform lives worldwide by delivering life-changing treatments anywhere, anytime.