Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations

Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) is a globally recognized leader in the animal health industry, dedicated to innovating and delivering high-quality products and services that prevent and treat diseases in both farm animals and pets. With a strong presence worldwide, Elanco is driven by its vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life, emphasizing the critical role animals play in society. The company's purpose revolves around going beyond for animals, customers, society, and its employees, striving to create meaningful impacts across all these domains. Elanco fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, valuing innovative thinking, creativity, and collaboration among its workforce. By joining Elanco, individuals become part of a forward-thinking organization that encourages skill development and career growth, aiming to make life better through improving the lives of animals.

The role of the Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations at Elanco is a highly strategic and influential position stationed at the Elwood, Kansas site. This leadership role is responsible for overseeing the entire manufacturing operations related to monoclonal antibody (mAb) vaccine production, encompassing all phases such as upstream processing, downstream processing, fill/finish, and site support functions. The Senior Director will ensure that manufacturing activities are conducted safely, compliantly, and reliably, aligning with both site-level and enterprise-wide business priorities. This position takes charge of building organizational capabilities by developing leadership talent, enhancing technical expertise, and fostering employee engagement and succession planning.

In addition to overseeing daily operations, the Senior Director also plays a critical role in driving operational excellence through the implementation of Lean, Six Sigma, and digital manufacturing practices. These continuous improvement efforts are aimed at optimizing production yield, reducing cycle times, enhancing first-time quality, and increasing cost efficiency. The role requires a deep understanding of GMP manufacturing and global regulatory environments to maintain a culture of quality, compliance, and inspection readiness. The Senior Director will also lead capital projects, including facility expansions, automation initiatives, and equipment upgrades, supporting Elanco's long-term growth strategies.

As a key member of the site leadership team, the Senior Director collaborates cross-functionally with Quality, Technical Operations, Supply Chain, R&D, and Commercial teams to enable successful product launches, technology transfers, and lifecycle management. Representing manufacturing at the enterprise level involves contributing to global strategy discussions, network planning, and senior leadership forums. The position demands the ability to manage operational risks proactively, including deviation management, capacity constraints, and business continuity planning. Candidates should have significant leadership experience in biopharmaceutical, biologics, or vaccine manufacturing sectors, along with proven success in managing large, complex organizations with accountability for comprehensive site-level performance.

Overall, this role provides a unique opportunity within a leading animal health company to influence not only manufacturing operations but also broader enterprise-wide strategic objectives. Elanco supports its employees with a comprehensive benefits package focused on financial, physical, and mental well-being, alongside other perks like relocation packages, parental leave, employee resource groups, and competitive retirement plans. The Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations position offers the chance to impact animal health innovation at a global scale while advancing one's leadership career in a supportive and inclusive corporate culture.