Senior Director – Quality Control
Key Skills
Job Description
At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.
About the Katwijk Site
Eli Lilly is investing €2.6 billion in a new state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing facility in Katwijk, Netherlands. This facility will produce oral medicines for cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology, incorporating next‑generation manufacturing technologies including dock‑to‑dock automation, paperless manufacturing, and process analytical technology while achieving carbon neutrality and zero waste to landfills.
Position Overview
The Senior Director – Quality Control is accountable for defining and leading the site Quality Control strategy, ensuring reliable, compliant, and timely analytical testing to support manufacturing, release, and supply commitments. This role provides executive leadership for laboratory operations, analytical governance, and regulatory readiness, while building a high‑performing Quality Control organization aligned with Lilly’s global quality strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Executive QC Leadership & Governance
Define and own the site Quality Control strategy, ensuring alignment with global quality standards and business objectives
Serve as the senior authority for laboratory operations, analytical governance, and data integrity
Provide executive leadership to ensure scientific excellence, compliance, and continuous improvement
Laboratory Operations & Analytical Excellence
Ensure Quality Control laboratories deliver accurate, reliable, and timely results to support manufacturing and product release
Establish and oversee analytical governance, metrics, and performance management across all QC operations
Drive standardization, digitalization, and continuous improvement of laboratory systems and processes
Quality Systems & Regulatory Accountability
Ensure full compliance with cGMPs, regulatory requirements, and laboratory quality systems
Act as a senior QC representative during regulatory inspections and audits
Ensure robust oversight of specifications, methods, reference standards, and documentation
Leadership, Talent & Organizational Effectiveness
Build, lead, and develop a strong Quality Control leadership team and succession pipeline
Ensure adequate resourcing, capability, and organizational design to support current and future site needs
Foster a culture of accountability, scientific rigor, and quality excellence
Strategic Planning & Site Partnership
Serve as a senior member of the site leadership community, contributing to site strategy and long-term planning
Partner with Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Technical Services, and Engineering to enable efficient, compliant operations
Influence enterprise analytical strategy through collaboration with global quality and technical networks
Environmental Health & Safety
Demonstrate executive accountability for safe laboratory operations and environmental compliance
Ensure strong EHS culture and performance within Quality Control operations
Qualifications and Requirements
Education
Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry or a related life sciences discipline strongly preferred; Bachelor's degree minimum.
Experience
Extensive experience leading Quality Control or laboratory operations in regulated industries
Proven senior‑level accountability for analytical governance, regulatory inspections, and laboratory compliance
Experience with EMA, FDA, or other major regulatory inspections (given the new facility context). Familiarity with Dutch regulatory environment and EMA expectations is preferred.
Experience establishing or scaling QC laboratory operations in a new or expanding facility is strongly advantageous
Experience with oral solid dosage and/or Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) manufacturing
Technical & Leadership Expertise
Deep understanding of pharmaceutical laboratory operations, cGMPs, and regulatory expectations
Familiarity with modern analytical techniques and laboratory digitalization platforms (e.g., LIMS, ELN)
Strong executive leadership, communication, and decision-making skills
Ability to influence at site, regional, and enterprise levels
Fluency in English required; Dutch language proficiency strongly preferred
Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.
Lilly does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.
#WeAreLillyCore Responsibilities
Define and lead the site Quality Control strategy to ensure compliant and timely analytical testing for manufacturing and product release. Provide executive leadership for laboratory operations, regulatory readiness, and the development of a high-performing QC organization.
Requirements
Requires a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a life sciences discipline, with a Master's or PhD strongly preferred. Extensive senior-level experience in QC laboratory operations within regulated industries and familiarity with EMA/FDA inspections is essential.
About Eli Lilly and Company
Industry: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Company size: 10,001+ employees
We're a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. It all started nearly 150 years ago with a clear vision from founder Colonel Eli Lilly: "Take what you find here and make it better and better." Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing science to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges. General Information and Guidelines: When you engage with us on LinkedIn, you're agreeing to these Community Guidelines: https://e.lilly/guidelines. If you have questions about a Lilly medicine, contact The Lilly Answers Center at 1-800-Lilly-Rx (1-800-545-5979) Monday through Friday, excluding company holidays.