At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us. 

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 Sr Director, Facilities, Utilities & Capital Engineering is a senior site leader responsible for overseeing all aspects of site infrastructure, utility systems, facilities management, and capital project delivery at the Katwijk site. This role ensures the reliability, compliance, and performance of physical assets and infrastructure while driving the site's long-term capital investment strategy. As a member of the Site Leadership Team, the incumbent will play a pivotal role in shaping the site's operational capabilities from startup through steady-state operations.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & People Management

• Develop vision and operational discipline across Facilities, Utilities, and Capital Engineering functions according to Eli Lilly Manufacturing Standards.

• Provide supervisory direction for department leaders, employees, and contractors across all supported functions.

• Conduct performance appraisals, salary reviews, and HRP sessions; develop talent assessment, career, and succession plans.

• Foster a culture of professional behaviour, safety, and continuous improvement.

Capital Planning & Project Delivery

• Develop and maintain an up-to-date site master plan, capital plan, and engineering roadmap aligned to site strategy.

• Oversee the administration and execution of capital improvement projects, ensuring delivery on time, on budget, and in compliance.

• Coordinate affiliate needs with corporate teams for timely delivery of capital services and projects.

• Serve as a member of the Site Leadership Team, contributing to site-level strategic decisions.

• Develop short- and long-term strategies for the acquisition and lifecycle management of physical capital assets.

Facilities & Site Services

• Oversee management of site services including buildings and grounds maintenance, cafeteria equipment, pest control, landscaping, and security processes.

• Ensure engineering drawings for plant facilities are maintained, accurate, and current.

• Oversee adequate lifecycle management of all plant assets.

• Coordinate and allocate resources for daily operations and project activities.

Utilities & Infrastructure

• Maintain site facility infrastructure — including HVAC, steam, water, sewer, utility systems, life safety, and security systems — in a continuous state of compliance.

• Ensure regulatory compliance from an infrastructure and instrumentation perspective.

• Provide input for troubleshooting, deviation resolution, change management, and safety assessments relating to utilities and facilities systems.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage annual expense and capital budgets for Facilities, Utilities, and Capital departments.

• Control expenses and capital expenditures; ensure monthly and annual financial reporting and forecasting is timely and accurate.

• Supervise monthly reporting of departmental performance metrics.

Quality, Compliance & EHS

• Ensure all operations comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Documentation Practices, and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Ensure compliance with EHS regulatory agencies and Eli Lilly EHS Corporate Policies; integrate EHS requirements into business planning.

• Model desired safety culture through actions and decisions; conduct regular management audits of areas.

• Establish and monitor metrics for inspections, training, and incidents.

• Make contributions to quality improvement for the plant and functional area.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Electrical, or equivalent).

• Ideally bilingual — English and Dutch preferred.

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in engineering-related fields.

• 7+ years in manufacturing, preferably in pharmaceutical or other regulated industries.

• Demonstrated experience managing large capital projects and facility/utility systems in a GMP environment.

Technical Knowledge

• Knowledge of pharmaceutical regulations including cGMPs, 21 CFR Part 11, and FDA Computer Systems regulations.

• Knowledge of facility infrastructure systems: HVAC, cleanrooms, utility systems, life safety, and environmental controls.

• Knowledge of capital project management methodologies and System Lifecycle management.

• Knowledge of process safety management principles.

Leadership & Interpersonal Skills

• Effective leadership, teamwork, interpersonal, and communication skills.

• Excellent technical writing, negotiation, and presentation capabilities.

• Ability to work with minimal supervision, manage competing priorities, and drive results in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

• Strong decision-making, problem-solving, and organisational skills.

• Ability to influence and develop others.

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.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

Full-time equivalent employees may also be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a pension plan; vacation benefits; eligibility for healthcare benefits; flexible benefits (if applicable) life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities). Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.