Operations Lead Vaccines - Person In Plant

Job Title: Operations Lead Vaccines - Person In Plant

Location: Pune, India

About the job

As an Operations Lead Vaccines - Person In Plant within our EM&S Vaccines Operations team, you'll lead the operational management of strategic manufacturing partnerships, ensuring the reliable delivery of high-quality vaccines through Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs). Ready to get started?

Join the team protecting half a billion lives every year with next-generation science, mRNA innovation, and AI-driven breakthroughs. In Vaccines, you'll help advance prevention on a global scale while working closely with internal and external partners to ensure manufacturing excellence, operational compliance, and uninterrupted vaccine supply.

About Sanofi

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 people's lives.

Main responsibilities

• Serve as Sanofi's primary operational representative at the Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO), ensuring strong collaboration and operational excellence.
• Coordinate Drug Substance (DS) and Drug Product (DP) manufacturing activities to ensure products are delivered on time, in full, and to quality expectations.
• Monitor manufacturing performance through key performance indicators (KPIs), proactively identify risks, and drive timely resolution of operational issues.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Quality, MSAT, Regulatory Affairs, Logistics, Planning, Procurement, and external partners to ensure seamless manufacturing and product release activities.
• Support deviations, change controls, investigations, CAPA activities, and quality audits while maintaining compliance with regulatory and quality standards.
• Lead or support technical transfers, new product introductions, and continuous improvement initiatives at external manufacturing sites.
• Build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders and external manufacturing partners to deliver business objectives and strengthen long-term partnerships.

About you

• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, vaccine manufacturing, manufacturing operations, supply chain, or external manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of Drug Substance (DS) and Drug Product (DP) manufacturing processes.
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and global pharmaceutical regulations.
• Experience working with Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) or external manufacturing partners is preferred.
• Strong project management, analytical, stakeholder management, and communication skills with the ability to make independent decisions.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Pharmacy, Biotechnology, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related scientific discipline.
• Fluent in English. Knowledge of Hindi or another Indian language is an advantage.
• Ability to work onsite at the CMO in Pune a minimum of three days per week.

Why choose us?

• Work at the forefront of AI-driven research, smart manufacturing, and groundbreaking mRNA platforms that are redefining the future of immunology.
• Help protect half a billion people every year, contributing to one of the largest global vaccination efforts in healthcare.
• Develop your career with access to mentoring, international mobility programs, and opportunities to grow across four continents.
• Share knowledge with leading scientists, engineers, and manufacturing experts in a purpose-driven community dedicated to protecting millions worldwide.
• Play a critical role in strengthening strategic external manufacturing partnerships that support global vaccine supply.
• Gain exposure to global cross-functional teams while contributing to technical transfers, manufacturing innovation, and operational excellence.