Role Summary
Sr Director - Tech at Lilly Manufacturing & Quality leads IT strategy for new API manufacturing sites, shaping the Digital agenda and overseeing IT/OT integration for startup operations in Houston, TX or Richmond, VA. Reports to the M&Q IT VP and Site Head, partnering with global teams to build and operate highly automated manufacturing systems. This role requires strong regulatory, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration to enable site readiness and transformative digital initiatives.
Responsibilities
- Ensure site operational readiness from IT perspective. Site startup and integration of IT systems including infrastructure, warehouse management & logistics, data historian, real time floor tracking, digital plant, laboratory information management, CAPA systems, access security, building monitoring, risk management, and MES.
- Member of the Site Leadership Team and provide IT site functional leadership.
- Develop and implement site IT strategic and business plan; benchmark on innovative solutions; dynamically adapt road map to site evolution and new trends; partner cross-functionally locally and globally to establish and implement site IT roadmap; maintain a safe work environment.
- Ensure staffing to meet the site and functional agenda; lead, coach, and develop team members; establish a strong site culture aligned with Lilly values and operational excellence standards; oversee recognition, pay, and promotion decisions; lead talent assessment and succession planning; support site recruiting to build IT capability.
- Ensure IT organization is functionally strong, operation-focused, and solution-driven; provide prioritization, barrier removal, oversight of technical activities, and encourage knowledge sharing and education.
Qualifications
- Required: A Bachelor’s Degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field
- Required: 10+ years of leadership in Pharma IT, with a focus on manufacturing IT/OT leadership
- Preferred: 10+ years of experience with MES system implementations, data integration and advanced analytics
- Preferred: Flexibility to localize in any part of the US; travel to US and global Lilly sites up to 50% of the time
Skills
- Regulatory compliance expertise (cGMP)
- Proven leadership and team-building capability
- Agile management of multiple projects with adaptability to changing priorities
- Collaborative cross-functional teamwork
- Exceptional written and verbal communication
- Creative and analytical mindset with problem-solving ability
- Deep technical knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturing and IT/OT footprint
- Strong analytical thinking and troubleshooting skills
Education
- Bachelor’s Degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field
Additional Requirements
- On-site role Monday through Friday; flexibility to support production schedules, shutdowns, and occasional extended/off-hour work
- Based at one of Lilly’s new API manufacturing sites in Houston, TX or Virginia, with travel to other Lilly sites as required