Director, Operations - Bottles & Blisters (IPT)

Job Description

We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. We're at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. Join our team and contribute to our mission of using the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world.

The Director, Operations, serves as the business unit leader for the Bottles & Blisters Integrated Process Team (IPT), overseeing primary and secondary packaging operations that support a wide range of company products. This role is accountable for the overall performance of the IPT and acts as the key representative for the business area in our Company’s Manufacturing Division Wilson Site Leadership Team.

The role is responsible for setting both strategic direction and day‑to‑day operational priorities to ensure packaging operations consistently meet business objectives, supply requirements, and budget targets while maintaining the highest standards of Quality, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), and regulatory compliance. The Director is expected to champion continuous improvement through lean principles, drive operational efficiency, and support capital and process enhancement initiatives. A successful individual in this role fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and inclusion, while ensuring the IPT is positioned to reliably support both current operations and future business needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide tactical and strategic direction to the Bottles & Blisters integrated process team (IPT) for primary and secondary packaging.
• Ensure business objectives are met, maintaining high standards for Quality and EHS compliance.
• Promote continuous improvement within the IPT, aligned with lean principles.
• Ensure operations comply with Safety, Environmental, cGMP, and Labor regulations.
• Maintain a safe workplace and manage actions to prevent safety incidents.
• Investigate, determine root cause, and implement robust CAPAs for compliance discrepancies.
• Direct production, packaging, and support personnel to meet customer supply requirements.
• Resolve and escalate issues impacting supply within IPT and site management processes.
• Develop and manage the IPT budget, ensuring activities align with budget forecasts.
• Identify and execute capital projects to support IPT strategies.
• Recognize and implement opportunities for efficiency and financial savings.
• Define and staff positions necessary for multi-shift operations.
• Provide leadership, coaching, development, and performance management to the cross-functional team.
• Maintain a culture of inclusion and positive employee relations.
• Build effective relationships with other functional areas and stakeholders.
• Develop and execute strategies and tactical plans for the IPT.
• Embed a culture of continuous improvement and MPS into the Operations team.
• Identify and implement opportunities for process optimization and efficiency.
• Provide site support and leadership to high priority network strategies and initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering related field
• Minimum eight (8) years of required industry experience across multiple functions (Operations, Quality, Technical, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, etc.)
• Minimum five (5) years Operations experience with responsibility managing multi-layered organizations
• Strong leadership and influencing skills
• Working knowledge of cGMP and regulatory requirements in the pharmaceutical industry
• Strong communication skills
• Willingness to work irregular hours to support multi-shift operations as needed

Preferred

• Master’s Degree in Science or Engineering related field (Six (6) years of required industry experience across multiple functions listed
• Experience leading a complex manufacturing or packaging operation within a plant site
• Experience licensing a new facility or start-up/scale-up of new capital installations for commercial supply
• Experience in continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, problem solving, and/or right first-time methodologies
• Familiarity with change execution management and behavioral coaching/consequence management tools
• Strong written and verbal communication, including presentation skills and technical writing experience
• Project management skills
• Experience supporting regulatory inspections (FDA, EMA, etc.)

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Budgeting, Business Agility, Data Analysis, Decision Making, Lean Manufacturing, Manufacturing Quality Control, Packaging Engineering, People Leadership, Process Optimization, Production Scheduling, Project Management, Regulatory Compliance, Results-Oriented, Root Cause Problem Solving, Sterile Manufacturing, Strategic Planning, Talent Development, Vaccine Manufacturing

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is

$173,200.00 - $272,600.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

05/15/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.