Director Production / Produktionsleiter (m/w/d) - Pharma

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Lohmann Animal Health GmbH – a global leader specializing in the production of poultry vaccines – has been part of Elanco since 2014. With our innovative products and services, we strive to take responsibility for the community and enrich the lives of both people and animals. Our vaccines are exported to more than 70 countries worldwide. With more than 180 employees and a long-standing company history, Lohmann Animal Health GmbH offers an exciting, international, and impactful working environment.

We are currently looking for a Director Production / Produktionsleiter (m/w/d) - Pharma.

As a Production Director/Produktionsleiter, you will be a part of our production team.  In this role you’ll be responsible for managing the production department in our manufacturing site in Cuxhaven.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct management of Process Team Leaders: Oversee and develop the Process Team Leaders and, indirectly, their respective teams in vaccine production

Member of the site management team: Collaborate closely and trustfully with site leadership and cross-functional departments, co-shaping and executing the overall production strategy

Strategic development of production processes: Initiate and implement improvement projects focused on operational excellence, digitalization, and innovation

Ensure compliance with all GMP standards and regulatory requirements across the entire area of responsibility

Responsible for capacity and resource planning, ongoing analysis and optimization of key process indicators (e.g., productivity, quality, cost)

Review and approval of batch documentation, with overall responsibility for manufacturing instructions and SOPs

Promote a high-performance, appreciative corporate culture and advance leadership capabilities of the Process Team Leaders in areas such as teamwork, feedback, and collaboration

Serve as a reliable point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, e.g., Quality , Engineering

YOUR PROFILE

University degree (MSc or equivalent) in biology, (bio-)process engineering, chemistry, pharmacy, engineering sciences, or a comparable field

Min. 7 years of experience in a strategic leadership role, ideally with direct management of other leaders (e.g., team leads/department heads) in the pharmaceutical or biotech sector

Strong knowledge of vaccine production and regulatory requirements (GMP)

Proven skills in stakeholder and change management, including introduction of improvement initiatives and digitalization projects

Excellent German and English language skills, both spoken and written

Outstanding leadership competencies: strategic mindset, passion for people management, empathy, assertiveness, and role model behavior

Excellent organizational skills, self-motivation, and a solution-oriented, structured approach

YOUR BENEFITS

Performance-based and attractive compensation, including participation in company success

Employer contribution to pension plans

40-hour work week

30 days of annual leave

Meal allowance subsidy

Regular team events

Health and fitness programs as well as access to Corporate Benefits

Freedom for personal initiative and opportunities for individual professional development

Working in a dynamic team within an international company

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and 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

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.