External Manufacturer Lead

Pacific International Recruitment is an established international Executive Search firm with nearly 30 years of proven success in placing senior leadership and critical management positions. Headquartered in London, with strategic offices in Düsseldorf and Philadelphia, we support clients and candidates across EMEA and the United States. We are supporting a well-established global organisation in the health sector, helping them drive innovation and operational excellence. With a strong international presence, the company focuses on developing high-quality health products while maintaining rigorous standards of compliance, safety, and reliability. As an External Manufacturer Lead , you will act as the key link between the company and its external manufacturing partners, ensuring strong collaboration, operational performance, and supply reliability. Working closely with Quality, Supply Chain, Regulatory, and Manufacturing teams, you will drive technical projects, manage CMO relationships, resolve operational challenges, and support continuous improvement initiatives. This is a highly visible role offering the opportunity to influence strategic partnerships and contribute directly to the successful delivery of veterinary pharmaceutical products worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead strategic relationships with CMOs and external manufacturing partners, ensuring strong performance, collaboration, and long-term business alignment.
- Drive operational excellence across the external network, delivering improvements in quality, service, productivity, and delivery performance.
- Ensure GMP compliance and regulatory readiness, partnering with Quality and Regulatory teams to maintain the highest standards.
- Own commercial governance, including contract management, supplier performance reviews, negotiations, and cost optimization initiatives.
- Safeguard supply continuity by proactively managing capacity, operational risks, and business continuity plans.
- Provide technical oversight for manufacturing operations, supporting technology transfers, product launches, process validation, and lifecycle management.
- Lead cross-functional projects involving external partners, including site transfers, scale-up activities, and network optimization initiatives.
- Identify and deliver value creation opportunities through cost reduction, process improvements, and supply chain optimization.
- Influence key internal and external stakeholders, driving effective decision-making, governance, and continuous improvement across the network. Skills and

Qualifications:

- Extensive experience managing CMOs and external manufacturing partners within pharmaceutical, biotech, veterinary, or other highly regulated industries.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, including supplier negotiations, contract management, and strategic partnerships.
- Solid understanding of GMP-regulated environments, covering quality, compliance, supply continuity, and risk management.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects, including tech transfers, product launches, and process improvements.
- Data-driven and operationally focused, using KPIs and continuous improvement methodologies to drive performance.
- Experience in sterile manufacturing, aseptic operations, process development, or advanced process engineering.
- Willingness to travel regularly to CMO sites and key business locations. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please apply with your English CV or contact ximena.bernal@pacific-international.com to schedule an initial call. About Pacific International Executive Search: Pacific International, a globally recognized retained executive search firm, is dedicated to empowering Fortune 500, FTSE 100, and high-growth enterprises in building exceptional C-suite, senior-level, and strategic leadership teams while championing diversity and inclusion. Our adaptability, agility, and forward-thinking ethos distinguish us in the ever-evolving business landscape. Since 1997, we have been dedicated to building lasting client partnerships based on trust and reliability, and a proven track record of successful C-suite and mid
- to senior-level leadership project delivery across many key industries globally. PACIFIC DIVERSITY STATEMENT: At Pacific International, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and we proudly champion diversity on behalf of our clients in every Executive Search mandate we undertake. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. In pursuit of these objectives, we actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities.