Job Description Position Summary: The Senior Director, Global Quality Systems holds a pivotal leadership position within the Quality organization. This individual is responsible for providing strategic vision and direction to advance the framework, strengthen organizational capabilities, and ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the Quality Management System. The role is instrumental in promoting leading practices and supporting the organization's growth as well as adapting to industry changes. This leader provides strategic leadership and oversight across all aspects of Global Quality Systems. This includes guaranteeing the integrity and effectiveness of the framework, enhancing capabilities, and ensuring robust execution throughout GxP domains, various products, modalities, and geographies within the Quality Management System. This position reports to the Vice President of Global Quality Systems and Compliance and serves on major quality and compliance leadership teams. The ideal candidate will possess senior-level leadership skills, extensive regulatory compliance expertise, and robust GxP operational/Quality oversight experience in this highly visible role. This individual will have a proven record of excellent stakeholder management/ability to influence with strong capability for enterprise thinking in fully aligning stakeholders to achieve optimal standardization and harmonization while ensuring fit-for-purpose applications that enhance agility, efficiency, and effectiveness throughout the global QMS. Key
Responsibilities
Quality Management System Leadership: Provides strategic leadership and oversight to ensure Quality Systems health, integrity and effectiveness throughout GxP domains, products, modalities and geographies across the global Quality Management System Ensures QS alignment with global regulatory expectations through global quality standards and effective fit for purpose implementation for optimizing outcomes in enabling business objectives Ensures systematic identification, assessment and control of QMS-level risks, drives a culture of quality by design and continuous improvement, and ensures lessons learned are translated into systemic improvements. Owns the overall QSO/Quality Systems model and strategic roadmap for evolution ensuring readiness and sustainability for emerging and future changes (e.g., scaling, digital enablement and readiness for emerging technologies and novel modalities) Quality Systems Oversight and Strategic Direction: Owner and champion across the QMS the overall Quality Systems Ownership model implementation and governance for ensuring system health and effectiveness and integration across QMS and operational governance Leads team of Quality Systems Owners (QSOs), each with accountability for the health and effectiveness of a defined cross-QMS-level Quality System, e.g., Quality Risk Management, Vendor Quality Management, Event Management, and Knowledge Management, Data Integrity Leads/chairs integrated Quality Systems oversight and governance (e.g., PONs, other QS-specific governance and interfaces with operational governance across the QMS (e.g., QMR) Through cross-QS strategic oversight, ensures alignment of internal and external (outsourced/third party) QS standards, expectations and internal governance to ensure global oversight, transparency and continual improvement across the Vertex QMS Quality Leadership, Enterprise Partnership, Change Management and Quality Culture Championship: Role models Quality Leadership, serving as a visible leader, advocating quality culture, and ensuring accountability, transparency, and integrity in how quality decisions are made and communicated across the enterprise Partners with QA leadership and enable enterprise functions (e.g., Finance, Strategic Sourcing, Human Resources) in proactive management and strategic planning and translation into operating standards, inspection readiness, compliance and excellence Lead, develop, and mentor quality professionals to mature the capabilities and leadership needed to scale and transform the organization and QMS across a diverse portfolio of products, technologies, geographies, and evolving business needs. Serve as change agent for transformation initiatives, including digitization and advanced technology integration across the QMS Minimum qualifications: Required: BS, MS, JD, MD, or PhD in a Life Sciences discipline or equivalent. Fifteen (15) years relevant work experience with 7 years leadership supervisory role in a global organization. Operational/Quality oversight experience (GMP and/or GCP with additional breadth preferred).
Experience
working across operational functions and at an enterprise level preferred.
Experience
building sustainable and advanced oversight programs/Quality Systems/QMS models and governance for ensure compliance across GxP areas and products/programs. In-depth knowledge in the following areas: Contemporary understanding of global regulations and ICH guidance, with direct regulatory authority experience or a strong track record of interactions with health authorities across multiple regions. QA experience in a sponsor organization or contract organization, with at least 10 years of QA leadership across quality operations such as audit, compliance, inspection, and operational quality management. Highly collaborative and effective at building strong enterprise and cross-functional relationships; a strategic change leader who delivers results through influence, partnership, and leadership. Comfortable in a demanding, fast-paced, patient-focused environment with a start-up culture and evolving processes; flexible and able to adapt as business needs change. Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills are essential.
Experience
across preclinical, clinical, and CMC processes, with demonstrated application of quality and risk management principles across GxP areas. Hands-on, action-oriented leader willing to roll up their sleeves, with the flexibility to adapt to a start-up environment. Operational excellence experience, including leading improvement projects and applying root cause analysis and methodologies such as Lean, DMAIC, and Six Sigma. Strong problem-solving, critical-thinking, and data analysis skills to support sound decision-making. Ability to travel up to 15%. #LI-hybrid
Pay Range
$213,600 - $320,400 Disclosure Statement: The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law. At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive market-leading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journey while providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations. From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more. Flex Designation: Hybrid-Eligible Or On-Site Eligible Flex Eligibility Status: In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as: 1. Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select 2. On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility. Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time. #LI-Hybrid Company Information Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation. Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law. Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com Help Us Achieve Our Mission Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has approved medicines that treat the underlying causes of multiple chronic, life-shortening genetic diseases — cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia — and continues to advance clinical and research programs in these diseases. Vertex also has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of modalities in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including APOL1-mediated kidney disease, acute and neuropathic pain, type 1 diabetes, myotonic dystrophy type 1 and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency . Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex's global headquarters is now located in Boston's Innovation District and its international headquarters is in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 14 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visit www.vrtx.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X , LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram. The diversity and authenticity of our people is part of what makes Vertex unique, and we recognize that each employee brings diverse perspectives and strengths. By embracing those strengths and celebrating differences, we are fostering an inclusive culture where each of us can bring our authentic selves to work, inspire innovation together, and change people’s lives. Our vision is clear: to be the place where an authentic, diverse mix of talent want to come, to stay, and do their best work.