Senior Director Centralized 3rd Party Manufacturing & Relationship Management

YOU BRING
• Master's degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in senior roles within operations, supply chain, product management, or similar functions in the food, pharma, or related industries, including expertise in:
- Process and technology
- Quality and regulatory compliance
- Product and asset strategy
- Operations and external manufacturing management
- Contracting and supplier management
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills, with solid commercial acumen.
• Proven ability to lead and collaborate across multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
• Excellent communication skills, strategic mindset, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Leadership capabilities including coaching, mentoring, and stakeholder management.
• Customer-focused, results-driven, and pragmatic, with the ability to make risk-based decisions.
• High level of self-awareness, adaptability, and prioritization skills.
• Fluency in English; additional languages are a plus.

The Health, Nutrition & Care (HNC) Centralized 3rd Party Manufacturing (C3PM) Team of dsm-firmenich is responsible for the operational management of HNC's externally manufactured product portfolio, produced through a global network of contract manufacturers and tolling partners. These products are brought to market under the dsm-firmenich brand, reflecting our high standards of quality and service. The team's scope also includes Global MRS (Market Ready Solutions) products launched via the Innovation team.
The C3PM portfolio comprises more than 120 products - including over 30 pharmaceutical products, delivered through approximately 20 external partners worldwide. Primarily focused on dietary supplement and pharmaceutical markets, this portfolio is dynamic and continuously evolving. Several products operate within highly regulated environments, requiring strict compliance with applicable regulations and licensing requirements (e.g., pharmaceuticals and controlled substances).
As Senior Director C3PM, you will ensure that the right capabilities, resources, and processes are in place to effectively manage this external manufacturing landscape and support the successful industrialization of new products.
You will lead the C3PM team and play a key role in stakeholder management - both within HNC and across business units - ensuring seamless collaboration and operational excellence across the third-party manufacturing portfolio.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Manage and improve performance (cost, quality, service) of HNC's third-party manufacturers, including escalation and crisis handling.
• Lead strategic supplier relationship with selected suppliers, aligning operational performance and the commercial agreements with business needs.
• Ensure supply reliability, strong governance, and effective issue resolution.
• Implement new 3rd party manufacturing flows to support innovation and strategic priorities.
• Maintain and develop the external manufacturing network to optimize cost and enable future growth.
• Ensure quality and regulatory compliance across the C3PM portfolio; manage deviations, complaints, and recalls.
• Act as key interface for customers on product documentation, changes, and quality topics.
• Maintain compliance of quality systems with food safety and pharma regulations.
• Lead and develop a team of ca. 20 employees, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and customer focus.

Location: Poznan (Poland), Delft (the Netherlands) or Barcelona (Spain)
Travelling: up to 25% (with frequent trips to Poznan)

WE BRING
• Unique career paths across health, nutrition and beauty - explore what drives you and get the support to make it happen.
• A chance to impact millions of consumers every day - sustainability embedded in all we do.
• A science led company, cutting edge research and creativity everywhere - from biotech breakthroughs to sustainability game-changers, you'll work on what's next.
• Growth that keeps up with you - you join an industry leader that will develop your expertise and leadership.
• A culture that lifts you up - with collaborative teams, shared wins, and people who cheer each other on.
• A community where your voice matters - it is essential to serve our customers well.'

And while you're making a difference, we'll make sure you're growing too. With learning that never stops, a culture that lifts you up and the freedom to move across businesses, teams, and borders. Your voice matters here. And your ideas? They're essential to our future.

We're managing this search directly at dsm-firmenich. If you're applying as an individual, we'd love to hear from you. We're not accepting agency submissions or proposals involving fees or commissions for this role.