CMO Director, US

Bavarian Nordic•Durham, CA

2d•$200,000 - $260,000•Remote

About The Position

The CMO Director is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing end-to-end operations with an assigned Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO). This individual acts as the primary interface between Bavarian Nordic and the external partner, ensuring reliable supply, operational excellence, and strong cross functional alignment across internal stakeholders, including Supply Chain, Quality, MSAT, Regulatory, Finance, and Procurement. This role requires a strategic, highly organized, and influential leader capable of managing complex external relationships, navigating technical and quality challenges, and driving performance within an outsourced manufacturing environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field
7+ years of biopharmaceutical, vaccine, or biologics manufacturing experience, with at least 3+ years in external manufacturing, CMO management, or similar supplier‑facing roles
Strong knowledge of GMP manufacturing, quality systems, and supply chain processes
Demonstrated ability to lead in a matrixed environment and influence senior stakeholders
Excellent communication, problem‑solving, and relationship‑management skills
Experience managing complex projects and cross‑functional workflows

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MBA or MS in a technical discipline)
Experience in vaccines, sterile manufacturing, or biological drug product operations
Familiarity with tech transfer, scale‑up, and process validation activities
Experience working with mid‑sized or fast‑growing biopharma organizations

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact for the assigned CMO, managing day‑to‑day communication, governance meetings, and performance oversight
Lead the execution of the external manufacturing strategy to ensure uninterrupted supply of commercial and/or clinical vaccine products
Oversee contractual deliverables, service level expectations, and adherence to master service agreements (MSAs), quality agreements, and supply agreements
Identify and resolve operational issues, escalating internally when needed to maintain supply continuity
Coordinate with internal Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Technical Operations, and Regulatory teams to ensure alignment of production plans, quality requirements, investigations, and change controls
Drive scenario planning, risk mitigation, and issue resolution with internal SMEs to support CMO performance
Partner with Finance and Procurement to manage budgets, review CMO invoices, support cost modeling, and contribute to contract negotiations
Ensure accurate forecast communication to CMOs and confirm capacity availability for commercial and development programs
Monitor production schedules, batch execution, deviations, and release timelines to ensure adherence to supply plans
Ensures production plans are executed in full and on time, with any risks proactively escalated
Support inventory management activities, including material planning, work‑in‑process tracking, and lot disposition coordination
Facilitate investigations, CAPAs, audits, and regulatory inspections involving the CMO.
Track operational and quality KPIs, ensuring performance meets internal expectations and industry standards
Support change control processes, ensuring cross‑functional impact assessments and timely implementation
Partner with Technical Operations to manage technical transfers, process improvements, validation activities, and troubleshooting at the CMO
Ensure documentation, protocols, and reports generated by the CMO meet internal standards and regulatory requirements
Assist in strengthening the current ways of working and business processes used to manage external operations
Contribute to long‑range external manufacturing strategy, including capability assessments, risk evaluation, and network optimization
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance partnership effectiveness, reduce cost, and improve supply reliability