Quality Management System (QMS) Governance Lead

Pfizer • Groton, CT

4d • $156,600 - $261,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Use Your Power for Purpose Every day, our unwavering commitment to quality ensures the delivery of safe and effective products to patients. Our innovative, flexible, and customer-oriented culture is rooted in science and risk-based compliance. Whether you are engaged in development, maintenance, compliance, or research analysis, your contributions have a direct impact on patient care. Join us in our mission to uphold the highest standards and make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients through your dedication and expertise. What You Will Achieve The Director, Quality Management System (QMS) Governance is a senior leader within Quality Systems and Compliance (QSC) responsible for shaping and executing the global QMS governance strategy. This role ensures compliance, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across all GMP/GDP processes that underpin manufacturing and supply operations. As the enterprise owner of QMS governance, the Director provides strategic oversight of global programs, drives process optimization, and leads cross-functional initiatives to strengthen quality systems and mitigate risk. This position partners with senior leadership to align QMS priorities with business objectives, fosters a culture of quality and compliance, and influences decisions across a complex, matrixed organization. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in QMS governance with strong leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to deliver transformational improvements that sustain Pfizer’s commitment to quality and patient safety worldwide. The Director will lead governance across all tiers of the network, drive operational excellence, and prioritize strategic initiatives that optimize performance across manufacturing and supply operations. This position influences senior leadership decisions, manages risk, and ensures robust processes that enable quality and compliance globally.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or related field with 8+ years of relevant experience OR a master's degree with at least 7 years of experience; OR a PhD with 5+ years of experience
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and people skills
• Experience in implementing successful processes and policies
• Ability to work independently in a highly matrixed organization
• Proven track record of leading high-performing cross-functional teams
• Expertise in quality risk management and compliance
• Experience in developing strategies for a portfolio of products and projects
• Demonstrates comprehensive working knowledge of business concepts and quality operations
• Displays critical thinking expertise, with ability to define and implement a strategic approach to audit based on compliance and business knowledge
• Comfortable with ambiguity
• Routinely suggests new program techniques and approaches, and operationalizes to improve the QMS system
• Ability to identify trends within data and apply insights to make recommendations and decisions
• This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• A Master's degree is highly desirable, coupled with relevant experience in the pharmaceutical industry
• Experience in manufacturing, supply chain, or operational excellence roles.
• Demonstrated ability to foster a culture that promotes innovation and thrives on improving patient and healthcare outcomes
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a focus on innovative solutions
• Ability to build and leverage constructive relationships across the organization
• Experience in providing quality systems' implementation guidance across business units
• Ability to act as an advisor and expert within the organization
• Candidate demonstrates a breadth of diverse leadership experiences and capabilities including: the ability to influence and collaborate with peers, develop and coach others, oversee and guide the work of other colleagues to achieve meaningful outcomes and create business impact.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Governance Define and execute the global QMS governance strategy, ensuring compliance and continuous improvement across 50+ Level 2 processes.
• Serve as the primary decision-maker for QMS governance policies, standards, and escalation management.
• Partner with senior leaders to align QMS priorities with business objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborates with internal partners and industry peers on best practices, keep and revolutionize BP current to industry standards.
• Facilitates decision making within the business to support project schedule and budget Define the global QMS end‑user enablement strategy; sponsor curricula and certification standards; ensure adoption and effectiveness through regional leaders and functional training owners.
• Design, lead and provide oversight for special assignments on various project teams and work streams Continuous Improvement (CI) Owner of the CI Loop for all QMS GMP/GDP processes across PGS and PharmSci Prioritize, plan and track prioritized CI initiatives within the QMS Process Centric Teams (PCTs) using IMEX Standards, Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Own the global CI framework for QMS processes, leveraging IMEx, Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Drive prioritization and execution of high-impact CI initiatives across PGS and PharmSci.
• Establish KPIs and governance dashboards to monitor performance and identify systemic improvement opportunities Project Management Office (PMO) Develop project charters, timelines, project templates and resource allocation plans.
• Lead the QMS Project Management Office (PMO), overseeing governance for strategic projects and CI initiatives across multiple tiers (T3–T6).
• Ensure integration of QMS initiatives into enterprise programs and manage escalations at the executive level.
• Planning & Scheduling Own global planning and scheduling for QMS activities, including document control, learning management, and translations.
• Conduct scenario planning for short- and long-term objectives to support evolving regulatory and business needs.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Influence Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on QMS health, compliance risks, and strategic opportunities.
• Communicate complex concepts clearly to influence decisions across a matrixed, multicultural organization.
• Champion a culture of quality, compliance, and continuous improvement throughout PGS.

Benefits

• participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 20,0% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program
• comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments
• Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees