Sr. Director, Quality Management System (QMS) Team Lead

Pfizer • Lake Forest, IL

11d

About The Position

What You Will Achieve The Senior Director, Quality Management System (QMS) Team Lead is a senior leader within QSEO Systems and Compliance (QSC) accountable for defining the global Quality Management System process strategy and governance in alignment with regulatory expectations and Pfizer standards. This role partners extensively with senior leaders and cross-functional business process owners to secure resources drive strategic execution and ensure effectiveness of Pfizer’s Quality System (PQS). The Senior Director leads a team of senior quality professionals responsible for executing programmatic elements of the QMS framework and serving as the primary owner of system stability, performance monitoring and continuous improvement. They act as a team lead and mentor for Quality Operations colleagues, developing talent and enhancing organizational capability. As the enterprise owner of the GMP/GDP QMS, the Senior Director provides strategic leadership of the GMDP Quality Manual, Level 1 Policies and Level 2 Procedures, ensures robust monitoring, proactive risk detection, and consistent governance. This role leads a GMP Quality Operational Committee or equivalent, ensures tiered review of key performance and risk indicators via Process Centric Teams (PCTs), and advances process optimization while leading cross-functional initiatives to strengthen quality systems and mitigating risk. In addition, the Senior Director ensures appropriate escalation of emerging trends or risks to Executive Leadership (T5 and T6) through Management Notification, Quality Management Review or Quality Risk Review processes. They partner with senior leaders to align QMS priorities with business objectives, maintain a strong regulatory surveillance and intelligence program, influence external standards, and champions a culture of quality and compliance across a complex, matrixed organization. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in QMS leadership, multiple Operational platforms and strategy with the ability to deliver transformational improvements that sustain Pfizer’s commitment to quality and patient safety worldwide. The Senior Director is accountable for governance across all tiers of the network, drives operational excellence, and prioritizes strategic initiatives that optimize performance across manufacturing and supply operations. This position influences senior leadership decisions, manages risk, and ensures implementation of robust processes that enable global quality and compliance. In this role you will: Strategic Leadership and Governance Define and drive execution of 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. Ensure robust regulatory surveillance and intelligence are integrated into the QMS requirements, decision making, and risk detection. Collaborate with internal partners and external industry partners to benchmark, influence, and modernize best practices and maintain competitiveness in evolving regulatory environments. Facilitate timely data driven decision making within the business to support project schedules, budgets, and strategic commitments. 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 Enterprise QMS Design, lead and provide oversight for special assignments on various project teams and work streams Continuous Improvement (CI) Owner of the Continuous Improvement (CI) Loop for all QMS GMP/GDP processes across PGS and PharmSci Sponsor execution of high-impact CI initiatives to strengthen system performance, address systemic risks, and enhance operational effectiveness across PGS and PharmSci. Monitor and act on KPIs and governance dashboard for performance and identify systemic improvement opportunities. Oversee the QMS Project Management Office that governs across multiple tiers Stakeholder Engagement & Influence Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the Head of QMS and other senior leadership on QMS health, compliance risks, and strategic opportunities. Communicate complex concepts with clarity to influence and drive aligned decision making across a matrixed, multicultural organization. Champion a culture of quality, compliance, and continuous improvement throughout PGS.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 12+ years of relevant experience in Manufacturing and Quality operations, including a minimum of 5 years leading or governing complex enterprise processes such as Quality Management Systems (or equivalent).
• 3+ years in a management role preferred (or equivalent) with proven accountability, and demonstrated excellent interpersonal, communication, negotiation, influencing, and problem-solving capabilities
• Strategic leadership of Quality or Operational teams (specialized and large teams)
• Experience representing organization or company externally
• Demonstrate experience managing budgets
• Experience contributing to business strategy/projects
• Proven ability to coach/mentor colleagues and to grow and develop talent
• Experience managing performance of group and holding team accountable for internal KPIs
• Highly experienced and proven ability in enterprise leadership and execution of business practices
• Capable of strategic resource management ownership
• Demonstrate advanced critical thinking capabilities (e.g. Synthesize key insights, and complex problems clearly and precisely, uses inference to reason to important implications and consequences, uses deductive reasoning consistently and with ease to drive effective solutions or programs)
• Ability to drive continuous improvement strategy and operational improvement opportunities
• Ability to identify risks, propose mitigation and escalate as needed
• Proactively communicate and influence VP’s & major enterprise-wide committees
• Represent QSEO to external stakeholders
• Has proven leadership capabilities and can represent Pfizer in industry conferences and with stakeholders
• Able to engage correct path for stakeholder engagement
• Able to guide the use of technology to recognize and interpret business trends
• Grow and develop talent
• Measure performance of group and hold team accountable for internal KPIs
• Provide coaching and mentoring to colleagues
• 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.
• This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in coaching, developing and influencing people at various levels of the organization
• Independent, quick learner with a curious & lifelong learner mindset
• Minimum 5 years in manufacturing, supply chain, or operational excellence roles.
• Minimum 5 years in manufacturing, supply chain, or operational excellence roles.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive execution of 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.
• Ensure robust regulatory surveillance and intelligence are integrated into the QMS requirements, decision making, and risk detection.
• Collaborate with internal partners and external industry partners to benchmark, influence, and modernize best practices and maintain competitiveness in evolving regulatory environments.
• Facilitate timely data driven decision making within the business to support project schedules, budgets, and strategic commitments.
• 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
• Owner of the Continuous Improvement (CI) Loop for all QMS GMP/GDP processes across PGS and PharmSci
• Sponsor execution of high-impact CI initiatives to strengthen system performance, address systemic risks, and enhance operational effectiveness across PGS and PharmSci.
• Monitor and act on KPIs and governance dashboard for performance and identify systemic improvement opportunities.
• Oversee the QMS Project Management Office that governs across multiple tiers
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the Head of QMS and other senior leadership on QMS health, compliance risks, and strategic opportunities.
• Communicate complex concepts with clarity to influence and drive aligned decision making 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 25.0% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program
• 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
• health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director