External Supply Global API Quality Director

Job description
Site Name: UK – London – New Oxford Street, Ireland – Cork, Wavre
Posted Date: Jan 6 2026

Business Introduction

We manufacture and supply reliable, high-quality medicines and vaccines to meet patients’ needs and drive our performance.
Our network of 37 medicines and vaccines manufacturing sites delivered 1.7 billion packs of medicines and 409 million vaccine doses in 2024 to help make a positive impact on the health of millions of people. Our supply chain is not just core to our operations; it’s vital to bringing our innovations to patients as quickly, efficiently and effectively as possible. Technology is transforming how we manufacture medicines and vaccines, enabling us to increase the speed, quality and scale of product supply.
We need the very best minds and capability to help us on our journey to make more complex products, harnessing the power of smart manufacturing technologies including robotics, digital solutions and artificial intelligence to deliver for patients.

Position Summary

You will lead the Global External API Quality team to ensure safe, reliable and compliant supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients from external partners. You will work across functions and regions to manage supplier quality, reduce risk to supply, and drive continuous improvement. The team values clear thinking, practical problem solving, strong stakeholder collaboration, and a focus on patient impact. This role offers scope to develop global leadership skills, shape quality strategy, and make a real difference in how medicines reach people.

Responsibilities

The Global External API Director will lead the Global External API Quality Team to:

• Direct the matrix PQTS+ (procurement, quality, technical, supply & EHS, finance etc teams) responsible for day-to-day quality management and performance of API Suppliers
• Have accountability for product quality supplied by API Suppliers, working to minimize and eliminate any risks to supply of product to patients
• Coordinate activities in a matrix environment to ensure products manufactured are right first time, meet GSK standards, are delivered to patients on time and are competitively priced to achieve customer satisfaction
• Build relationships with Supplier to set common objectives and to ensure Supplier delivers to GSK quality standards, Supplier maintains compliance with GMP requirements and risk introduced to GSK network from use of Supplier is properly managed and mitigated
• Build relationships across GSK required to support supply from Suppliers – including but not limited to Global Procurement, Global Planning, Regional Hubs, Global Logistics, Trading Service and Finance
• Oversee any improvement programs, such as remediation, as needed with Suppliers to ensure compliance and viability of products for the long term
• Continuously drive and deliver improvement across service, quality, safety and cost

As a member of the External Quality Incoming Materials Leadership Team, the Global External API Quality Director will also have responsibility for the following:

• Supporting development of External API and incoming materials quality
• Resolving any issues and ambiguity with regards to roles and responsibility for the organization
• Leading initiatives across the organization either in support of our strategy or to help improve the way we work
• Being an active leader for the organization using shadow of the leader to positively demonstrate coaching, leading and developing the teams
• Ensuring active development of both the organization and team members

Why You?
Basic Qualification

We are seeking professionals with the following required skills and qualifications to help us achieve our goals:

• Strong knowledge of API manufacturing APIy
• Demonstrated knowledge of manufacturing operations in Pharma
• Experience of supplier performance and relationship management across complex supply chains
• International experience
• People and capability development experience
• Sourcing strategy and procurement skills including relationship management, supplier development, continuous improvement, negotiations and ability to implement and manage complex contractual arrangements
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of GMP
• Ability to lead cross functional teams to an aligned strategy
• Highly developed problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualification

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:

• Production site experience
• Planning experience
• Crisis Management and Business Continuity Planning
• GPS / Lean Sigma
• Financial Acumen and / or learning agility and desire to learn and understand
• Strong interpersonal skills and stakeholder engagement agility

Location and Working Model

This role is based in GSK HQ London, UK / Wavre, Belgium / Cork, Ireland. The position offers a hybrid working model with a mix of remote and on-site work. Regular travel to supplier sites and GSK locations will be required.

Closing Date for Applications: 20th January 2026 (COB)

How to apply

If you are motivated by practical leadership and real impact, we encourage you to apply. Please share your CV and a short note that explains how your experience aligns with the role and how you would contribute to our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to building an inclusive workplace.

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.

People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us at UKRecruitment.Adjustments@gsk.com where you can also request a call.

Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels. However, we have created a  Recruitment FAQ guide. Click the link where you will find answers to multiple questions we receive

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