Head of Quality

Step into a high-impact Head of Quality role with a globally connected pharmaceutical manufacturing leader, driving quality excellence in China and partnering closely with senior leadership both locally and at global headquarters.

Job Title: Head of Quality

Sector: Pharmaceutical

Location: Zhejiang, China

About the Role

We are seeking an accomplished and strategic Head of Quality to lead the quality function at our manufacturing site in Zhejiang province. This is a senior leadership position reporting directly to the Chief Quality Officer at the European headquarters.

You will manage a dedicated team of 30 quality professionals and play a pivotal role in ensuring regulatory excellence, operational compliance, and continuous improvement across the site.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and inspire the site quality team, embodying and promoting the organization's core values and leadership principles.
• Ensure full compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and corporate quality standards across the site.
• Take overall ownership of regulatory authority inspections and customer audits, ensuring successful outcomes and timely closure of any findings.
• Strategically allocate quality resources and set clear priorities; attract, develop, and retain top talent to build a high-performing quality organization.
• Own and drive the site Quality Master Plan, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Partner proactively with Operations to identify, address, and resolve compliance issues, working in close collaboration with Corporate Quality functions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across site boundaries to maintain and enhance robust quality systems.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives within the local quality unit, aligned with Corporate Quality Systems and global projects.
• Define, monitor, and report on the site Quality unit's performance metrics and budget performance.
• Identify emerging quality issues and escalate appropriately to the site management team.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to key stakeholders, including Operations, Sales & Marketing, Logistics, and Regulatory Affairs.
• Act as the site’s Qualified Person and Quality Responsible Person, fulfilling all statutory duties.
• Oversee daily operations for Site CQA (Compliance Quality Assurance), MQA (Manufacturing Quality Assurance), and QC (Quality Control).
• Lead quality talent management, succession planning, and professional development initiatives.
• Manage and oversee product release processes for the China market, ensuring all regulatory requirements are met.

Candidate Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or above in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive manufacturing experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with at least 5 years in a quality management or quality operations leadership role.
• Solid hands-on experience across QC, production, and QA functions, with the credentials and capability to serve as a Qualified Person.
• Proven track record of successfully leading regulatory authority inspections, including NMPA, FDA, and/or EU agencies.
• Deep, practical understanding of pharmaceutical compliance principles, GMP standards, and quality best practices.
• Exceptional leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop diverse teams.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels of the organization.
• Excellent command of both English and Mandarin Chinese – fluent in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.