Production Director

Fraser Dove International are partnered with a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing company in the Toulouse region on a production leadership position within a critical site.

Role summary:

The Production Director leads all manufacturing activities at site level for a pharmaceutical manufacturing operation.
This role owns production performance, GMP compliance, and people leadership, and is a key member of the site leadership team.

Key responsibilities:

Manufacturing leadership

• Own end-to-end production operations across the site
• Deliver performance against safety, quality, cost, and service targets
• Lead capacity planning, scheduling, and resource optimisation
• Drive continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives

Quality & compliance

• Ensure full compliance with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) standards
• Act as senior escalation point for deviations, investigations, and CAPAs (Corrective and Preventive Actions)
• Lead and support regulatory inspections and audits, including ANSM and EMA

People leadership

• Lead, develop, and coach production managers and operational teams
• Build strong succession plans and organisational capability
• Promote a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement

Strategic contribution

• Partner closely with Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Technical functions
• Contribute to site strategy, capital investment, and long-term manufacturing plans
• Support tech transfers, scale-up, and new product introductions

Budget & performance

• Own the production budget and productivity targets
• Monitor KPIs and drive corrective actions where required
• Ensure efficient use of labour, materials, and assets

Key requirements:

Experience

• Senior manufacturing leadership experience in pharmaceuticals, biotech, or a regulated manufacturing environment
• Strong background working in GMP-regulated operations
• Proven experience leading large, multi-layered teams
• Demonstrated success delivering operational and cultural improvement

Education

• Degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related discipline

Technical skills

• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes
• Solid knowledge of European regulatory requirements
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies