Job Detail

Today Lonza is a global leader in life sciences. We are more than 15,000 employees in more than 100 locations around the world. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

For Ibex™ Solutions  (www.ibex.lonza.com), our recently launched unique biological manufacturing and development concept in Visp, Switzerland, we have multiple openings. Become part of this exciting opportunity and join our team by applying for the position as Head of Operations.

The Head of Operations will act as Operations head in Capital investment projects for Ibex™ biopharma facilities. He/she will define and set-up up the operations organization and respective headcount ramp-up plans for the facilities. Additionally, he/she will manage a specific production unit during the initial engineering phases and provides leadership to multi-disciplinary teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Works as operations lead in Capital investment projects for construction and commissioning of Ibex™ biopharma facilities. Supports feasibility studies, conceptual and basic design phases as future user of those facilities


• Defines & sets up the operations organization and respective headcount ramp-up plans for the facilities


• Drives the operational set-up and incorporating innovation, operational improvements and other aspects influencing the manufacturing costs in the design of the facilities


• Defines an ambition level and shares experience from an operational and maintenance point of view with the design team


• Manages a specific production unit during the initial engineering phases and gives leadership to multi-disciplinary teams (Manufacturing, MSAT) of senior production leaders, managers, or supervisors


• Full responsibility for all aspects of human resource management such as qualification, development, coaching, hiring, pay decisions and discipline issues.


• Builds up and sustains a successful, high performing team


• Maintains a culture of empowerment and innovation, trust, high performance and change readiness.


• Ensures a good information exchange from the upper management levels to the organization and the other way around through regular team meetings and escalation of issues.


• Implements the Lonza culture via openness for change and new ideas, cooperative teamwork and continuous improvement even outside the own area of responsibility


• Accountable for preparation of risk analysis (SHE, GMP) and all relevant procedures and ensuring training of staff


• Develops department goals and strategy and prioritize with respect to overall goals of Lonza, the Lonza BU and the Ibex™site


• Represents the specific facility during the engineering phases for customer visits and audits as Operations Head


• As a member of the Ibex™ Operations Leadership Team responsible for all aspects representing the facility


• Responsible for control of own cost center, identifies and implements cost reduction measures


• Needs to be current and deep subject matter expert for evolving technologies relevant to Ibex™ site

Qualifications & Skills required:

• Master or Bachelor degree in Biotechnology or other relevant areas (with equivalent experience)


• 10+ years of experience in a leading position in Biopharma manufacturing


• Strong leadership skills and ability to communicate internally and externally at higher levels


• Recognized expert in the area of GMP and biopharma production of large molecules and depth understanding of bioprocesses and operational excellence to solve problems in a cross-functional environment


• Very good understanding of business and financial processes


• Fluent in English and German


• Green Belt certification preferred


• Detail oriented with exceptional organizational skills and a structured and proactive working attitude, strong work ethic


• Open-minded for new ideas with a highly collaborative and strong team oriented attitude

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world. The satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.

Today Lonza is a global leader in life sciences. We are more than 15,000 employees in more than 100 locations around the world. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

For Ibex™ Solutions  (www.ibex.lonza.com), our recently launched unique biological manufacturing and development concept in Visp, Switzerland, we have multiple openings. Become part of this exciting opportunity and join our team by applying for the position as Head of Operations.

The Head of Operations will act as Operations head in Capital investment projects for Ibex™ biopharma facilities. He/she will define and set-up up the operations organization and respective headcount ramp-up plans for the facilities. Additionally, he/she will manage a specific production unit during the initial engineering phases and provides leadership to multi-disciplinary teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Works as operations lead in Capital investment projects for construction and commissioning of Ibex™ biopharma facilities. Supports feasibility studies, conceptual and basic design phases as future user of those facilities


• Defines & sets up the operations organization and respective headcount ramp-up plans for the facilities


• Drives the operational set-up and incorporating innovation, operational improvements and other aspects influencing the manufacturing costs in the design of the facilities


• Defines an ambition level and shares experience from an operational and maintenance point of view with the design team


• Manages a specific production unit during the initial engineering phases and gives leadership to multi-disciplinary teams (Manufacturing, MSAT) of senior production leaders, managers, or supervisors


• Full responsibility for all aspects of human resource management such as qualification, development, coaching, hiring, pay decisions and discipline issues.


• Builds up and sustains a successful, high performing team


• Maintains a culture of empowerment and innovation, trust, high performance and change readiness.


• Ensures a good information exchange from the upper management levels to the organization and the other way around through regular team meetings and escalation of issues.


• Implements the Lonza culture via openness for change and new ideas, cooperative teamwork and continuous improvement even outside the own area of responsibility


• Accountable for preparation of risk analysis (SHE, GMP) and all relevant procedures and ensuring training of staff


• Develops department goals and strategy and prioritize with respect to overall goals of Lonza, the Lonza BU and the Ibex™site


• Represents the specific facility during the engineering phases for customer visits and audits as Operations Head


• As a member of the Ibex™ Operations Leadership Team responsible for all aspects representing the facility


• Responsible for control of own cost center, identifies and implements cost reduction measures


• Needs to be current and deep subject matter expert for evolving technologies relevant to Ibex™ site

Qualifications & Skills required:

• Master or Bachelor degree in Biotechnology or other relevant areas (with equivalent experience)


• 10+ years of experience in a leading position in Biopharma manufacturing


• Strong leadership skills and ability to communicate internally and externally at higher levels


• Recognized expert in the area of GMP and biopharma production of large molecules and depth understanding of bioprocesses and operational excellence to solve problems in a cross-functional environment


• Very good understanding of business and financial processes


• Fluent in English and German


• Green Belt certification preferred


• Detail oriented with exceptional organizational skills and a structured and proactive working attitude, strong work ethic


• Open-minded for new ideas with a highly collaborative and strong team oriented attitude

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world. The satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.