Associate Vice President, Technical Services Manufacturing Science – Global Product Leadership & Project Management

Associate Vice President – Global Product Leadership And Project Management

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We're looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. The Associate Vice President – Global Product Leadership and Project Management is a senior executive responsible for driving the strategic vision, development, and commercial success of the product portfolio. Reporting directly to the Senior Vice President, this leader shapes cross-functional teams, influences investment decisions, and champions innovation to deliver transformative business results. The role demands a blend of entrepreneurial spirit, technical acumen, and proven leadership to build high-performing teams and deliver operational excellence. Success in this position means setting new standards for product performance, market impact, and organizational growth.

Strategic Leadership

Lead the development and execution of integrated product strategies that align with enterprise goals and market opportunities. Influence organizational investment and selection decisions for new and existing products. Champion a decision-making paradigm that leverages data, analytics, and cross-functional expertise to drive business outcomes. Build and sustain high-performing, diverse teams with a culture of excellence, innovation, and accountability. Develop and execute sourcing strategies to ensure optimal resource allocation and supplier partnerships for product success.

Product & Commercialization Excellence

Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of commercially manufactured products, ensuring technical and operational plans deliver on time and within scope. Drive successful launches and post-launch optimization, coordinating global product assessments and continuous improvement initiatives. Ensure strategic alignment with business units, manufacturing, and commercial partners to maximize product impact and profitability. Lead commercialization strategies to ensure robust market entry, regulatory compliance, and sustained product performance. Develop and implement launch strategies and global supply chain plans to ensure seamless product introduction and availability worldwide. Ensure appropriate oversight of the portfolio management group.

Operations & Technical Leadership

Apply deep knowledge of operations, strategy, supply chain, and commercialization to resolve complex challenges and deliver operational objectives. Ensure risk assessments and contingency planning are implemented. Foster process improvement and lean operations across product teams and manufacturing sites. Work with functional leadership to support product quality, regulatory submissions, and continuous improvement.

Regulatory & Compliance Strategy

Connect with Business Units and Mfg Strategy to ensure regulatory submission strategies align with product expectations and ensure global market access. Ensure all products meet regulatory requirements and quality standards throughout their lifecycle.

Core Capabilities & Knowledge

Demonstrated ability to negotiate, communicate, and influence at all levels of the organization. Proven entrepreneurial mindset with a track record of building and scaling high-performing teams. Expertise in regulatory, commercialization, supply chain, and technical development domains. Strong analytical, strategic, and problem-solving skills.

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline (e.g., Chemistry, Biology, Engineering). 10+ years' experience in product leadership, manufacturing operations, supply chain, or commercialization, with a record of cross-functional team leadership within the pharmaceutical or life science industry. Demonstrated success in project management, technical product development, and operational excellence. Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Certifications in Project Management, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent preferred.

Key Outcomes & Expected Results

Deliver product milestones and launches on time, within scope, and with measurable business impact. Achieve significant improvements in operational efficiency, cost reduction, and market performance. Build and mentor teams that consistently exceed performance targets and drive innovation. Establish best practices and optimized processes that are shared and adopted across the organization.