DGM / GM - Cluster IT Operations

Role & responsibilities

Job Purpose

To provide senior IT leadership for a cluster of manufacturing plants, ensuring reliable, secure, compliant and business-aligned IT services across the assigned locations.

The role will act as the key interface between Plant Leadership, Plant IT teams and Corporate IT functions, ensuring effective coordination, timely implementation of Corporate IT initiatives, and delivery of IT services in line with business expectations.

The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring that Corporate IT projects and initiatives are effectively implemented across the assigned plants within agreed timelines, while proactively managing dependencies, risks and escalations.

The role will also establish strong relationships with Plant stakeholders, understand business requirements and service expectations, and ensure continuous audit and regulatory readiness across the assigned cluster.

Key Accountabilities

1. Cluster IT Leadership & Governance

• Provide overall IT leadership and governance for the assigned cluster of manufacturing plants.
• Ensure alignment of Plant IT priorities with Corporate IT strategy, policies and standards.
• Establish effective governance mechanisms for IT operations, projects and service delivery across the cluster.
• Review overall IT performance, operational risks, critical issues and improvement initiatives across locations.
• Drive consistency and standardization of IT processes and practices across the assigned plants.
• Provide appropriate leadership intervention for critical issues and escalations impacting business operations.

2. Business & Plant Leadership Engagement

• Act as the senior IT interface for Plant Heads and key business stakeholders.
• Establish strong relationships with Plant leadership and understand their business and technology requirements.
• Regularly engage with plant stakeholders to understand service expectations, operational challenges and emerging IT needs.
• Ensure IT services are aligned with business requirements and delivered within agreed expectations.
• Act as the escalation point for critical IT issues affecting plant operations.
• Ensure effective communication between IT and business stakeholders and drive timely resolution of concerns.

3. CorporatePlant IT Alignment

• Serve as the key interface between Corporate IT and Plant IT teams.
• Ensure Corporate IT policies, standards, solutions and initiatives are effectively implemented at plant locations.
• Coordinate with Corporate Infrastructure, Network, Cybersecurity, Applications, Digital and other IT teams for plant requirements.
• Identify gaps between Corporate IT standards and plant requirements and facilitate appropriate resolution.
• Ensure effective coordination between Corporate and Plant IT teams for operational issues, projects and major initiatives.
• Ensure plant-specific requirements are appropriately represented to Corporate IT.

4. Corporate Project Implementation & Delivery

• Ensure successful implementation of Corporate-initiated IT projects and initiatives across the assigned plants.
• Ensure each project has clear scope, ownership, implementation activities, milestones and timelines.
• Work with Plant IT and Corporate project teams to ensure implementation progresses as planned.
• Monitor project progress, dependencies, risks and business readiness.
• Proactively identify delays and implementation challenges and drive corrective actions.
• Coordinate with the Corporate IT Project Management team for project tracking, governance and reporting.
• Ensure effective coordination between Corporate teams, Plant IT, business stakeholders and vendors involved in project implementation.
• Ensure timely completion, stabilization and operational handover of implemented projects.

5. IT Service Delivery & Operational Excellence

• Ensure reliable, secure and effective IT service delivery across the assigned cluster.
• Provide leadership oversight for IT infrastructure, end-user computing, network, connectivity, systems and other IT services supporting plant operations.
• Review service performance, major incidents and recurring operational issues.
• Drive continuous improvement in IT service quality and operational efficiency.
• Ensure appropriate service levels are maintained in line with business expectations.
• Drive resolution of recurring issues and minimize business disruption caused by IT incidents.
• Promote standardization and improvement of IT operations across the cluster.

6. Audit, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure continuous IT audit readiness across all assigned plants.
• Provide leadership oversight for compliance with applicable pharmaceutical IT, regulatory and corporate requirements.
• Coordinate with Quality, QA, Regulatory, Corporate Compliance, Cybersecurity and other relevant functions for audit requirements.
• Ensure readiness for internal, external, regulatory and customer audits.
• Drive timely closure of audit observations and identified IT control gaps.
• Ensure appropriate governance and evidence are maintained for IT controls.
• Provide oversight for areas including GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, data integrity, IT controls, cybersecurity, access management, backup, disaster recovery and change management, as applicable.
• Identify IT risks proactively and ensure appropriate mitigation plans are established and monitored.

Preferred candidate profile

• 20+ years of overall IT experience, with significant experience in IT leadership roles.
• 10+ years of experience in the Pharmaceutical / Life Sciences industry.
• Strong experience in managing IT operations across multiple manufacturing plants / locations.
• Experience working in a Corporate IT and Plant IT operating model.
• Proven experience in managing senior business stakeholders and Plant leadership.
• Strong experience in implementation and governance of enterprise IT projects across multiple locations.
• Experience in pharmaceutical IT audits, compliance and regulatory requirements.

Experience in leading IT service delivery in a complex manufacturing environment.