Sr. Director, Global Drug Substance Commercialization, Protein

Join our Mission to Protect Humankind!

Vaxcyte is a clinical-stage vaccine innovation company engineering high-fidelity vaccines to protect humankind from the consequences of bacterial diseases, which have serious and costly health consequences when left unchecked. Working to eradicate or treat bacterial infections such as invasive pneumococcal disease, Group A Strep, periodontitis and Shigella is just the beginning. Our path to success is clear and well-defined, and Vaxcyte is set up to go the distance.

WHAT we do is every bit as important as HOW we do it! Our work together is guided by four enduring core values:

• RETHINK CONVENTION: We bring creative and intellectual diversity to every facet of the work we do in order to innovate and re-innovate the way vaccines are delivered.
• AIM HIGH: We embody our collectively audacious goal to courageously make the most complex biologics ever attempted to protect humankind.
• LEAD WITH HEART: Everyone leads at Vaxcyte with a kindness-first, inclusive approach to collaboration and vigorous debate that advances our business objectives.
• MODEL EXCELLENCE: The magnitude of our challenge requires our shared commitment to demonstrating integrity, accountability, equality and clarity across communications and decision making.
  
  

Summary:

The Sr. Director for Drug Substance (DS) Commercialization leads and facilitates launch readiness and commercial supply of the carrier protein (eCRM) and associated raw materials. The eCRM product strategy will transition from the Process Development organization to this role during late-stage product development. This role focuses on technical launch planning and execution by bringing best-practices and coordinating cross-functional efforts for regulatory filings, facility readiness, and launch supplies.

This role also provides leadership to ensure that the organization is equipped to effectively communicate the scientific and commercial rationale for eCRM processes to internal stakeholders, relevant CMOs, and to regulatory agencies. The incumbent will work with the organization to ensure on-time execution and appropriate planning for commercial lifecycle management.

This position will be reporting into the Executive Director for Global DS Commercialization. The Sr. Director will collaborate on overall program strategy, with primary responsibility and accountability for the eCRM strategy.

Manufacturing Science and Technology (MSAT) is responsible for successfully and seamlessly transitioning the vaccine process from Process Development to Commercial, developing and executing technical launch and commercialization strategy, continuously improving process robustness through to end of lifecycle, and ensuring best possible patient outcomes while creating value for the enterprise. As part of the Commercial Manufacturing and Supply Chain organization, MSAT will lead the technical and process support for end-to-end commercial manufacturing, including Polysaccharides, Carrier Proteins, and Conjugation across all Drug Substances (DS). The range of activities will include DS technology transfer support, process characterization experiments in support of validation, process improvement, evaluation of novel process technologies, investigation of process related manufacturing issues, ensuring continuous improvement in process robustness throughout the product life cycle, etc.

Essential Functions:

• DS Commercialization –Provide strategic and scientific leadership for eCRM and associated raw materials with internal and external stakeholders and ensure successful execution of launch plans and post-launch commercial activities.
• Organization – Build a strong and highly-skilled team for the global network with special focus on protein manufacturing processes.
• Process robustness– Continuously improve process understanding and process robustness using staff and laboratory resources across the organization to monitor, trend, and optimize operations.
• Interface - Collaboration with cross-functional teams across the network, including Regulatory, CMC, Quality, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Process Engineering, to drive the successful development and commercial launch of carrier proteins for pipeline products. Provides technical representation into initial technology transfer, product launch, product lifecycle, to the end of life/product retirement and for defining/developing the next generation of production technologies.
• Tech-transfer new technologies - Ensure robust processes exist to support technical transfers and integration of new technologies.
• Support technical services - Support of our internal and external manufacturing network, including materials management and data analytics.
• Process validation and comparability - Provide leadership for the execution of process validation and process comparability activities. Effectively communicate the scientific and commercial rationale for DS processes to the Manufacturing organization for commercialization.
• Regulatory - Engage In technical reviewing and authoring of regulatory filings and responding to questions received from health authorities. Effectively communicate the scientific and commercial rationale for DS processes to the Boards of Health for regulatory submissions for commercialization.
• Communication - Effectively and efficiently communicate process performance to key stakeholders (internal-facing and external-facing). Connect and build strong working relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
• Leadership - Contribute as DS Commercialization lead for Carrier Proteins (eCRM) and as member of Global Manufacturing Operations, with an aim to ensure effective and efficient delivery of our life-enhancing therapies to our patients. Delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage team performance with a strong focus on colleague development. Leads by example and drives the organization's performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement.
• Executing for Results - Set clear and challenging goals and take accountability for driving results. Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations. Able to take calculated risks founded on data and input from others and to foresee possible threats or unintended circumstances from decisions.
• Relationships and Influence - Able to skillfully leverage deep technical knowledge in a collaborative manner to achieve collective goals. An ability to build trust with others through compelling influence, transparency, passion, and active drive. Encourages others to share the spotlight and visibly celebrates and supports the team’s success.
• Travel - 10-30% travel required.
  
  

Requirements:

• Ph.D. degree in Chemical or Biochemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related discipline with a minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry.
• Minimum of 12 years of leadership experience in supervisory, people leader role(s) in Process Development, MSAT, Supply Chain, Regulatory, etc.
• Broad technical knowledge and experience in protein production processes, including bacterial fermentation, recovery, and purification across multiple operational scales.
• Extensive experience in tech transfer, commercial launch, and lifecycle management; experience with glycoconjugate vaccines is highly preferred.
• Able to leverage deep technical knowledge in a collaborative manner to establish strategic plans and achieve collective goals.
• Excellent organization, problem solving and strategic planning skills.
• Highly skilled in both verbal and written communication with the ability to interact effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Proactively recognizes needs and potential challenges and directs activities to implement effective solutions.
• The ability to analyze data from a variety of sources to support decisions and to align others with the organization's overall strategy.
• An entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the organization and push the boundaries within the industry.
  
  

Reports to: Executive Director, Global Drug Substance Commercialization Lead

Location: San Carlos, CA

Compensation:

The compensation package will be competitive and includes comprehensive benefits and an equity component.

Salary Range: $253,000 – $271,000

Send resumes to:

careers@vaxcyte.com

Vaxcyte, Inc.

825 Industrial Road, Suite 300

San Carlos, CA 94070

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.