Operations Head of Production Head of Production London, England, United Kingdom

At Quell we seek to deliver truly innovative, life-changing therapies for our patients. Our vision as a company is to build a major global biopharmaceutical company bringing transformational and valued therapies for a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as preventing rejection in organ transplantation, based on modular engineered Tregs.

OUR COMPANY

Quell Therapeutics Ltd (“Quell”), the world leader in the development of engineered T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapies for serious medical conditions driven by the immune system, announced it has raised $156 million in an oversubscribed Series B financing. The financing round was co-led by Jeito Capital, Ridgeback Capital Investments, SV Health Investors and Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC with participation from founding investor Syncona. New investors include British Patient Capital through its Future Fund: Breakthrough program, Janus Henderson Investors, Monashee Investment Management, Point72 and funds managed by Tekla Capital Management LLC.

THE ROLE
As the Head of Production, you will lead the manufacturing operations for cell therapy products, ensuring the seamless execution of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) production. This role encompasses oversight of the manufacturing team, driving operational excellence, and fostering a collaborative culture aligned with the organization’s core values: Collaboration, Innovation, Respect, Accountability, and Integrity. You will partner with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality products on time while maintaining a safe and compliant manufacturing environment.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Leadership & Team Management
   • Lead and manage the manufacturing team to ensure efficient, compliant, and high-quality production.
   • Recruit, train, and mentor staff to build a strong, motivated team with a focus on professional development and operational excellence.
2. Production Oversight
   • Oversee all aspects of GMP production for cell therapy products, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
   • Collaborate with MSAT, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to plan and execute manufacturing operations.
3. Process Optimization
   • Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance manufacturing processes, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.
   • Implement and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track operational performance and identify areas for improvement.
4. Cross-Functional Collaboration
   • Serve as the key liaison between manufacturing, process development, and quality functions to support technology transfer, process validation, and production readiness.
   • Partner with site leadership and other departments to ensure alignment of production goals with organizational priorities.
5. Regulatory Compliance
   • Ensure all manufacturing activities comply with cGMP, regulatory requirements, and company quality standards.
   • Maintain a culture of quality and safety across all production activities.
6. Risk Management
   • Identify potential risks in production operations and develop contingency plans to address challenges proactively.
7. Strategic Planning
   • Contribute to the development and execution of manufacturing strategies in alignment with company objectives and participate, lead and manage key projects depending on business needs and requirements.
   • Support scaling efforts as the organization grows, including capacity planning and resource allocation.

EXPERIENCE WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• 10+ years’ experience in managing operations, manufacturing, or supply chain within biologics or cell/gene therapy industries.
• Extensive experience in life sciences manufacturing, supply chain, or similar.
• Experience in biologics or cell/gene therapy preferred.
• Experience building organisations from scratch, including development of organisational design and hiring of personnel is highly desired.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Experience in designing and implementing business processes to meet departmental and corporate needs.
• Proven track record of successful process optimization, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners.
• Strong project management, organization, collaboration, and conflict resolution skills and experience.

DESIRABLES

• Operational leadership experience at a cell (& gene) therapy production site.
• Experience in equipment and facility qualification and process validation.

BENEFITS

• Holidays: 25 days per year.
• Group Personal Pension: Auto enrolled at 6% employer contribution, 3% employee contribution.
• Private Medical Insurance for your whole family.
• Annual Bonus.

PERKS

Fantastic collaborative environment at Translation & Innovation Hub.
$156 Million Investment including brand new lab equipment, innovative methods, and exposure to cutting edge technology.
Fast paced and progressive company looking for future leaders and innovators.

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