At Bavarian Nordic, we are committed to saving and improving lives by unlocking the power of the immune system. Our commercial product portfolio includes market-leading vaccines against smallpox, mpox, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, typhoid fever, and cholera. We excel in R&D innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization, striving to improve people's health and quality of life worldwide, protecting our tomorrow.
As the current role holder has taken on new internal responsibilities, we are now seeking a senior manufacturing leader to take on a key role in Drug Substance (DS) production. DS is a highly regulated vaccine manufacturing organization, and the role has a significant impact on our business performance, supply reliability, and patient safety.
The role
As the Head of Drug Substance Cell & Supply, you will have full accountability for operations in Wash & Supply and the Cell Operation, covering people, performance, quality, and delivery. You will lead an organization of 50+ leaders and employees in a highly skilled team, operating in a GMP‑regulated environment, where operational excellence and compliance are equally critical.
This is a role with real consequences: production success or failure directly affects Bavarian Nordic’s ability to meet customer commitments, regulatory expectations, and public health obligations.
The role is located at our biggest manufacturing site in Kvistgaard and reports to the VP, Head of Drug Substance.
Key responsibilities
Overall leadership for Wash & Supply, Cell, DS Engineering and allocated technical department
Accountable for people, safety, quality, delivery, and cost
Ensure GMP compliance and inspection readiness in close collaboration with Quality
Drive a strong safety, quality, and compliance culture across the organization
Deliver reliable supply through robust planning, execution, and continuous improvement
Lead, develop, and engage a large, diverse organization of operators, specialists, and managers
Support DS management with cross‑functional priorities and facilitate long‑term operational strategy
Partner closely various site stakeholders
Balance day‑to‑day operational performance with longer‑term capability building and risk reduction
Represent Manufacturing in senior internal forums and towards key stakeholders
You will now and then act as a substitute for Head of DS
Your profile
We are seeking someone who holds extensive experience from GMP manufacturing within pharmaceuticals, biotech, or vaccines and a proven track record from leadership roles of large organizations (50+ employees), including managers and specialists. Besides this, you bring
Strong understanding of quality systems, regulatory expectations, and inspections
Experience operating in complex, high‑pressure environments where priorities must be balanced carefully
A leadership style that creates clarity, accountability, and trust
Ability to translate strategic objectives into safe, compliant, and reliable operations
Comfort engaging with senior stakeholders and supporting senior management level
Strong proficiency in Danish, both written and spoken, is important for success in this role
Why join Bavarian Nordic
In this role, you will have clear, visible impact on both business results and public health
Leadership responsibility for one of the most critical parts of the company
A strong purpose‑driven organization working on vaccines that matter
Close collaboration with highly committed experts across Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply
The opportunity to shape how Bavarian Nordic manufactures vaccines in the years ahead
Caught your interest?
If you are ready to take on a pivotal role in a growing organization and drive meaningful change in healthcare, apply now and join Bavarian Nordic in our mission to improve health outcomes and foster sustainable growth.
We kindly request that headhunters or recruitment agencies refrain from contacting us regarding this position.
Founded in 1994, we have +30 years of experience developing life-saving vaccines. We are a global leader in smallpox and mpox vaccines. Our commercial product portfolio contains market-leading vaccines against rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, cholera, typhoid, and Ebola. We are headquartered in Denmark and have manufacturing, research, and sales offices across Europe and North America. Our values – our Bavarian Nordic DNA, as we like to call it – are what guide our actions every day. We act as persistent pioneers, embrace change, value being boosted by the team, and believe in protecting lives every day. If that is also a part of your DNA, we invite you to join us in Bavarian Nordic! Bavarian Nordic is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
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For us, it is all about improving and saving lives.
Improving and saving lives through innovative vaccines is at the heart of what we do at Bavarian Nordic. With more than 25 years of experience in developing life-saving vaccines, we are a fully integrated vaccine company focused on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of our products.
We are a global leader in smallpox and mpox vaccines, which have been developed through our long-standing partnership with the U.S. Government to enhance the public health preparedness and have a strong portfolio of vaccines for travelers and endemic diseases.
Our values – our Bavarian Nordic DNA, as we call it – is what guides our actions. We act as persistent pioneers, we are embracing change, we value being boosted by the team, and we believe in protecting lives every day. If that is also a part of your DNA, we invite you to join us in Bavarian Nordic!
We are a global team of more than 1,400 dedicated people with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints who are bound together by our commitment to protect lives every day. We believe in creating an inclusive and flexible workplace with a strong focus on personal and professional development, because we need each other to take things further.
We operate in a world in constant flux and always explore new opportunities. So, if you are open-minded and have the willpower to succeed, we might just be a perfect fit.
See your career opportunities at www.bavarian-nordic.com/careers
