Position Summary

University of Iowa Pharmaceuticals (UI Pharmaceuticals) is the largest and most experienced university-affiliated FDA-registered pharmaceutical manufacturing CDMO facility in the United States. The Executive Director of UI Pharmaceuticals is a senior leadership position that is responsible for driving the strategic direction of the organization. The Executive Director leads all aspects of the enterprise including business development, formulation development, sterile manufacturing, non-sterile manufacturing, analytical services and quality assurance while ensuring full compliance and generating sufficient revenue for UI Pharmaceuticals to be self-supported.  

The Executive Director will communicate a clear mission and vision, develop, and implement a strategic plan and guide initiatives that support growth and innovation. The Executive Director will maintain and strengthen collaborative relationships with college faculty and develop the organization’s budget and capital plan, staffing plan, monitor operational and capital expenses to ensure alignment with budget projections as well as ensure university policies and procedures are implemented throughout the enterprise. This leader is also responsible for ensuring that systems and facilities comply with FDA, EMA, PMDA, and DEA regulations.

This role reports to the Dean of the College of Pharmacy.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership, direction, and management of UIP operations, business development, programs, and services.
• Hire, develop, and manage the performance of senior staff.
• Implement initiatives to build capabilities and retain and reward staff.
• Instill a safety-first mindset across the organization.
• Manage the successful completion of multiple projects.
• Resolve complex issues across multiple departments within or outside the University of Iowa.
• Assess the needs for physical facilities and strategic operations of UI Pharmaceuticals, develop goals and projections for necessary changes, replacements and/or additions.
• Maintain and develop collaborative relationships with college faculty and participate in college programs.

Communication and Collaboration

• Communicate a clear and compelling mission and vision and provide strategic leadership that aligns the organization and the college toward shared goals.
• Collaborate with a variety of stakeholders on campus such as the Offices of the Vice President for Research and Provost, Facilities Management, CFO, and Department Chairs.
• Collaborate with regulatory agencies, granting agencies, contractors, and others such as FDA, DEA, NIH.

Compliance

• Implement new policies and revise existing programs to ensure compliance with regulatory, university, federal, and cGMP requirements.
• Evaluate workflow and systems to determine whether they meet specifications, standards, and regulations.
• Ensure an environment that meets all employee safety requirements and accommodations.
• Implement modifications to bring project, facility, and processes into compliance.

 Financial

• In coordination with collegiate financial officer, develop a yearly budget; oversee new business development, staffing and capital plans to enable the organization to achieve its growth objectives, remain self-sufficient, and meet its financial obligations.
• Manage budget priorities through periodic financial reviews, allocate resources appropriately, address and resolve budget issues across the enterprise.
• Initiate and approve programs to enhance revenue growth and ensure financial stability in achieving the enterprise’s mission and vision.
• Provide strategic oversight and direction for cost?modeling activities within manufacturing services, ensuring that financial insights, operational scalability, and infrastructure investments align with long?term growth objectives.

 Education/Teaching

• Coordinate APPE rotations for Doctor of Pharmacy students interested in industrial pharmacy.
• Lead UIP Assistantship program for the College of Pharmacy; oversee candidate selection, rotational appointments, and financial aid.   
• Participate in the undergraduate and graduate programs with the College of Pharmacy.

The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preferences.

Please note that the department will not cover the $100,000 payment associated with H-1B sponsorship, either at the time of hire or for international travel purposes.

Education Requirement

• Advanced degree in pharmaceutics, chemistry, engineering, or equivalent science-based discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience in a regulated pharmaceutical environment.

 Experience Required

• Minimum 15 years related experience in pharmaceutical research or GMP manufacturing environment.
• History of progressive leadership advancements in manufacturing and business responsibilities and leading organizations through significant change, growth, or transformation.
• Proven profit and loss experience leading mid-sized, multi-disciplinary organizations (50-100 employees) delivering operational excellence and profitability.
• Strong track record in business development, strategic partnerships, client relationship management and executing growth initiatives.
• Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal skills in building and working effectively with diverse, multi-disciplinary, cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively through verbal, written, and presentations with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical regulations, FDA, cGMP, EU ISPE, etc.
• Expertise in qualification and operation of pharmaceutical equipment, processes, and facilities.

 Desirable Qualifications

• PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, engineering, or related field.
• MBA or similar financial degree or certificate.
• Experience as a teacher or instructor in a technical or scientific area.
• Track record of optimizing capacity utilization while maintaining quality and client satisfaction.
• Ability to organize a group around a common mission to complete complex tasks.

About https://pharmacy.uiowa.edu/about/uip

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics currently consists of 15 faculty members and more than 50 graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and visiting scientists who participate in the research programs within the department. The research environment is highly interdisciplinary and collaborative, with faculty members having broad expertise in pharmaceutical materials, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical biotechnology, drug delivery, pharmacometrics and systems pharmacology, drug product development and manufacturing, drug discovery, pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmacogenomics.

Connections working at https://pharmacy.uiowa.edu/about/uip