Senior Manager, Lab Workflow Systems

Within Digital Operations & Strategy in Therapeutics Development & Supply, we bring together science, data, technology, predictive modelling, and informatics to accelerate medicine development. We are seeking an experienced and visionary Senior Manager, Lab Workflow Systems to lead the evolution of digital Lab Workflow Systems across Therapeutics Development & Supply (TDS) as part of our dynamic team in Malvern, USA or Beerse, Belgium.

This role is accountable for the business direction, prioritization, governance, and value realization of the Lab Workflow Systems portfolio supporting CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control) activities across Therapeutics Development & Supply. The portfolio includes electronic laboratory notebooks, laboratory execution and workflow tools, sample and inventory capabilities, and connected laboratory data flows.

The Senior Manager, Lab Workflow Systems leads a global team of Digital Product Owners and partners with scientific functions, data, quality, technology, procurement, and external suppliers to build an integrated, compliant, reliable, and sustainable laboratory systems landscape.

The successful candidate combines people leadership, portfolio thinking, and a strong understanding of scientific laboratory workflows and regulated digital systems. They mentor experienced Digital Product Owners, build clarity across challenging priorities, translate business needs into system and data strategies, and influence decisions across a complex global stakeholder network. They balance strategic direction with pragmatic execution and enable accountable partners to deliver architecture, technical implementation, validation, procurement, and change activities.

Role and Responsibilities

• Build and communicate the vision, strategy, target landscape, and roadmap for the Lab Workflow Systems portfolio, together with the Digital Product Owners and in alignment with organizational priorities.
• Lead and mentor a global team of Digital Product Owners, creating clear accountability, prioritization, capability development, and effective collaboration across the portfolio.
• Own portfolio-level prioritization, governance and value realization, using adoption, service, data quality, and productivity measures to guide decisions.
• Ensure effective operational stewardship through lifecycle planning, service health oversight, compliance and audit readiness, issue escalation, and sustainable support models.
• Partner with scientific, data, quality, validation, architecture, technology, cybersecurity, and delivery teams to translate business needs into practical system and data strategies.
• Shape and coordinate change, communication, training, and adoption with functional change leads, local customers and the Digital Product Owners.
• Promote workflow standardization and automation and identify relevant opportunities to enable analytics and future AI capabilities.
• Influence vendor strategy and performance, partnering with procurement and technology owners on contracts, service levels, roadmaps, and integration commitments.
• Build internal and industry networks to benchmark the portfolio, exchange knowledge, and introduce relevant leading practices.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, life sciences, engineering, informatics, or a related field.
• 10+ years of proven experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, laboratory informatics, or another regulated technology environment, including meaningful experience in digital product or system leadership.
• Demonstrated experience in directly managing, coaching, and developing employees, combined with the ability to lead through influence in a global environment.
• Strong understanding of scientific laboratory workflows and the ability to translate business needs into portfolio priorities and practical decisions.
• Experience with regulated system lifecycles, validation, data integrity, service management, and Good Manufacturing Practice requirements.
• Proven track record owning roadmaps, prioritization, and governance across complex customer ecosystems.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, including with senior leaders and cross-functional partners.
• Experience with FAIR data principles and laboratory platforms is preferred.
• Experience with Agile development is a plus.

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic and systems thinking, combined with pragmatic execution.
• Visible, inclusive people leadership that supports autonomy, accountability, and development.
• Ability to create clarity and alignment in a complex, changing environment.
• Strong problem-solving and the ability to turn complex concepts into clear direction and actions.
• Global perspective, end-to-end attitude, and confidence working across scientific and technical fields.
• Fluency in English and willingness to travel occasionally, up to 10%.