About this role
Job Description Summary Job Purpose The Process Team Lead is responsible for overseeing daily manufacturing operations within the Manufacturing Unit, fostering a culture of empowerment, accountability, and continuous improvement. The role ensures the delivery of high-quality products in compliance with GMP, HSE, and Novartis standards while maximizing operational efficiency, productivity, and team performance. Job Description Major Accountabilities Manufacturing Operations & Shop Floor Leadership
• Provide visible leadership on the shop floor through regular presence, walkthroughs, and operational support. • Ensure adequate resource planning and allocation based on production workload and business priorities. • Review and manage production schedules within the operational horizon, considering risks, constraints, and opportunities. • Ensure continuity of production flow through effective coordination of personnel, materials, consumables, equipment, documentation, and supporting services. • Set operational priorities and adjust plans when unforeseen events occur. • Optimize the utilization of human and technical resources to meet safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives. • Monitor and drive implementation of CAPAs and actions related to operational performance indicators. • Own shop floor service support activities and management of external workforce supporting cleaning and material handling operations. • Support technical batch release activities, including batch record review, SOP maintenance, and process documentation management. • Lead incident reporting, investigations, root cause analyses, and implementation of corrective and preventive actions. • Demonstrate ownership of manufacturing processes and products, ensuring sustainable operational performance. Leadership & People Development
• Act as a role model for Novartis Values & Behaviors and promote a culture of trust, collaboration, accountability, and inclusion. • Translate strategic objectives into clear team goals, priorities, and action plans. • Build, engage, and motivate high-performing teams that consistently deliver business results. • Ensure associates are appropriately trained and qualified before performing GMP activities independently. • Monitor training compliance and competency development of team members. • Provide coaching, feedback, and performance management support to direct reports and Shift Leaders. • Facilitate effective decision-making and problem-solving within the team. • Promote cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing across manufacturing teams. • Support talent development, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives. Quality, Compliance & HSE
• Ensure full compliance with GMP, HSE, Novartis Quality Management Systems, and applicable regulatory requirements. • Maintain inspection readiness and support successful internal and external audits and regulatory inspections. • Promote a strong safety and quality culture through leadership, accountability, and continuous awareness. • Ensure implementation and effectiveness of Business Continuity Plans within the area of responsibility. • Act as the owner of quality and compliance practices defined within the Novartis Manufacturing Manual. • Drive proactive identification, reporting, and resolution of quality and safety risks. Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence
• Champion Operational Excellence through Lean Leadership, Visual Management, Tiered Accountability, Leader Standard Work, and Gemba practices. • Lead improvement initiatives including TPM, process optimization, technology transfer, digitalization, and productivity improvement projects. • Drive improvements in Overall Asset Effectiveness (OAE), yield, cycle time, and operational performance metrics. • Facilitate Root Cause Investigations (RCIs), Kaizens, and problem-solving workshops to eliminate losses and improve performance. • Utilize data analytics, visualization, and performance monitoring to identify improvement opportunities. • Ensure sustainability of implemented improvements and achievement of targeted business benefits. • Contribute actively to site Continuous Improvement strategy and project prioritization activities.
Key Performance Indicators People
• Employee engagement and satisfaction • Training compliance and qualification status • Talent development and succession readiness • Retention and attraction of key talent Supply & Delivery
• Production volume achievement • Schedule adherence • Launch and commercialization performance • Supply Excellence KPIs Quality & Compliance
• Batch success rate • Right-First-Time performance • Audit and inspection outcomes • Reduction of human error-related deviations • Batch documentation quality Safety
• Lost Time Injury (LTI) rate • Safety observation and action completion performance Cost & Productivity
• Budget adherence • Headcount management • Cost of non-quality reduction • Yield and OAE improvements Continuous Improvement
• Delivery of Operational Excellence projects • Financial benefits generated through improvement initiatives • Sustainability of implemented actions
Essential Requirements Education
• Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Technology, Life Sciences, or a related field. Experience
• Minimum 5 years of experience in the pharmaceutical or life sciences industry within a GMP-regulated environment. • Minimum 2 years of people leadership or supervisory experience is preferred. • Experience in commercial manufacturing operations is highly desirable. Technical & Functional Skills
• Strong knowledge of GMP regulations and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. • Good understanding of Quality Systems and Health Authority requirements. • Experience with manufacturing systems (MES, SAP, or equivalent). • Knowledge of Lean Management and Operational Excellence methodologies. • Experience in process improvement, problem solving, and root cause investigation. Leadership Competencies
• Strong leadership and people development capabilities. • Effective communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills. • Proven ability to lead change and drive organizational performance. • Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset. • Ability to work effectively under pressure in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Languages
• Advanced English proficiency. • Fluent Turkish.
Skills Desired Data Analytics