[Switzerland] Senior Manager, EMEA Cluster Quality

Company Description

As a specialized company dedicated to eye health, Santen aspires to contribute to the realization of “Happiness with Vision” by providing valuable products and services to patients, consumers, and medical professionals around the organization.

Since its establishment in Japan in 1890, and guided by its CORE PRINCIPLE, “Tenki ni sanyo suru,” Santen has been committed to helping people maintain and improve their eye health, and is engaged in the global research and development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products in the field of eye care, supporting the eye health of approximately 50 million people worldwide.

Our duty is to create a future in which as many patients and consumers as possible can lead happy and fulfilling lives. We will continue to contribute to the realization of better eye care by providing solutions that eliminate bottlenecks in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, thereby revolutionizing the treatment flow. Each of us is deeply committed to challenging ourselves, building an organization that brings together diverse internal talents and external expertise, and to doing our utmost to realize a society in which people everywhere can feel happy through vision-related experiences.

Job Description

Job’s mission

• To lead and drive the Quality oversight in assigned EMEA Cluster*, by serving as the primary liaison between Santen pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Distribution operations and the commercial affiliates in the assigned EMEA Cluster.
• To ensure that all products distributed meet the company’s quality standards and regulatory requirements, safeguarding patient safety and product integrity.
• To act as Subject Matter Expert on (international) pharma legislation to the organization.
• Develop and maintain quality awareness in the organization and follow pharma legislation developments closely and make available to the organization.
• To fulfill the deputy RP(RT) / PRRC function for Santen SA (Switzerland) by working closely with the RP and the Distribution & Country Quality team to oversee the distribution activities, ensuring that pharmaceutical products are stored, transported, and handled in accordance with all local regulatory requirements and company standards.

(*EMEA Cluster for this role is defined as: “Distributor Markets”. The Distributor Markets are defined as markets where local distributors are buying and owning products from Santen. In these countries, there is no Santen Quality function present. These countries are primarily located in the ME (Middle East), North Africa, Balkan region, and Eastern Europe region).

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Regulatory Compliance and Oversight:

• Support the RP/RT and PRRC in ensuring compliance with Swiss GDP regulations as per Swissmedic guidelines.
• Act as the designated deputy in the absence of the RP/RT and PRRC, maintaining full responsibility for GDP compliance during this period.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of the Santen SA QMS to align with GDP requirements.
• Work closely with the RP/RT, Quality team, and supply chain partners to align GDP activities with overall business objectives.
• Liaise with Swissmedic and other regulatory authorities as needed to ensure a clear understanding of compliance expectations.

• Act as the primary quality contact between Santen and local distributors in assigned markets.
• Provide expert guidance on quality management processes to local distributors to ensure adherence to Good Distribution Practices (GDP), regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• There are no direct reports in this position.

• Develop, implement, and maintain quality agreements / distribution agreements with local distributors, clearly outlining roles, responsibilities, and expectations.
• Monitor compliance of distributors with company standards and local regulatory requirements through audits, risk assessments, and performance reviews.

• Investigate and resolve quality-related issues, including deviations, product complaints, and recalls, ensuring effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) are implemented.
• Assess and mitigate risks associated with distribution channels to prevent product quality incidents.

• Provide training to local distributor teams on GDP, quality systems, and regulatory requirements to build a culture of quality.
• Develop and implement quality management processes tailored to distributor operations.

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including manufacturing, regulatory affairs, and supply chain teams, to align quality objectives across the distributor markets.
• Foster strong relationships with local regulatory authorities, ensuring effective communication and proactive management of compliance expectations.

• Identify opportunities for process improvement in quality management across distributor markets.
• Develop and report key quality metrics to drive performance improvement and compliance.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8–10 years of experience in quality assurance or quality management within the pharmaceutical industry, including experience with distributor markets or external partners.
• In-depth knowledge of Swiss GDP regulations and guidelines, including Swiss and EU medical requirements.
• Excellent communication skills (spoken and written) in English and French.
• At least 1 year experience as RP/RT or deputy RP/RT in Switzerland with a site that has been granted a wholesale license (WDA).
• Proven experience managing quality systems, audits, and investigations.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities, with a focus on proactive risk management.
• University / Master’s degree in Pharmacy, Biotechnology, Biology, Chemistry, Human/Dental/Veterinary Medicine (EEA or in Switzerland).

Additional Information

Deadline
Please apply before 23rd March 2025.

To submit your application, please upload your English version of CV (click on Apply and follow the instructions).

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Quality Assurance
• Industries
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

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