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Executive Director, Infrastructure & Operations

Job Description

Position Summary

The Executive Director, Infrastructure & Operations defines and executes the vision and roadmap for the company’s global technology infrastructure and IT operations. This executive provides strategic leadership for all infrastructure domains—data centers, cloud platforms, networks, end-user services, and service operations—ensuring secure, scalable, and compliant delivery that enables scientific innovation and operational agility. Operating within a mid-size biotech enterprise, this leader brings a global perspective and a deep understanding of regulated environments. The Executive Director partners closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, and Commercial teams to ensure technology investments deliver measurable business value. The role combines technical depth, business acumen, and strong collaboration and communication skills. It requires the ability to lead transformation, introduce AI-enabled automation, and align infrastructure strategy with enterprise goals.

Key Responsibilities

1. Leadership & Strategic Direction

  • Define and champion the long-term vision and strategy for global Infrastructure & Operations, ensuring alignment with corporate and digital priorities.

  • Develop and maintain a multi-year technology roadmap that modernizes legacy systems, strengthens resilience, and advances automation and AI.

  • Partner with the CIO and executive peers to prioritize investments, manage risk, and communicate progress across the enterprise.

  • Serve as a trusted advisor on infrastructure modernization, workforce enablement, and emerging technologies.

2. Infrastructure Operations

  • Oversee enterprise-wide compute, storage, hosting, network, collaboration, and end-user services.

  • Lead transformation toward hybrid and multi-cloud architectures (AWS, Azure), implementing automation, observability, and proactive monitoring.

  • Drive uptime, performance, and cost efficiency through service standardization, AI-driven operations (AIOps), and continuous improvement.

  • Ensure infrastructure capabilities evolve to meet business demands across R&D, manufacturing, and global commercial operations.

3. Security, Compliance & Resilience

  • Maintain a robust security and compliance posture aligned to GxP, SOX, and data-integrity standards.

  • Collaborate with Cybersecurity and Quality teams to ensure infrastructure supports global regulatory obligations.

  • Lead business continuity, disaster recovery, and data protection strategies across the enterprise.

  • Balance innovation with operational risk management and governance discipline.

4. Team Leadership & Organizational Development

  • Lead a global organization of IT professionals and service providers, fostering accountability, inclusivity, and continuous improvement.

  • Build technical and leadership capability through mentoring, development planning, and clear performance metrics.

  • Ensure organizational design supports global delivery and effective collaboration across regions and time zones.

  • Model transparent communication and cross-functional partnership to enable coordinated execution.

5. Vendor & Stakeholder Management

  • Manage strategic relationships with technology vendors, integrators, and managed-service providers.

  • Negotiate large-scale infrastructure and cloud contracts to achieve cost optimization, service quality, and innovation.

  • Establish governance models with measurable KPIs and SLAs to monitor vendor performance.

  • Act as a bridge between business needs and technology solutions, aligning stakeholders through clear communication.

6. Client Services & IT Operations

  • Oversee Service Desk and end-user computing services to ensure high-quality support and user satisfaction.

  • Implement AI-driven service management, including intelligent monitoring, predictive incident response, and digital assistants.

  • Manage IT asset lifecycle and enforce consistent configuration and change control practices.

  • Drive adoption of ITIL-based service processes and continuous service improvement across all regions.

7. Technology Innovation & Business Alignment

  • Drive infrastructure innovation through automation, AI/ML, observability, and modern cloud- architectures.

  • Align the technology roadmap with business and digital strategies, ensuring infrastructure supports data-driven decision-making and enterprise agility.

  • Collaborate with leaders in R&D, Manufacturing, and Commercial to co-create scalable, secure, and cost-effective technology solutions.

  • Serve on digital transformation steering committees to represent Infrastructure & Operations as a strategic capability.

8. Financial & Resource Management

  • Manage and optimize a $50M+ annual budget across infrastructure, operations, and managed services.

  • Establish financial governance, forecast accurately, and deliver efficiency through automation and vendor rationalization.

  • Apply FinOps principles to optimize cloud consumption and cost transparency.

  • Align capital and operating expenditures with business priorities and transformation outcomes.

Key Skills & Qualifications

Technical Expertise

  • Deep experience in enterprise-scale infrastructure including data centers, hybrid cloud, networks, storage, and end-user computing.

  • Proficiency with multi-cloud operations (AWS, Azure), infrastructure automation, and observability platforms.

  • Knowledge of ITIL, DevSecOps, and AI-enabled operations (AIOps).

Security & Compliance

  • Strong understanding of cybersecurity architecture, governance, and risk management in regulated life sciences.

  • Proven record of maintaining compliance with GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, and related data-integrity requirements.

Leadership & Communication

  • Exceptional ability to collaborate and communicate across executive and technical audiences.

  • Skilled in leading large global teams and influencing diverse stakeholder groups.

  • Track record of transforming complex organizations into agile, outcome-oriented operations.

Project & Operations Management

  • Experience leading enterprise-scale transformations (data center consolidation, cloud migration, automation).

  • Strong focus on operational performance, SLA governance, and cost optimization.

Business Acumen & Strategic Planning

  • Ability to translate business priorities into actionable technology roadmaps.

  • Strong financial management and ROI focus in capital and operating decisions.

  • Adept at balancing innovation with operational stability and compliance.

Education & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or Business required; MBA or master’s .

  • 15+ years of progressive IT experience, including 10+ years leading global infrastructure organizations.

  • Demonstrated success managing budgets exceeding $50M and distributed teams across multiple regions.

Experience

  • Experience in biotech or pharmaceutical environments, supporting R&D, clinical, and manufacturing operations.

  • Proven ability to apply AI and analytics to improve reliability, automation, and decision support.

  • Leadership experience with multi-cloud ecosystems, zero-trust frameworks, and high-availability systems.

  • Exposure to global delivery models (India, Europe, North America) and right-sourcing strategies.

Leadership Competencies

  • Visionary Thinking: Defines and articulates a clear, global vision for Infrastructure & Operations that aligns technology with business strategy.

  • Global Perspective: Operates effectively across geographies, understanding regional and cultural nuances.

  • Collaboration & Influence: Builds trusted relationships and communicates with clarity and credibility.

  • Innovation: Champions automation, AI, and emerging technologies to enhance agility and performance.

  • Operational Excellence: Ensures secure, stable, and cost-efficient delivery of technology services worldwide.