Senior Director, Business Operations Lead – Small Molecule, Commercial Manufacturing and Technical Operations

Boston, MAFull-timePosted Aug 4, 2026

Job Description

General Summary:

The Senior Director, Business Operations Lead is a senior role within the Business Operations function supporting Commercial Manufacturing and Technical Operations (CMTO). Reporting to the Executive Director, Business Operations and Performance, this role is accountable for product-level business leadership across commercial manufacturing activities, with a primary focus on CDMO business management, manufacturing performance governance, readiness and growth planning, cost of goods oversight, and scenario-based business decision support.

This individual represents the business position for assigned product(s) across governance forums and key cross-functional decision-making bodies. The role ensures that product business requirements are translated into manufacturing priorities, performance expectations, contractual frameworks, and long-range network planning. The Senior Director will work across CMTO and partner functions to support continuity of supply, cost performance, operational readiness, and strategic manufacturing decision-making.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Serve as the Business Operations lead for assigned product(s) within CMTO, providing product-level business leadership across commercial manufacturing activities.
Act as the business lead in the CDMO relationship, ensuring business priorities, risks, and requirements are appropriately represented and managed.
Lead the product-level business position in governance forums related to manufacturing performance against established KPIs.
Define and communicate business requirements for readiness and growth, and monitor progress to plan, including support for new vendor selection and manufacturing network changes as needed.
Maintain end-to-end business understanding of CDMO and site performance for assigned product(s), including performance trends, risks, opportunities, and implications to product strategy.
Establish, monitor, and evolve product-level KPIs with a focus on cost, efficiency, service, and operational performance.
Develop and maintain performance dashboards and related management reporting to support governance, business reviews, and decision-making.
Own responsibility for COGM, including establishing cost expectations over time, assessing key cost drivers, and tracking progress against COGM reduction plans.
Drive product-level business decisions informed by manufacturing performance, including capacity, sourcing, continuity, supply risk, and network considerations.
Partner with Strategic Sourcing, Manufacturing Operations, Legal, and Finance to develop and implement contract structures that align to the priorities and requirements of supported product(s).
Lead and support commercial manufacturing scenario planning in support of DST, enterprise, and manufacturing assessments, including scenarios driven by scale, geopolitical changes, supply risk, or evolving business strategy.
Translate strategic priorities into actionable plans with defined milestones, decision points, accountabilities, and measures of success.
Identify and escalate business risks, dependencies, and execution gaps, and recommend actions to support timely and effective decision-making.
Prepare executive-level materials, recommendations, and business updates for leadership reviews, governance discussions, and strategic planning processes.
Contribute to the ongoing development of business operations processes, tools, and governance frameworks that strengthen execution across CMTO.

Knowledge and Skills:

Significant experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated industry.
Demonstrated experience supporting manufacturing, external manufacturing, CDMO management, or technical operations business processes.
Experience with product-level business management in a manufacturing environment, including governance, cost oversight, performance monitoring, and cross-functional decision support.
Proven experience with COGM assessment, tracking, and cost improvement planning.
Experience leading or contributing to governance forums tied to manufacturing performance, supply strategy, and business risk.
Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a matrixed environment and influence cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.
Strong business acumen with the ability to connect operational performance to product strategy, financial outcomes, and enterprise priorities.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, including the ability to develop materials for senior leadership.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to synthesize complex information into clear business recommendations.
CDMO relationship and business management
Product-level manufacturing governance
KPI development and performance management
Dashboard development and business reporting
COGM modeling, tracking, and reduction planning
Scenario planning and strategic assessment support
Contracting partnership across sourcing, legal, and finance
Capacity, sourcing, continuity, and supply risk evaluation
Cross-functional planning and execution
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Teams
Experience with enterprise and reporting tools such as SAP, Power BI, Tableau, Smartsheet, or similar systems
Experience supporting external manufacturing networks and vendor selection processes
Working knowledge of cGMP manufacturing environments
Experience developing business cases and decision frameworks for manufacturing network, supply, or cost-related decisions
Strong financial acumen and ability to partner effectively with Finance on product and manufacturing-related analyses
Experience supporting global manufacturing or supply organizations

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Life Sciences, Operations, or related field.
Typically requires 15+ years of relevant experience in business operations, commercial manufacturing, technical operations, supply chain, finance, strategic planning, or related leadership roles.

Pay Range:

$218,400 - $327,600

Disclosure Statement:

The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive market-leading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journey while providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations. From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more.

Flex Designation:

Hybrid-Eligible Or On-Site Eligible

Flex Eligibility Status:

In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as:
1. Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2. On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.

#LI-Hybrid

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com