Head of Global Engineering

Zentiva, a pan-European producer of generic medicine, is seeking an accomplished and visionary leader to join our Product Supply leadership team in the role of Head of Global Engineering.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Head of Global Engineering is dedicated to delivering excellence in engineering execution by aligning strategies and activities with Product Supply business objectives. As an integral member of the Product Supply Leadership Team, the Head of Global Engineering leads the engineering function across four pharmaceutical manufacturing sites located in Romania, India, and Prague.

With a focus on reliability, efficiency, and compliance, this role ensures seamless operations across production equipment, utilities, facilities, and infrastructure. The mission is to drive continuous improvement, uphold regulatory compliance, and enhance energy efficiency while maintaining Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.

Additionally, the Head of Global Engineering champions global initiatives in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE), fostering a culture of safety, sustainability, and environmental stewardship across all sites. By integrating innovative engineering solutions and prioritizing employee well-being, the role contributes to a resilient and sustainable operational framework that supports the production of high-quality pharmaceutical products to meet patient needs worldwide.

JOB PURPOSE
The Global Head of Engineering is responsible for executing agreed strategies and engineering activities in alignment with Product Supply business objectives. This role is also a key member of the Product Supply Leadership Team, contributing to the organization’s strategic direction and operational excellence.

The Global Head of Engineering plays a pivotal role in driving engineering excellence and sustainability across all sites. The purpose of the role includes:

• Engineering Excellence: Ensure best practices in the key areas of CAPEX expenditure, asset lifecycle management, supply reliability, maintenance, quality, and automation.
• Team Development: Build and develop high-performing site engineering teams, including implementing associate career development plans to foster technical and leadership capabilities.
• Performance Management: Manage and continuously improve engineering performance across all sites, driving operational efficiency and innovation.
• Capital Planning: Oversee the development and execution of multiyear capital expenditure plans to align with strategic priorities.
• Global SME Support: Ensure the provision of engineering Subject Matter Expert (SME) support to address site-specific and global challenges.
• Strategic Planning: Interpret multi-year Global Operations development plans and translate them into actionable site master plans, recapitalization strategies, and long-term development initiatives.
• HSE Leadership: Integrate Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) best practices into engineering activities, promoting a culture of safety, sustainability, and compliance across all operations.
• Maintenance: Lead the development of an effective maintenance strategy across the sites, managing the reliability, compliance and life cycle of equipment

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES AND DUTIES

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a unified global engineering strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Drive standardization across processes, technologies, and best practices globally.
• Act as a strategic advisor to the Product Supply Leadership Team.

HSE Leadership

• Integrate Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) into all engineering activities.
• Ensure global compliance with HSE standards and lead sustainability initiatives.
• Foster a culture of safety, risk reduction, and environmental responsibility.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee engineering performance in CAPEX, asset lifecycle, supply reliability, maintenance, and automation.
• Ensure facilities, utilities, and equipment meet safety, compliance, and efficiency standards.
• Lead the delivery of multiyear CAPEX plans and major global projects.

Innovation and Technology

• Champion the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and advanced automation.
• Drive innovation to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability.

People Development

• Build and lead high-performing global engineering teams.
• Implement career development plans and foster technical and leadership growth.
• Ensure availability of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for global support.

Sustainability and Value Creation

• Optimize engineering resources for cost efficiency while maintaining quality and compliance.
• Lead initiatives to reduce environmental impact and improve energy efficiency.
• Develop and maintain robust site master and recapitalization plans.

Risk Management and Resilience

• Identify and mitigate engineering-related risks to ensure business continuity.
• Establish contingency plans to maintain operational reliability.

KEY METRICS

CAPEX Execution Rate: % of projects completed on time and within budget.

Energy Efficiency Improvements: Reduction in kWh per unit produced.

Compliance Metrics: % of successful regulatory and HSE audits without major energy observations.

Equipment Reliability: Reduction in unplanned downtime, improvements on MTBF AND MTTR.

Sustainability Impact: Reduction in carbon footprint aligned with Zentiva’s sustainability targets covered by capital projects.

Engineering Cost Efficiency: Cost savings from engineering-driven process improvements and automation.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or a related field).
• Advanced degree, MBA ideally
• Certifications in project management (e.g., PMP) or HSE-related qualifications are a strong advantage.

Experience

• Engineering Leadership: Minimum 15+ years of progressive engineering leadership roles, with at least 5 years in a global or multi-site capacity.
• Pharmaceutical or Regulated Industry Expertise: Proven experience in engineering roles within pharmaceutical, biotech, or other regulated industries, with knowledge of GMP and regulatory standards.
• Capital Project Management: Extensive experience managing large-scale CAPEX programs, including multiyear capital planning, project delivery, and financial accountability.
• HSE Leadership: Demonstrated success in embedding HSE principles into engineering operations and fostering a culture of safety and sustainability.
• Change Management: Experience driving engineering innovation, digital transformation (Industry 4.0), and process standardization globally.

Technical Skills

• Deep understanding of Capital program planning and execution, asset lifecycle management, maintenance, and reliability programs.
• Expertise in automation, advanced manufacturing technologies, and facility design.
• Strong knowledge of global HSE standards, sustainability practices, and risk management frameworks.
• Proficiency in operational excellence methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma).

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to define and execute long-term global engineering strategies.
• Collaboration: Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, with a proven track record of working across regions and functions.
• Decision-Making: Exceptional problem-solving and decision-making skills in complex, high-pressure environments.
• Team Development: Proven ability to build, mentor, and lead high-performing global teams.
• Communication: Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including influencing senior leadership and external partners.

Global Mindset

• Flexibility to navigate diverse cultural, regulatory, and operational landscapes.
• Willingness to travel extensively and engage with teams across multiple time zones.
• This role requires a combination of technical expertise, leadership excellence, and a passion for driving innovation and sustainability within a global engineering framework.
• Ability to question the existing situations, setting challenging priorities
• Stress resistant, well balanced personality, emotional intelligent