Head of Quality

Cure Talent are delighted to be working with a global pharmaceutical and CDMO organisation renowned for their respiratory product expertise. As they continue to invest in the growth and transformation of their Holmes Chapel site, we have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Quality to join their Site Leadership Team.

As the new Head of Quality, you will play a key strategic and operational role, responsible for the overall direction and performance of QA and QC across a site of 85 quality professionals. You’ll lead a department that is lab-heavy, technically strong and undergoing a shift from big pharma to agile CDMO.

This is a high-impact role with four direct reports (QA, QC, Quality Systems, and Quality Support), and a broader team of around 60 in QC. You’ll bring technical depth, apply common sense in a commercial setting, and drive forward a culture of quality and accountability across the site.

To be successful as the new Head of Quality, you will bring substantial leadership experience within a GMP pharmaceutical environment. You’ll have a strong grasp of both QA and QC operations. Your background will include NPI, validation, regulatory inspections (including MHRA and FDA), and CI initiatives. You’ll be a confident, pragmatic leader who can assess risk, challenge legacy processes, and bring clarity and stability to a large, diverse team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Set and deliver the site’s Quality strategy in line with ICH Q10 and cGMP requirements.
• Lead the QA, QC, Quality Systems and Support teams, ensuring performance, development, and succession planning.
• Provide technical leadership across product lifecycle management, tech transfer, validation, and audit readiness.
• Act as the quality representative on the Site Leadership Team, influencing strategic decisions and site roadmap planning.
• Host regulatory and customer audits, ensuring a culture of continuous improvement and compliance.
• Champion practical, commercially minded approaches to quality within an agile, fast-paced CDMO environment.

About You:

• Degree educated in a scientific discipline.
• Significant experience leading QA/QC in a GMP pharmaceutical setting.
• Strong technical foundation with a hands-on, lab-focused understanding of Quality operations.
• Proven ability to challenge established processes and implement pragmatic improvements.
• Experienced in managing large teams and operating at senior leadership level.
• CDMO experience is highly advantageous; experience in Agile environments is a plus.
• QP eligibility is a nice-to-have, but not essential.

If you’re a technically strong, commercially savvy leader ready to shape the future of quality in a transitioning CDMO environment, get in touch with today!