Head of Packaging

About This Role

Leading a global organization responsible for defining and delivering innovative, compliant, and sustainable packaging solutions across Takeda's diverse product portfolio is the core of this role. You will provide strategic and technical leadership across packaging commercialization, technology transfers, and lifecycle management, ensuring seamless collaboration between R&D, MSAT, manufacturing sites, and external partners. Combining deep technical expertise with strong portfolio and program management capabilities, you will drive global standards, operational excellence, and continuous improvement while ensuring packaging solutions meet evolving patient needs, regulatory requirements, and business priorities.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the global MSAT Packaging strategy, innovation roadmap, and capability development agenda, aligned with Takeda's business objectives and product portfolio
• Lead global packaging programs, ensuring effective portfolio prioritization, resource allocation, budget management, risk mitigation, and delivery against key milestones
• Oversee packaging commercialization, qualification, technical transfers, and manufacturing implementation, ensuring successful product launches and operational readiness
• Establish robust governance and seamless collaboration between R&D-led early development and Wave 1 launches and MSAT-led Wave 2+ launches, commercialization, and lifecycle management
• Drive packaging lifecycle management across internal manufacturing sites and CMOs, ensuring technical compliance, supply resilience, cost optimization, and continuous improvement
• Develop and harmonize global packaging standards, technical procedures, design principles, and best practices across modalities, manufacturing sites, and external partners
• Champion sustainable and patient-centric packaging solutions, promoting material optimization, recyclability, waste reduction, and improved patient experience
• Build and lead a high-performing global organization, fostering technical excellence, talent development, accountability, inclusion, and cross-functional collaboration
• Partner with senior leaders across R&D, MSAT, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Procurement, Commercial, manufacturing sites, and external suppliers to drive strategic alignment, manage risks, and ensure successful execution

Requirements

• Advanced degree in a scientific, engineering, or technical discipline, combined with approximately 15 years of experience in pharmaceutical development, manufacturing, packaging, medical devices, combination products, or related technical operations
• At least 10 years of leadership experience managing global technical, engineering, manufacturing, or program-management organizations, including responsibility for budgets, resources, and strategic initiatives
• Proven track record in pharmaceutical packaging development, commercialization, global product launches, technology transfers, and lifecycle management, including CMC and regulatory considerations
• Strong technical expertise in pharmaceutical packaging science and engineering, device and combination-product technologies, manufacturing processes, qualification, and patient-centric design
• Comprehensive understanding of global regulatory requirements and quality standards, including cGMP, GLP, ICH, and FDA CMC expectations
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with internal manufacturing networks, CMOs, packaging suppliers, equipment providers, and cross-functional stakeholders
• Strong strategic planning, portfolio management, and financial acumen, with the ability to prioritize complex initiatives and deliver results across global operations
• Exceptional leadership, communication, influencing, and change-management capabilities, with a demonstrated ability to build alignment across diverse teams and senior stakeholders
• Expertise in project and program management

Nice to have:

• Formal certification such as PMP, along with external industry recognition or involvement in packaging innovation and sustainability

Important Details

• Locations: Lexington, MA; Glattpark (Opfikon) - Zurich HQ

About the Company

Takeda is committed to equitable pay for all employees and strives to be more transparent with its pay practices.