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