Sr. Director - Engineering (Facilities & Utilities)

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

Lilly is currently constructing an advanced manufacturing facility for monoclonal antibodies, bioconjugates, and aseptic drug product manufacturing in Goochland County, Virginia. This facility is intended to provide capacity for current and future products.  This is a unique opportunity to be a part of the leadership team for the startup of a manufacturing site, and the successful candidate will help to build the organization, the facility and the culture to enable a successful startup into GMP manufacturing operations.    

Position Overview:

The Senior Director of Engineering – Facilities and Utilities is responsible for leading site operations related to facilities, utilities, and engineering, ensuring the infrastructure and leadership are in place to support both the site startup and long-term manufacturing operations. This role is part of the Lilly Site Lead Team, contributing to strategic direction, organizational development, and cross-functional coordination.

During the project delivery and startup phase, the Senior Director will:

• Guide the development and implementation of systems and business processes required for GMP operations.
• Help build the site’s culture and operational readiness.
• Collaborate closely with other Site Lead Team members to manage evolving responsibilities and ensure alignment with corporate objectives.

As the site transitions to full-scale GMP manufacturing, the role will evolve to focus on sustaining operational excellence, continuous improvement, and long-term strategic goals.

Key Responsibilities:

Pre-Startup and Startup Phase: 

• Be a collaborative, inclusive, and energetic leader, supporting the broader Lead Team.
• Build an organization with the capability, capacity, and culture to operate the facility to the highest standards of safety, quality, and operational excellence.
• Define site engineering facilities priorities and roadmap; develop and implement systems and processes by leveraging internal expertise and external best practices.
• Serve on the site HSE Lead Team to ensure a strong safety focus throughout project delivery and startup.
• Act as the end user representative during project delivery—providing input on design, commissioning, and startup to align with both project and long-term site goals.
• Develop and adapt the organizational structure to ensure the right resources and leadership are in place for full-scale GMP manufacturing.
• Ensure systems are established and executed to achieve a qualified and safe state for equipment, processes, utilities, and facilities.
• Build strong technical relationships with corporate functions and champion strategic initiatives at the site level.

Post Startup: 

• Lead collaboratively and energetically, supporting the broader Lead Team.
• Build an organization with the capability, capacity, and culture to operate the facility at the highest standards of safety, quality, and operational excellence.
• Define engineering priorities and roadmap; implement systems and processes using both internal expertise and external best practices.
• Ensure safety is embedded throughout project delivery and startup as a member of the site HSE Lead Team.
• Represent end-user needs during project delivery—providing input on design, commissioning, and startup to align with both immediate and long-term goals.
• Develop and adjust the organizational structure to ensure the right resources and leadership are in place for GMP manufacturing.
• Establish and execute systems to achieve a qualified and safe state for equipment, processes, utilities, and facilities.
• Foster strong technical partnerships with corporate teams and champion strategic initiatives at the site level.

Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related field
• 10+ years of experience leading teams in the pharmaceutical industry
• 5+ years of experience in API and aseptic manufacturing

Additional Preferences:

• Strong knowledge of cGMPs and their application in manufacturing operations.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships across all levels, inc