Manager, Manufacturing Operations - 2nd shift

About Site

Catalent’s Kansas City facility is home to our Oral & Specialty Drug Delivery, Biologics Analytical Services and Clinical Supply Services businesses.

Position Summary

We have an opportunity for a Manager, Manufacturing Operations - 2nd shift to join our team. This role leads second-shift cGMP manufacturing at the Kansas City site, ensuring quality products are produced on time and in full compliance with safety and regulatory standards. The position oversees front-line Supervisors and their teams, driving performance in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and engagement. As the senior leader on site during the second shift, this role makes real-time operational decisions, fosters collaboration across departments, and builds leadership capability for future growth.

Shift: M-Th 1:30pm-12am
Location: Kansas City, MO
100% Onsite

The Role

• Lead all second-shift manufacturing activities, ensuring schedule adherence, effective resource deployment, and achievement of daily production commitments.
• Serve as the senior operations decision-maker on shift; resolve workflow, processing, equipment, and utility issues and escalate significant risks promptly.
• Ensure disciplined shift-to-shift handoff, communication, and continuity of open issues, deviations, and priorities.
• Support 24/7 operations, including flexibility for coverage across shifts and weekends as business needs require.
• Ensure compliance with all cGMP, OSHA, environmental, and Catalent safety standards; proactively identify and correct unsafe conditions and behaviors.
• Ensure Supervisors and operators are trained and executing to approved operating and cleaning procedures and applicable regulations.
• Ensure batch records are complete, accurate, and right first time.
• Define and execute corrective and preventive actions in response to deviations and internal, regulatory, and client audit findings; meet commitments on time.
• Maintain the facility in a tour-ready state at all times; support regulatory agency and client audits and on-site visits.
• Manage and develop front-line Supervisors and their teams, including selection, onboarding, performance evaluation, coaching, and discipline.
• Build supervisory capability and succession depth; identify high-potential talent and create development plans for growth.
• Partner with Human Resources on recruitment, retention, training, engagement, and workforce planning.
• Foster an inclusive, accountable environment where associates are encouraged to speak up and contribute improvement ideas.
• Track, analyze, and report shift performance metrics; identify trends and drive corrective actions.
• Lead Lean and continuous improvement initiatives to improve throughput, right-first-time performance, and cost efficiency.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Engineering, Facilities, and other support groups to ensure smooth operations and resolve constraints.
• Support technology transfers, new product introductions, equipment commissioning, and validation activities executed on shift.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
  

The Candidate

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biology, Business, or a related discipline required; equivalent combination of education and progressive manufacturing leadership experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated experience leading front-line supervisors or comparable people leaders.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CDMO, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment, including at least 3 years leading people.
• Working knowledge of cGMP requirements, batch record execution, deviation and Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) systems, and the partnership between Operations and Quality.
• Strong operational problem-solving and decision-making skills, including the ability to make sound judgments independently during off-shift hours.
• Demonstrated capability in Lean manufacturing, structured problem solving, and data-driven performance management.
• Solid business acumen with understanding of labor efficiency, yield, capacity, and cost drivers.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with operators, peers, senior leadership, and clients.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and manufacturing business systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and electronic quality systems.
• Operational ownership: Translates site priorities into clear shift objectives and holds the team accountable for results.
• Talent development: Coaches supervisors, gives candid feedback, and builds a pipeline of capable future leaders.
• Decision making: Makes timely, risk-based decisions, owns outcomes, and escalates appropriately.
• Collaboration and influence: Builds trust across functions and shifts and drives alignment without relying on positional authority.
• Change leadership: Leads teams effectively through changing priorities, new processes, and continuous improvement.
• Resilience and composure: Maintains composure and sound judgment under production, quality, and client pressure.
• Culture and engagement: Models Catalent values, maintains visible presence on the floor, recognizes performance, and promotes an inclusive, respectful workplace.
• Demonstrable leadership experience at Catalent (including but not limited to participation in Catalent‑sponsored leadership programs such as NGGL, GOLD, LEAD Now, GM Excellence, and GROW) may be considered in place of external experience.

Preferred Skills & Background

• Experience in oral solid dosage manufacturing preferred.
• Direct experience supporting regulatory inspections and client audits preferred.

Why You Should Join Catalent

• Defined career path and annual performance review and feedback process.
• Diverse, inclusive culture.
• Potential for career growth on an expanding team within an organization dedicated to preserving and bettering lives.
• Competitive paid time off plus 8 paid holidays.
• Community engagement and green initiatives.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits effective day one of employment.
• Tuition Reimbursement.

Catalent offers rewarding opportunities to further your career!  Join the global drug development and delivery leader and help us bring over 7,000 life-saving and life-enhancing products to patients around the world. Catalent is an exciting and growing international company where employees work directly with pharma, biopharma and consumer health companies of all sizes to advance new medicines from early development to clinical trials and to the market. Catalent produces more than 70 billion doses per year, and each one will be used by someone who is counting on us. Join us in making a difference. 

personal initiative. dynamic pace. meaningful work.

Visit Catalent Careers to explore career opportunities.

Catalent is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veterans.

If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by sending an email, and confirming your request for an accommodation and include the job number, title and location to [email protected]. This option is reserved for individuals who require accommodation due to a disability. Information received will be processed by a U.S. Catalent employee and then routed to a local recruiter who will provide assistance to ensure appropriate consideration in the application or hiring process.

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