Global Head of Product Lifecycle & Launch Architecture - Supply Chain — Roche

Full description

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections, where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position The Global Head of Product Lifecycle & Launch Architecture - Supply Chain (internally called: Global Head of Supply Chain Science, Technology & Launch) in our Global Supply Chain division serves as a critical strategic engine within the organization, focused on driving cross-functional alignment across R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Commercial, and Regulatory functions. By implementing advanced design methodologies, establishing global standards, and optimizing end-to-end supply chain integration, the department breaks down functional silos to foster a transformational leadership environment. The team is dedicated to permanently optimizing processes to increase quality and efficiency standards, ensuring that long-term multi-year planning and innovative technologies position the entire organization for future readiness.

We are seeking a Global Head to step into a primarily strategic role, acting as an architect and systems thinker to shape our global supply chain strategy. This position is highly visible and impactful, with a task split dedicated to 50% Launch & Integration Orchestration, 25% Strategic Architecture, and 25% Leadership & Capability Building. Operating on a global scale, you will lead high-level project execution and empower cross-functional teams to navigate highly ambiguous, unstructured challenges, transforming complex operational hurdles into measurable business opportunities.

The Opportunity

• Driving organization-wide impact by delivering operational efficiencies through Lean design, cost savings, and successful pilot-to-commercial scaling that directly influences commercial sales results.
• Enforcing global design standards and regulatory compliance while acting as the key strategic point of contact for global launch readiness.
• Devoting 60-80% of your focus to multi-year strategic planning during the early stages of the Product Life Cycle (PLC) to challenge the status quo and introduce new technologies.
• Leading and co-owning the Global Supply Chain strategy by setting comprehensive policies, standardizing processes, establishing governance, and defining physical product requirements.
• Overseeing critical, large-scale integration projects encompassing end-to-end supply chain integration and new product commercialization across diverse regions and divisions.
• Influencing and negotiating on a daily or weekly basis with internal leaders across Manufacturing, R&D, and Finance, as well as external Logistics Service Providers and manufacturing sites.
• Managing significant conflicts between competing functional interests, such as balancing R&D’s speed with supply chain compliance, while regularly presenting investment and readiness rationales to senior leadership.

Who You Are

• An advanced degree holder, with a required Master's degree in Life Science, Engineering, Pharmacy, or a related subject, though a Ph.D. or MBA is highly preferred.
• A seasoned professional with 10+ years of leadership experience within the pharmaceutical, diagnostics, healthcare, or a similarly highly regulated industry.
• An expert in industry operations, possessing clear, hands-on experience across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Quality & Regulatory environments.
• A strategic decision-maker with deep knowledge of product development, life cycle management processes, and the Roche Diagnostics product portfolio.
• An exceptional transformational leader committed to role-modeling Roche Values, Creative Leadership, VACC principles, and