Senior Manager, Training and Development

Kyowa Kirin is a fast-growing global specialty pharmaceutical company that applies state-of-the-art biotechnologies to discover and deliver novel medicines in four disease areas: bone and mineral; intractable hematologic; hematology oncology; and rare disease.  A Japan-based company, our goal is to make people smile by delivering breakthroughs where no adequate treatments currently exist, working from drug discovery to product development and commercialization. In North America, we are headquartered in Princeton, NJ, with offices in California, Massachusetts, and Ontario.

The Senior Manager of Training and Development will be responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of learning plans and training curricula for the new Kyowa Kirin manufacturing site in Sanford, NC. The incumbent will ensure that employees are equipped with the technical knowledge, experience, and development pathways necessary to comply with industry regulations, understand and execute product and process steps, and meet company goals.

The incumbent will provide a consistent approach to training and development and possess a deep understanding of training requirements in a GMP environment. By collaborating with the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), Central Carolina Community College (CCCC), Kyowa Kirin functional leaders and stakeholders, and other relevant industry partners, the Senior Manager of Training and Development will design, develop, and implement productive and effective learning plans and curricula.

As an individual contributor, you will embody compassionate, people-centric leadership to guide and support our team. You will collaborate closely with others, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive environment while driving team development. Your work will reflect the organization’s values and integrity in all your actions. Utilizing situational leadership and emotional intelligence, you will align diverse viewpoints, manage stakeholders, and make empathetic decisions to address individual and team needs effectively. You will also be results-oriented, ensuring that your team not only adapts to challenges but also delivers measurable outcomes that align with business objectives. Additionally, you will help teams navigate through change and uncertainty with resilience and clarity, enabling them to adapt to fast-evolving, rapidly scaling environments and meet new challenges in the biotech industry with a patient-focused mindset.

This position reports to the Director of Manufacturing and is responsible for training site-wide.

GXP Training responsibilities will remain with QA.  Procedures specific to Quality will be led and administered by QA.

Technical Skills, Knowledge, and Experience 
•    Needs Analysis: Conduct thorough, risk based, assessments to identify training needs across different departments. 
•    Curricula Design and Development: Design and develop multiple comprehensive training and development curricula utilizing visually engaging content and a mix of knowledge-based and practical materials. The scope includes, but is not limited to, onboarding, occupational training, compliance training, and continuing education, tailored to specific roles and regulatory requirements.
•    Training and Development Delivery: Orchestrate and drive the delivery of effective and engaging training and development programs through various methods, including classroom instruction, e-learning platforms, virtual training, on-the-job training, job shadowing, job rotation, and hands-on workshops. 
•    Performance Measurement: Establish metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs, including knowledge retention, skill application, impact on business performance, and employee experience. 
•    Quality Assurance: Ensure all training programs adhere to high quality standards, regulatory compliance (e.g., FDA, GXP), and are delivered consistently across the organization. 
•    Budget Management: Manage training incentives and the budget, including state- and county-related incentives, vendor contracts, course materials, and training facilities.
•    Stakeholder Management: Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including HR, Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, ICT, and Finance to align training initiatives with business objectives including Community Economic Development Agreement (CEDA) related incentives. 
•    Leadership and Team Development: Develop and implement leadership and team training programs in collaboration with HR to foster a strong talent pipeline and team cohesion within the organization. 

Leadership
•    Results-Oriented: Lead teams by setting clear, measurable goals and ensuring accountability for achieving key objectives. Align resources effectively, remove obstacles, and maintain focus on delivering high-quality results within set timelines.
•    Empathetic Communication: Listen carefully, give helpful feedback, and handle conflicts with care.
•    Team Development: Mentor and guide team members, create growth plans when applicable, support ongoing learning, and develop team members with a patient-focused mindset.
•    Inclusive Leadership: Build a diverse, respectful environment where everyone feels valued and supported.
•    Supportive Environment: Encourage a positive workplace, celebrate achievements, and promote work-life balance.
•    Collaboration: Lead by example, promote teamwork and respect, and ensure your actions reflect the organization’s values.
•    Emotional Intelligence: Manage emotions thoughtfully, make empathetic decisions with a patient-focused mindset, and stay calm under pressure.
•    Change Management: Help teams navigate change with clear communication and flexibility.
•    Situational Leadership: Adapt your leadership style to meet the needs of the team, offering guidance or independence as needed, while keeping patient outcomes in mind.
•    Stakeholder Management and Alignment Building: Work with different people to build alignment, guide discussions toward common goals, and ensure decisions are aligned with a patient-focused mindset.

Education
•    Bachelor's degree in education, business, life sciences, or a related field.
•    Master's degree in instructional design, adult learning, talent management, or a relevant field is preferred.

Experience
•    Minimum of 5 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a proven track record in training and development roles. 
•    Experience with starting up and operating a biopharma manufacturing facility is a plus.

Technical Skills
•    Industry Expertise: Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory landscape, product knowledge, and healthcare standards. 
•    Instructional Design: Proficiency in instructional design principles and adult learning methodologies. 
•    Project Management: Strong project management skills to manage multiple training initiatives simultaneously. 
•    Leadership and Communication: Strong leadership and communication skills to engage stakeholders, drive a clear training vision, and foster cross-functional collaboration. Adept at articulating complex training strategies and delivering technical content effectively to diverse audiences.
•    Data Analysis and Insights: Ability to generate, analyze, and derive insights from training data to measure effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
•    Compliance Focus: Strong commitment to maintaining compliance with relevant regulatory requirements. Confidence and ability to present and answer questions related to the site’s training approach and methodology.

Non-Technical Skills
Results-oriented and able to navigate ambiguity, you set clear outcomes, track progress, follow through on commitments, and ensure your actions lead to measurable results that advance organizational objectives. Respond promptly, take accountability, and manage tasks efficiently. Adapt to change with clarity, patience, and understanding, guiding teams through evolving challenges. Exhibit strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a solid work ethic while demonstrating cultural sensitivity and the ability to foster alignment in a global environment. Communicate with care by actively listening and considering others' perspectives, fostering productive, engaging interactions, and managing relationships with kindness. Embrace personal growth through continuous learning and knowledge sharing, maintaining a growth mindset. Promote inclusive collaboration by respecting diverse perspectives and creating a welcoming work environment. Contribute positively by recognizing achievements and encouraging a healthy work-life balance. Collaborate with respect, integrity, and humility, prioritizing collective success over individual gain. Resourceful and proactive, challenge the status quo, drive innovation, and develop creative solutions. Apply an enterprise-wide, holistic mindset, working beyond siloed thinking to deliver cohesive, integrated solutions.

Physical Demands: Initially working on a construction site and ultimately in a biotech manufacturing site in Sanford, NC.

Work is 100% on-site.  This is not a hybrid or remote role.  

Working Conditions: Requires up to 10% domestic and limited international travel. 

KKNA and all of its employees have an obligation to act in accordance with the law and with integrity in all our operations and interactions

It is the policy of Kyowa Kirin North America, Inc. to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, religion, creed, color, pregnancy, sex, age, national origin, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or affection preference or citizenship status or any other category protected by law.

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