Associate Director, Team Lead Upstream Processing

At Genmab, we are dedicated to building extra[not]ordinary® futures, together, by developing antibody products and groundbreaking, knock-your-socks-off KYSO antibody medicines® that change lives and the future of cancer treatment and serious diseases. We strive to create, champion and maintain a global workplace where individuals’ unique contributions are valued and drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our patients, care partners, families and employees.

Our people are compassionate, candid, and purposeful, and our business is innovative and rooted in science. We believe that being proudly authentic and determined to be our best is essential to fulfilling our purpose. Yes, our work is incredibly serious and impactful, but we have big ambitions, bring a ton of care to pursuing them, and have a lot of fun while doing so.

Does this inspire you and feel like a fit? Then we would love to have you join us!

The Role

Do you want to lead a highly skilled upstream development team and help set the direction for upstream CMC activities across Genmab’s expanding portfolio?

With Genmab’s continued growth, we work with strong engagement to support development programs, marketed products, external manufacturing activities, regulatory filings, and continued improvement of robust CMC strategies.

We are now looking for an Associate Director, Team Lead, Upstream Development, to join our journey and contribute with strong scientific leadership, upstream process expertise, and people management experience.

You will be part of Process Development in MSAT CMC. Process Development is responsible for Upstream, Downstream, and Drug Linker processes and works closely with CMC Project Managers, CMOs, and cross-functional SMEs to support CMC activities across the product lifecycle.

You will work with a team of upstream Subject Matter Experts, SMEs, who support upstream process activities across Genmab’s portfolio. The team supports activities performed at Genmab’s partner CMOs, including process development, process characterization, process validation, technology transfer, troubleshooting, manufacturing support, regulatory submissions, health authority interactions, and lifecycle activities.

The position is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Department

The Upstream Development team is part of Process Development. The team is responsible for mammalian upstream process activities across development, regulatory filing, commercial readiness, and lifecycle support.

The team works across portfolio projects and in close collaboration with colleagues in downstream processing, drug linker development, analytical development, characterization, quality, regulatory CMC, external manufacturing, lifecycle management, and CMC project management.

Do you want to lead a team where people share knowledge, stay curious, ask questions, and support each other in achieving ambitious goals? You will succeed by focusing on teamwork, scientific quality, and strong results through and with your team.

If you can recognize yourself in this description, you might be our next Associate Director, Team Lead, Upstream Development.

As Associate Director, Team Lead, Upstream Development, you will be responsible for developing the team, setting priorities, and providing scientific direction for upstream CMC activities. You will ensure that upstream process activities are planned, guided, and delivered through the team according to project needs, current industry standards, regulatory expectations, and Genmab’s internal quality requirements.

This role combines people leadership with strong technical leadership. You will be expected to guide and challenge upstream strategies, support technical decision making, and ensure that the team delivers high quality input to CMC projects, regulatory submissions, external manufacturing activities, and lifecycle support.

You will balance people leadership, scientific direction setting, stakeholder management, and operational oversight. You will also contribute to the continued development of ways of working within Process Development and ensure effective collaboration across CMC functions and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Upstream Development team, including resource planning, hiring, onboarding, performance management, coaching, and professional development

• Set direction for upstream development strategies across portfolio projects in alignment with project needs, regulatory expectations, and Genmab’s CMC strategy

• Provide scientific guidance, technical sparring, and strategic support to team members working with upstream development, validation, manufacturing support, and lifecycle activities

• Ensure that upstream activities, including process characterization, process validation, technology transfer, troubleshooting, and CMO support, are planned and supported according to current industry standards and regulatory guidance

• Support the team in defining scopes, timelines, deliverables, risk assessments, and technical strategies for upstream activities across projects

• Ensure high quality upstream input to CMC regulatory submissions, health authority interactions, responses to health authority questions, and post approval changes

• Ensure effective collaboration with CMC Project Managers, downstream processing, drug linker development, analytical development, characterization, quality, regulatory CMC, external manufacturing, and lifecycle management stakeholders

• Contribute to continuous improvement of internal processes, standards, templates, and ways of working related to upstream development

• Promote a strong team culture based on collaboration, accountability, scientific rigor, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvements

At Genmab, we understand the value of a diverse workforce. As an employee, you will be part of an innovative, cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural working environment characterized by strong teamwork, room for individual performance, and development.

Genmab is a growing organization, and you will be encouraged and welcomed to bring forward new ideas, discuss concerns, and share feedback with colleagues and management. Genmab leverages the effectiveness of an agile working environment, when possible, for the betterment of employee work-life balance.

Requirements

• You hold a Master’s degree or PhD in Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, or another relevant field

• Significant industrial experience within CMC development of biopharmaceuticals, with a strong background in mammalian upstream processing

• Understanding the requirements for developing, characterizing, validating, transferring, and supporting robust upstream processes across development, regulatory filing, manufacturing, and commercial support

• You also have documented experience with people leadership and are motivated by developing others while ensuring strong scientific delivery through the team

The successful candidate will have the following profile:

• At least 8 years of relevant industrial experience within CMC development, MSAT, process development, or manufacturing support of biopharmaceuticals

• Documented experience with people leadership

• Ability to set direction, prioritize resources, manage complexity, and support strong delivery through others

• Strong scientific and technical understanding of mammalian upstream processes, including cell culture, bioreactor operation, process parameters, raw materials, media and feed strategies, scale up, process control strategies, and process robustness

• Experience with process characterization, risk assessment, process validation, process performance qualification, continued process verification, technology transfer, and regulatory submission support

• Experience contributing to CMC technical sections of regulatory submissions and health authority interactions

• Experience working with CMOs or external manufacturing partners

• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders

• Strong communication skills in English, both written and verbal

About You

You are motivated by developing people and creating results through a highly specialized team. You combine scientific depth with clear leadership, and you can help translate complex CMC challenges into practical strategies and clear priorities.

You enjoy working across functions and with external partners. You are comfortable with ambiguity, but you also know when structure, alignment, and decision making are needed. You communicate clearly, ask questions, and help create an environment where people can perform, develop, and contribute to Genmab’s continued growth.

You bring enough technical depth to challenge strategies, guide priorities, and support sound decision making, while also recognizing that strong results are created through trust, accountability, and collaboration across the team.

Applications are reviewed and interviews are conducted on an ongoing basis.

The proposed gross annual base salary range for this position, in the primary location, based on a full time schedule is:

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The final salary offer will depend on several factors, including your skills, qualifications, and experience.

In addition to base salary, this position is eligible to additional forms of compensation, such as discretionary bonuses and long-term incentives.

When you join Genmab, you become a part of a culture that supports your physical, financial, social, and emotional well-being. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Pension
• Health insurance and wellness benefits
• Paid time off
• Employee support programs

 

Further details on compensation and benefits will be provided during the recruitment process.

About Genmab

Genmab is an international biotechnology company with a core purpose to improve the lives of patients through innovative and differentiated antibody therapeutics. For 25 years, its hard-working, innovative and collaborative team has invented next-generation antibody technology platforms and harnessed translational, quantitative and data sciences, resulting in a proprietary pipeline including bispecific T-cell engagers, antibody-drug conjugates, next-generation immune checkpoint modulators and effector function-enhanced antibodies. By 2030, Genmab’s vision is to transform the lives of people with cancer and other serious diseases with Knock-Your-Socks-Off (KYSO®) antibody medicines.

Established in 1999, Genmab is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with international presence across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit Genmab.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

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