New · posted Oct 23
AstraZeneca · Pharmaceuticals
Site Director, Development Quality
- Durham, NC
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- Director
Closes Nov 30, 2026 · 39 days left
The role
The Site Director, Development Quality is a senior leadership role with a significant opportunity to influence how Quality enables the delivery of our exciting development portfolio. At its heart, the role is about protecting patients, ensuring GMP standards are met at the site while creating an environment in which quality enables development teams to move with pace, confidence and appropriate risk management. The Site Director provides Quality leadership at the site and contributes to the strategic direction of Development Quality globally.
As a Quality leader, the role partners with leaders across Development and Supply Chain globally, helping teams build quality in from the outset and achieve business outcomes in compliance with internal standards and external regulatory requirements.
The Site Director also plays an important role in shaping our Quality culture. They set high standards for Quality Leadership, building a Development Quality organization that is recognized as an influential, proactive and valued business partner. Operating with a high degree of independence, the Site Director makes complex quality and compliance decisions that can have significant implications for development projects. This requires sound judgement and the ability to navigate evolving regulatory expectations and the different requirements associated with each stage of pharmaceutical development.
Join a place where you are trusted to take ownership and move fast, combining scientific rigor with data-driven operations to deliver therapies that change lives. You will work shoulder-to-shoulder with unexpected teams in the same room, unleashing bold thinking to solve complex logistics challenges at scale. We champion curiosity and decisive action, value kindness alongside ambition, and empower you with the tools, partnerships, and freedom to shape how living medicines reach patients across the world.
What you need
Essential Skills/Experience
We're looking for an experienced Quality leader who combines deep technical credibility with the ability to lead people, influence senior stakeholders and make sound science and risk-based decisions in complex situations. You will bring:
- A relevant bachelor's degree or equivalent scientific/technical qualification, together with at least 10 years of experience in a pharmaceutical GMP environment. Experience within Oral Solid Dosage and inhalation products would be particularly valuable.
- Experience of leading and developing teams
- Strong Quality Assurance leadership experience and a broad understanding of Pharmaceutical Quality Systems and GMP.
- Strong understanding of the pharmaceutical development lifecycle and the different quality and regulatory considerations that apply as products progress through development.
- Experience applying independent judgement and quality risk management to complex situations.
- The confidence and communication skills to influence senior leaders and make and communicate difficult decisions clearly.
Desirable Skills/Experience
Ideally, you will also demonstrate:
- Strong collaboration, networking and relationship-building skills across organisational and functional boundaries.
- The ability to create effective teams and develop capability in others.
- Strong facilitation skills and the ability to build alignment around complex issues.
- An ability to communicate with clarity, credibility and conviction at all levels of the organisation.
- Experience leading change and continuous improvement.
- A track record of setting high standards while creating an environment in which people can deliver at their best.
- Energy, curiosity and ambition to continue developing the role and the wider Development Quality organisation
The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $141,997.6 to $212,996.4 USD. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.
Development Quality leadership
Contribute as a member of the Development Quality Leadership Team, sharing responsibility with the Head of Development Quality and fellow leaders for setting and delivering the strategic direction of the function.
- Partner with Quality leaders across the organisation to support an integrated and consistent approach to quality and compliance.
- Act as a Quality Business Partner to senior Development leadership, delivering patient-focused quality perspective to business decisions.
- Lead the response to significant compliance issues, including issue management teams associated with complaints, recalls and other quality events, ensuring patient safety remains paramount while issues are effectively resolved.
- Sponsor and lead functional and cross-functional quality improvement initiatives and ensure appropriate Quality Assurance input to major business improvement programmes.
- Act as a recognised senior expert in Quality Systems, Quality Assurance and the application of GMP within Pharmaceutical Development.
- Ensure high-quality and timely Quality input to development project and supply teams, enabling delivery of project milestones and reliable supply of investigational products and comparators to clinical trials.
- Ensure appropriate Quality support for regulatory submissions and pre-approval inspections.
- Drive consistent and science and risk-based application of Quality Policy, GMP standards and quality practices across project and supply chain teams.
- Ensure the site's pharmaceutical licence to operate is maintained, providing Quality leadership for any regulatory authority interactions.
People and organisational leadership
- Build and lead the local site Quality team, driving performance and ensuring it has the capabilities to meet the future.
- Coach, develop and inspire talent, both within the leadership team and across Development Quality, creating an environment in which people can grow and perform at their best.
- Establish effective ways of working and champion simplification and continuous improvement.
- Deliver against agreed financial and headcount commitments while ensuring resources are focused on the areas of greatest business and patient impact.
Pay and benefits
$142,000 – $213,000 a year
Employer providedQualified retirement programs
Paid time off
Health coverage
Dental coverage
Vision coverage
Short-term incentive bonuses
Where you'll work
Durham, NCHybridOpen in Maps (opens in a new tab)
More jobs in Durham, NC
From the posting
About AstraZeneca
Call to Action
Lead the global nerve center of cell therapy logistics and build the systems, teams, and partnerships that move cures to patients faster—bring your expertise and make your mark.
Where can I find out more?
- Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/
- Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/
- Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca_careers/?hl=en
- Our US Footprint: Powering Scientific Innovation - YouTube
Date Posted
22-Oct-2026
Closing Date
29-Nov-2026
Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.
Equal opportunity, accessibility and legal noticesAstraZeneca's statements, word for word
AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination. AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing [email protected].
Job intelligence
The context around this role
Live data · October 23, 2026
Salary intelligence
How the pay compares
This role's midpoint is 15% below the US median for Quality Assurance roles at this level.
This roleEmployer provided
Director roles in the US107 roles publishing pay
| Annual base pay | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| This role | $142,000 | — | $213,000 |
| All US (middle half) | $185,500 | $209,000 | $233,750 |
This role: AstraZeneca's own published range. Comparisons: the base pay employers published on open Quality Assurance roles at the same level on Regulatory Jobs, October 23, 2026. Nothing is estimated.
Career trajectory
Where this role sits in Quality Assurance
The general path across 927 open Quality Assurance roles on Regulatory Jobs, with the titles they carry most. Not AstraZeneca's own promotion track.
Career resources on Quality Assurance
Skills DNA
What this role leans on
How many of the posting's 34 duty, requirement and summary lines touch each area. The posting's emphasis, not a proficiency score.
- Collaboration and leadership20
- GMP and compliance10
- Quality systems and risk6
- Investigations and CAPA2
- Documentation and SOPs1
- Validation and qualification1
- Regulatory submissions1
Regulatory intelligence
The rules behind this role
Frameworks and standards this posting's work falls under, matched from its own words, each linked to the official source.
From Regulatory News
Manufacturing and quality coverage for this professionCompany hiring pulse
AstraZeneca on Regulatory Jobs
- 21
- Open roles
- 18
- Distinct roles
- 9
- Locations
By discipline
- Quality11 52%
- Regulatory10 48%
By level
- Director10 48%
- Associate & Specialist5 24%
- Senior & Principal4 19%
More roles at AstraZeneca
- View role
Quality Systems and Compliance Lead
Rockville, MDSenior & PrincipalBiotechnology$101K–$151K
- View role
Quality Assurance Specialist
Santa Monica, CA · HybridAssociate & SpecialistPharmaceuticals$101K–$151K
- View role
Quality Assurance At-the-Source Specialist, Cell Therapy
Rockville, MDSenior & PrincipalPharmaceuticals$80K–$120K
- View role
Associate Director, External Quality
Boston, MA · HybridDirectorPharmaceuticals$135K–$203K
Similar Quality Assurance roles elsewhere
- View role
Site Quality Head (Director)
NovartisMorrisville, NCDirectorPharmaceuticals$168K–$312K
- View role
Director, Quality Operations
Exela PharmaLenoir, NCDirectorPharmaceuticalsSalary not listed
- View role
Director, Contract Testing Laboratories Quality Oversight
MerckWest Point, PA · HybridDirectorPharmaceuticals$173K–$273K
- View role
Associate Director, Technical & CMC Support (PET Quality Operations)
LantheusRemote, USDirectorPharmaceuticals$139K–$232K
Site Director, Development Quality at AstraZeneca
Applications close November 30. $142K–$213K a year, employer provided.