Product Lead External Manufacturing (m/f/d) - #45536

Global External Manufacturing is the competence center responsible for externally manufactured parts and products within the diagnostic workflow. This includes new product development, lifecycle management, supplier selection, and ensuring reliable supply in close collaboration with Procurement and cross-functional teams.

We are looking for a Product Lead who will act as the central point of accountability for designated products, driving performance across quality, supply, compliance, and cost while collaborating with internal teams and external suppliers.

The Perfect Candidate:

You are a proactive, structured, and strategic thinker who thrives in complex environments. You bring strong leadership and influencing skills, along with the ability to drive alignment across diverse stakeholders.

Tasks & Responsibilities:

• Take full accountability for assigned products across their lifecycle
• Own product and production specifications, ensuring alignment with strategy
• Manage product issues, risks, deviations, and complaints
• Lead product changes and oversee spare part and asset management
• Drive squad performance (quality, supply, compliance, cost)
• Define and execute capacity planning and output reporting
• Act as final decision-maker within the squad, including prioritization
• Manage internal and external stakeholders at squad level
• Represent External Manufacturing in business teams and system development projects
• Translate demand forecasts into actionable supply strategies
• Lead supplier and product meetings with internal and external partners
• Prepare Annual Product Review Reports including risks and mitigations
• Own squad budget (OPEX, CAPEX, development budgets) and identify cost optimization opportunities
• Execute operational risk management and support investment planning
• Maintain full product documentation across the lifecycle
  
  
  

Your Profile:

• University degree in Engineering, Natural Sciences, or similar
• Minimum 3 years of experience in IVD product management and/or production engineering
• Strategic and systemic mindset with openness to innovation
• Proven leadership experience, including stakeholder management and conflict resolution
• Strong ownership mentality with a solution-oriented approach
• Excellent communication and influencing skills across organizational levels
• Ability to perform under pressure with confidence and decisiveness
• Fluent in German and English
• Willingness to travel (:10%, occasionally up to 20%)
  
  
  

Nice to Have

• Experience in IVD product development (design control, manufacturing, testing)
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or process improvement frameworks
• Familiarity with regulatory standards (ISO 13485, IVDR, FDA 21 CFR Part 820)
  
  
  

General Information:

Start Date: ASAP

Latest Start Date: August 1, 2026

Duration: 12 months (extension highly likely)

Workload: 90–100%

Location: Rotkreuz

Remote Work: 20–40%

Travel: Up to 10% (global, peaks possible)