M2M2 — Manager II
Manufacturing Operations / Production Supervision (Upstream Processing) Senior Supervisor
The Senior Supervisor leads a team of production staff in upstream manufacturing, ensuring processes such as media preparation, inoculation, cell growth in bioreactors, and harvest are executed effectively. This role involves overseeing multiple production suites or shifts, managing complex campaigns, and serving as the right-hand to upstream managers.
What this level means
Manages an established team or sub-function; owns planning and performance for the group.
- Scope
- An established team or sub-function
- Autonomy
- Owns planning for the group
- Complexity
- Cross-project coordination and priorities
- Impact
- Group delivery and development
- Decision rights
- Owns staffing, priorities, performance for the group
- Leadership
- Manages a team; sometimes manages leads
- Typical experience
- 5–8 yrs
What you'd do
- Supervise a team of upstream manufacturing associates and technicians.
- Oversee all steps of the upstream process, including media and buffer preparation.
- Use electronic batch records and control system data to monitor batch progress.
- Ensure all batch records, logbooks, and forms are completed accurately.
- Organize training sessions for new procedures or equipment.
- Identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, or efficiency in the upstream area.
- Act as the primary interface between upstream production and other departments.
- Ensure compliance with GMP standards in all upstream processes.
- Coordinate with quality assurance to address any deviations or issues.
- Manage resources effectively to meet production schedules.
- Supervise upstream production activities.
- Monitor and report on batch progress.
- Ensure accurate completion of production documentation.
- Conduct training for new procedures.
- Identify and implement process improvements.
Skills, knowledge & tools
- Team leadership
- Process optimization
- GMP compliance
- Electronic batch record management
- Training and development
- Cross-departmental communication
- Safety management
- Quality assurance collaboration
- Bioprocess manufacturing
- GMP standards
- Upstream processing techniques
- Bioreactor operations
- Media and buffer preparation
- Safety protocols
- Quality control processes
- Resource allocation
- Leadership & People Management
- Organization and Multitasking
- Problem-solving
- Communication
- Attention to detail
- Adaptability
- GMP Compliance
- Resource management
What good looks like
- Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering or related field.
- 6–10+ years of experience in bioprocess manufacturing or a related field.
- Experience with upstream processes in a GMP setting.
- Certification in Biopharmaceutical Operations or an advanced certificate in Bioprocessing.
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
Common titles
Manufacturing Operations / Production Supervision (Upstream Processing) Senior Supervisor
What it pays
Market-pay benchmarks for this family × level are being recalibrated across all survey sources and will return shortly.
O*NET / SOC: 51-0000 — Production Occupations (inferred)