Manager - Production (Tablet)

Company Overview

Shalina Healthcare is a prominent private pharmaceutical enterprise headquartered in Dubai, UAE, with a strong presence across Africa. With over 40 years of experience, the company focuses on delivering quality medicines and a wide array of healthcare products, including anti-malarials, antibiotics, and dermatology solutions, among others. Shalina aims to be a leading health advocate in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, driven by its core values and commitment to community well-being.

Position Objective

The Manager of Tablet Production will oversee and lead tablet manufacturing operations at our Jejuri facility. This role is vital to ensuring production targets are met, compliance with GMP/cGMP standards is maintained, and product quality remains uncompromised. Additionally, the role manages manpower efficiency, cost control, and coordination of material movement between warehouses.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct and take full ownership of tablet production operations at the Jejuri site.
• Develop, monitor, and achieve short and long-term production schedules.
• Guarantee the availability of raw and packaging materials, skilled manpower, machinery, and other resources necessary for seamless production.
• Identify production bottlenecks and collaborate cross-functionally for prompt resolution.
• Enhance capacity utilization, productivity, and streamline processes to reduce production cycle time.
• Strictly enforce GMP/cGMP standards, including adherence to SOPs, BMRs, BPRs, and documentation protocols across all shifts.
• Ensure employee compliance with gowning, hygiene, and GMP practices in production zones.
• Coordinate with IPQA and Quality teams to address quality issues, deviations, and compliance challenges.
• Identify production risks and strategize mitigation plans.
• Prepare and execute production plans aligned with business demands.
• Ensure timely availability and management of batch manufacturing records (BMRs) and appropriate material handling from warehouse sources.
• Oversee daily material dispensing and logistics between the Jejuri and external warehouses.
• Review and submit quality documentation post-batch completion and provide reports and insights to management.
• Manage SAP production transactions accurately and timely.
• Develop and control CAPEX and OPEX production budgets; implement cost-saving strategies.
• Plan resources and lead projects focusing on productivity and cost efficiency improvements.
• Supervise manpower scheduling, attendance, leaves, and workforce authorizations.
• Conduct technical and GMP-focused training programs to elevate employee skill sets and maintain discipline.
• Analyze production processes to identify improvement and capacity enhancement opportunities.
• Support new equipment installations, process upgrades, and quality improvements.
• Ensure audit readiness and support audits including regulatory, customer, and internal inspections.
• Maintain active coordination with QA, IPQA, QC, Warehouse, Engineering, Planning, and Supply Chain departments to foster operational harmony.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy (B.Pharm) is mandatory; a Master’s (M.Pharm) or additional management qualifications is advantageous.
• At least 12 to 15 years of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, specifically in tablet production.
• Proven track record managing production teams and overseeing complete tablet manufacturing processes.
• Strong knowledge of GMP/cGMP guidelines, production planning, documentation (BMR/BPR), SAP systems, and budget management (CAPEX/OPEX).

Desired Skills and Competencies

• Tablet manufacturing expertise.
• Production planning and scheduling capability.
• Compliance with GMP/cGMP standards.
• Batch record management and operational documentation.
• Manpower and shift scheduling proficiency.
• Capacity planning and process optimization.
• Cost control and budget management.
• SAP production module experience.
• Risk assessment and mitigation techniques.
• Cross-department collaboration skills.
• Leadership and team development abilities.

Performance Indicators

• Achievement of production plans and targets.
• Efficiency of capacity utilization and productivity.
• Reduction in process cycle times.
• Compliance with GMP standards and quality benchmarks.
• Timely completion and review of batch documentation.
• Manpower productivity and adherence to shift schedules.
• Proactive budget adherence for production expenses.
• Decrease in production deviations and quality concerns.
• Implementation of continuous improvement and cost-saving projects.