Now Accepting Applications: Executive Director, UI Pharmaceuticals (UIP)
LEAD THE FUTURE
As the nation's premier university-affiliated CDMO, we're looking for a proven pharmaceutical executive to:
∗ Drive strategic growth
∗ Build partnerships
∗ Advance life-saving therapies
Make a difference.
UI Pharmaceuticals Executive Director
Visionary Leader
We seek a visionary leader with proven business development expertise to guide innovation and foster growth in pharmaceutical development and contract manufacturing operations. The Executive Director will play a pivotal role in advancing UI Pharmaceuticals' mission and organizational growth by leveraging interdisciplinary strengths across departments, cultivating strategic partnerships with industry leaders and internal stakeholders, and building robust business models that align with CDMO industry standards and client needs.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Executive Director of University of Iowa Pharmaceuticals (UIP) will lead all aspects of the enterprise assuring that pharmaceutical development, clinical supply, and commercial supply services are delivered effectively, efficiently, meet regulatory requirements and produce revenue to enable the organization to be self-sufficient. Communicate a clear mission and vision, develop, and implement a strategic plan and associated initiatives for growth and innovation. Develop the organization’s budget and capital plan, staffing plan, and monitor operational and capital expenses aligned with the budget projections. Ensure university policies and procedures are implemented throughout the enterprise and that systems and facilities comply with FDA, EMA, PMDA, and DEA regulations.
This position is a regular, full-time, Professional & Scientific (P&S) role reporting to the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. The role includes 20% administrative leadership, 40% strategic leadership, and 40% business development, with emphasis on forward-thinking strategy, operational excellence, and results-driven growth. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Leadership
Provide strategic leadership, direction, and management of UIP operations, business development, programs, and services.
Hire, develop and manage the performance of senior staff.
Implement initiatives to build capabilities and retain and reward staff.
Instill a safety-first mindset across the organization.
Manage the successful completion of multiple projects.
Resolve complex issues across multiple departments within or outside the University of Iowa.
Assess the needs for physical facilities and strategic operations of UI Pharmaceuticals, develop goals and projections for necessary changes, replacements, and/or additions.
Communication and Collaboration
Communicate a clear and compelling mission and vision and provide strategic leadership that aligns the organization and the college toward shared goals.
Develop, maintain, and provide leadership with the organization and the college.
Collaborate with a variety of stakeholders on campus such as the Offices of the Vice President for Research and Provost, Facilities Management, CFO, and Department Chairs.
Collaborate with regulatory agencies, granting agencies, contractors, and others such as FDA, DEA, NIH.
Compliance
Implement new policies and revise existing programs to ensure compliance with regulatory, university, federal, and cGMP requirements.
Evaluate workflow and systems to determine whether they meet specifications, standards, and regulations.
Ensure an environment that meets all employee safety requirements and accommodations.
Implement modifications to bring project, facility, and processes into compliance.
Financial
In coordination with collegiate financial officer, develop a yearly budget; oversee new business development, staffing and capital plans to enable the organization to achieve its growth objectives, remain self-sufficient, and meet its financial obligations.
Manage budget priorities through periodic financial reviews, allocate resources appropriately, address and resolve budget issues across the enterprise.
Initiate and approve programs to enhance revenue growth and ensure financial stability in achieving the enterprise’s mission and vision.
Provide strategic oversight and direction for cost-modeling activities within manufacturing services, ensuring that financial insights, operational scalability, and infrastructure investments align with long term growth objectives.
Education/Teaching
Coordinate APPE rotations for Doctor of Pharmacy students interested in industrial pharmacy.
Lead UIP Assistantship program for the College of Pharmacy; oversee candidate selection, rotational appointments, and financial aid.
Participate in the undergraduate and graduate programs with the College of Pharmacy.
Qualifications
Education Requirement
Advanced degree in Pharmaceutics, chemistry, engineering, or equivalent science-based discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience in a regulated pharmaceutical environment.
Experience Required
Minimum 15 years related experience in pharmaceutical research or GMP manufacturing environment.
History of progressive leadership advancements in manufacturing and business responsibilities and leading organizations through significant change, growth, or transformation.
Proven profit and loss experience leading mid-sized, multi-disciplinary organizations (50-100 employees) delivering operational excellence and profitability.
Strong track record in business development, strategic partnerships, client relationship management and executing growth initiatives.
Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal skills in building and working effectively with diverse, multi-disciplinary, cross-functional teams.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively through verbal, written, and presentations with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical regulations, FDA, cGMP, EU ISPE, etc.
Expertise in qualification and operation of pharmaceutical equipment, processes, and facilities.
Desirable Qualifications
PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, engineering, or related field.
MBA or similar financial degree or certificate.
Experience as a teacher or instructor in a technical or scientific area.
Track record of optimizing capacity utilization while maintaining quality and client satisfaction.
Ability to organize a group around a common mission to complete complex tasks.
About UI Pharmaceuticals
Founded within the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 1974, UI Pharmaceuticals (UIP) is an FDA-registered Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with over 50 years of experience bringing life-saving medicines into clinical trials and commercial markets. It is the largest and most experienced university-affiliated pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the United States, producing both sterile and non-sterile drug products for clients in the pharmaceutical, and biotechnology sectors worldwide.
Operating within more than 60,000 square feet of state-of-the-art manufacturing and laboratory space, UIP offers comprehensive services spanning the full drug product development lifecycle.
Our Services
Whether a client is advancing an early-stage compound or scaling to commercial production, UIP has the expertise and facilities to support every phase. Our services include:
Formulation Development — Our Formulation Development team provides both sterile and non-sterile product development alongside product and process optimization, delivering critical support to our manufacturing units and achieving a 100% success rate in technology transfer for products developed within the organization. With deep expertise across a wide range of dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, topical formulations, oral solutions, injectable fill/finish, and lyophilized products, our team brings extensive knowledge in pharmaceutical product development spanning NDA, ANDA, and biosimilar programs. This breadth of capability enables us to help our clients advance promising therapies into clinical settings on accelerated timelines.
Sterile Manufacturing — Our Sterile manufacturing is supported by five (5) suites in two separate facilities, including our newest, state-of-the-art facility featuring fully automated fill lines housed in ISO 5 isolators and equipped with TelStar Lyomega 80ST lyophilizers enabling batch sizes up to 200 liters and vial fills from 2 mL to 100 mL. We are licensed to handle DEA Schedule I–V, cytotoxic, and potent compounds within SafeBridge categorization 1-3. While most of our clients target clinical batches at our facilities, we have four (4) commercial products and are fully qualified for supporting new product launches for our clients.
Non-Sterile Manufacturing — Our Non-Sterile manufacturing spans six dedicated suites capable of producing tablets, capsules, powder-in-bottle, over-encapsulation, oral suspensions, and transdermal patches, including high-potency formulations.
Analytical Services — Analytical Services provide robust method development, ICH-compliant method validation, product release and stability testing with storage capabilities from -80°C to 40°C/75% RH, as well as photostability, in-use stability, and freeze/thaw cycling studies. A dedicated Quality Assurance team ensures full cGMP compliance, product release support, and Qualified Person (QP) release services for international markets.
Quality Assurance — Full cGMP compliance, product release support, and Qualified Person (QP) release services for international markets.
Client Impact and Recent Milestones
UIP partners with pharmaceutical companies, biotech innovators, oncology researchers, and academic institutions worldwide to move therapies from development into clinical trials and commercial markets.
Manufactured ZetaMast™ for Zetagen Therapeutics, a breakthrough treatment for advanced breast cancer with liver metastasis.
Collaborated with MimiVax to manufacture a novel glioblastoma vaccine.
Achieved site registration in South Korea for manufacturing an antineoplastic gel formulation.
Validated a new sterile processing facility to expand clinical and commercial production capacity.
Supported G1 Therapeutics in manufacturing COSELA™ (trilaciclib), which received FDA approval.
Partnered with Actuate Therapeutics, which received Fast Track FDA designation for its oncology compound.
UIP plays a critical role in advancing drug products from bench to bedside for its clients. Recent milestones include manufacturing ZetaMast™ for Zetagen Therapeutics — a breakthrough treatment for advanced breast cancer with liver metastasis as well as collaborating with MimiVax to manufacture a novel glioblastoma vaccine and achieving site registration in South Korea for an antineoplastic gel formulation. Whether a client is developing an early-stage compound or seeking reliable small-scale commercial production, UIP accelerates timelines and delivers the scientific rigor, regulatory expertise and quality standards needed to move therapies forward.
As an integral part of a top-ranked College of Pharmacy, UIP uniquely bridges academic innovation and industry-standard manufacturing. The facility supports the College's educational mission by coordinating APPE rotations for PharmD students interested in industrial pharmacy and leading a competitive fellowship program for graduate students in Pharmaceutics PhD program. This dual role serving external clients with cGMP manufacturing excellence while training the next generation of pharmaceutical scientists makes UIP a distinctive partner in the CDMO landscape and a vital contributor to the College's mission of advancing pharmaceutical science and public health.
About the College
Founded in 1885, the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy has led the way in educating pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. The College is recognized for excellence in pharmacy education, advanced practice models, patient care, drug discovery and development, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. It is one of 12 colleges that make up the University of Iowa.
The College recently launched its 2026–2028 strategic plan, and in alignment with the University, will focus on innovation and growth, research and drug discovery, student success, and practice transformation. With a state-of-the-art building, Iowa Pharmacy continues to deliver a contemporary education, preparing its graduates to be healthcare leaders and scientists of the future.
Educational Programs
Three distinct programs prepare students and scholars for leadership in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences:
A Doctor of Pharmacy degree with a top 25 ranking from U.S. News & World Report.
A Doctor of Philosophy degree in Health Services Research, Drug Discovery and Experimental Therapeutics, and Pharmaceutics — with a 100% placement rate.
A Community-based Postgraduate Residency Program, now in its 28th year of advanced training.
Academic Departments
Two academic departments drive the College’s teaching and research missions:
The Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics Department, committed to impactful and innovative scholarship focused drug discovery and drug delivery.
The Pharmacy Practice and Science Department, dedicated to creating new knowledge through scientific discovery and practice innovation.
More than sixty faculty members teach in either (or both) academic programs and are actively engaged in scientific research. Nearly 850 preceptors and adjunct faculty members assist in training and providing practice experiences for the Doctor of Pharmacy candidates.
The College has over 5,500 living alumni of which 1,980 are serving 316 different communities in Iowa. The alumni of the College are active and dedicated with two advisory boards, the Executive Leadership Board and the Genesis Board. Members of the Executive Leadership Board advise the College as it develops and works towards strategic goals and visions. The mission of the Genesis Board is to provide opportunities that enhance student experience and facilitate student success.
About the University
The University of Iowa is one of the nation’s premier public research universities, dedicated to academic excellence, groundbreaking discoveries and creations, commitment to Iowa and the world and a culture that prizes community, diversity and opportunity.
Iowa’s collaborative, can-do culture fosters a campus-wide dedication to student success. Welcoming students from all backgrounds, helping them chart paths that serve their individual interests and goals and giving them tools to graduate on time and on budget are central to Iowa’s mission. The Iowa approach works—undergraduate retention and graduation rates well exceed the national average.
Iowa’s size, structure and culture foster interaction among scholars at all levels, with advanced programs surrounding and shaping a vital liberal arts core. Strong graduate and professional programs enrich the undergraduate experience while providing unparalleled opportunities for students who want to take their education further.
Alongside education and discovery, Iowa is known for its NCAA Division I athletics programs, a world-class academic medical center, commitment to statewide service and its role as an economic engine for the state of Iowa. The University has launched new programs that lend support and expertise to Iowa businesses and a pervasive spirit of entrepreneurship guides student start-ups, new enterprises built on faculty discoveries and other innovations.
A proud history
When the University of Iowa was founded on February 25, 1847, it was Iowa’s first public University and it was located in the state’s first capital. When Des Moines became the seat of state government in 1857, Iowa City’s Old Capitol building became the geographic and symbolic heart of the University campus.
Iowa has been a member of the Big Ten Conference since 1899 and a member of the Association of American Universities since 1909.
In more recent years, the University has faced and overcome historic challenges—from a devastating campus flood to the impact of new technology to a worldwide pandemic. Community spirit, pragmatic vision and dedicated leadership have helped Iowa weather these crises. Today, the University of Iowa is stronger than ever and is poised to write a new chapter in its 175-year story.
University of Iowa's 2022 to 2027 Strategic Plan can be viewed here.
About the Community
There’s a reason people choose to call the Iowa City area home. Here, a world-class educational and research university sits alongside some of the nation’s best—and largest—health care facilities. The area offers a thriving arts and cultural scene, abundant hiking and biking trails, a mix of independent shops and major retailers, and a vibrant culinary landscape featuring local breweries and farm-to-table restaurants. Combine all this with a safe, welcoming community, and it’s easy to see why Iowa City consistently ranks among the most livable places in the country.
In the summer, downtown comes alive with weekly outdoor concerts, while year-round the university and community host renowned poets, writers, artists, historians, and scientists. Excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, and a highly educated population further contribute to Iowa City’s frequent appearance on national “best places to live” lists.
Surrounding the city are scenic parks, the Iowa River, and rolling countryside ideal for hiking, biking, kayaking, and boating. Just twenty miles north lies Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s second-largest city and home to the Eastern Iowa Airport. And with Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, and Minneapolis all within easy driving distance, the Iowa City area combines small-town charm with big-city accessibility.
Community Websites
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Apply for the position of Executive Director, UI Pharmaceuticals through the University of Iowa's Jobs portal.