R&D Operational Technology Service & Security Delivery Director

GSK R&D and Digital & Tech’s collective goal is to deliver GSK impact, including the acceleration the discovery and development of medicines and vaccines to patients.  R&D Digital & Tech are the key Tech partner to support the R&D Ambition of bringing more medicines and vaccines to patients and support our scientists by supercharging R&D with Data. The Quality Engineering and Labs (QEL) function is a pivotal function for this, as it looks after the ~500 systems that support the end-to-end R&D process and all of the systems that sit within the Laboratories. There are 17 sites, with around 7000 scientist that work within the Labs in GSK, so it is a complex environment with a lot of legacy systems and software, end to end across the whole of R&D.

As our Operational Technology (OT) Service & Security Delivery Director you are accountable for working together with R&D Lines, Digital & Technology, Data Governance and Risk Management teams and the OT Teams to ensure compliance with OT security policy and standards and manage a team of Business Line OT Leads. Working with R&D management (i.e., business, global) to ensure the correct implementation and management of OT Security. You will be technically skilled and is eager to deep dive into new technologies, platforms and applications in relation to operational technology.

Key Responsibilities:
You will have ownership and responsibility for operational technology across R&D. A trusted advisor for operational technology, working collaboratively and adaptively to constantly meet the needs of their customers and deliver value to GSK. Working across Departments outside of R&D including the global cyber security office and technology function.

• Oversight: Ensure the smooth operation, availability and efficiency of operational technology systems including managing issues that arise during the service lifecycle.

• Governance: Manage the governance around operational technology including Steering Committees, forums and working groups. Prepare, schedule and gather all documentation to inform decisions, awareness and actions relating to governance.

• Performance: Manage and ensure adherence to service level agreements with stakeholders and external vendors ensuring uptime and performance of critical operational technology systems.

• Incident Management: Lead on the response to operational technology-related incidents, ensuring rapid resolution to minimize downtime and operational disruption.

• Control Management: Manage the implementation of cybersecurity measures specific to operational technology environments.

• Risk Management: Conduct regular risk assessments to identify threats, vulnerabilities and control gaps in OT systems and ensure mitigation plans are in place.

• Patch Management: Work with R&D lines and vendors to manage the deployment of security patches and updates for OT devices.

• Training & Awareness: Develop, deliver and maintain OT-specific awareness programs for employees focusing on the unique risks and best practices for securing laboratory instrumentation, equipment and connected computer assets.

• Project Management: Support the management of operational technology initiatives within R&D.

• Quality, Risk & Compliance: Responsible for ensuring operational technology is compliant with internal security and risk management policies and practices, as well as external regulatory and statutory requirements e.g. GxP and that Tech continuity plans are in place for all critical areas.

• People Management:  Will work in collaboration with the broader Digital and Technology team as well as supporting teams such as Cyber Security Office, Technology, Data Governance & Risk Management, Engineering, Global Supply Chain to deliver business value to defined timelines.

Why you?

Basic Qualifications:

We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:

• Bachelor’s Degree - Technical Degree eg Engineering, Information Technology or equivalent experience

• Significant experience in managing cyber-security for R&D environments

• Experience with risk assessments and mitigation when identifying threats, vulnerabilities and control gaps in OT systems,

• Experience with deployment of security patches and updates for OT devices.

• Expertise in ensuring R&D adherence to OT security policies and standards

• Ability to manage and guide a team of Business Line OT Leads

• Skill in driving initiatives that support security, innovation, and efficiency within the R&D environment

• Self-confident/assertive/dynamic/motivated behavior & being able to work on multiple tasks/projects in parallel with supervision

• Pro-active and future thinking and acting.

• Knowledge and assessment of emerging technical trends

• Experience in successfully managing and supervising a team of experts (6 direct reports)

Other skills:

• Self-confident/assertive/dynamic/motivated behavior & being able to work on multiple tasks/projects in parallel with supervision

• Pro-active and future thinking and acting.

• Strong facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills

• Fluency in English (written and oral)

Preferred Qualifications:

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:

• Master’s Degree – Cyber Security or Information Security

• Working knowledge of operational technology within laboratory environments

• Hold a certification in CISSP, CISM, CISA

Interested in Joining the Team?

Please apply via our online portal providing your CV and Cover Letter.

(Please take a personal copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available online post closure of the advert)

Closing Date: 5th January 2025.

Due to the holiday period, we have an extended closing date for this role; and expect to starting interviewing Mid January, therefore, there will be a delay in receiving a response/update to your application.

Expected timeline: I aim to provide an update on your application between the 6th and 10th January.

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We create a place where people can grow, be their best, be safe, and feel welcome, valued and included. We offer a competitive salary, an annual bonus based on company performance, healthcare and wellbeing programmes, pension plan membership, and shares and savings programme.

We embrace modern work practises; our Performance with Choice programme offers a hybrid working model, empowering you to find the optimal balance between remote and in-office work.

Discover more about our company wide benefits and life at GSK on our webpage Life at GSK | GSK

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. We prevent and treat disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines. We focus on the science of the immune system and the use of new platform and data technologies, investing in four core therapeutic areas (infectious diseases, HIV, respiratory/ immunology and oncology).

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued, and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are open to all talent. In the US, we also adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to neurodiversity, race/ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class*(*US only).

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