Head of Engineering & Maintenance

Company Description

Nanz Pharma is a globally recognized pharmaceutical company driven by innovation, excellence, and dedication to delivering value to our customers, partners, employees, and communities. Focused on becoming a global leader in hygiene and wellness products, we aim to improve lives by offering high-quality, affordable solutions. Guided by our values of trust, quality, and brilliance, we are committed to making a positive impact worldwide. Nanz Pharma is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. Accommodations are available throughout the hiring process upon request.

Job Summary

The Head of Engineering & Maintenance leads all engineering, maintenance, and asset reliability functions within a GMP‑regulated pharmaceutical start‑up operating as both a Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO) and a producer of company‑owned branded products. This role ensures that manufacturing, packaging, facility, and utility systems are maintained in a compliant, reliable, and inspection‑ready state, enabling safe, efficient, and uninterrupted operations.

The role provides strategic and hands‑on leadership for preventive and predictive maintenance programs, equipment lifecycle management, calibration, and technical troubleshooting, while supporting regulatory inspections and continuous improvement initiatives. In addition, the Head of Engineering & Maintenance delivers engineering oversight and technical support for capital projects, equipment installations, facility expansions, and technology transfers, partnering closely with Project Management Office (PMO) to support commissioning and qualification activities in alignment with GMP standards.

Operating in a fast‑paced growth and scale‑up environment, this position plays a critical role in driving operational readiness, regulatory compliance, and scalable manufacturing performance across both client‑driven CMO operations and internal branded product portfolios.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and functional oversight of the Engineering and Maintenance functions, with accountability for engineering standards, technical governance, maintenance excellence, and asset performance within a GMP‑regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.
• Partner closely with the Project Management Office (PMO) to support all PMO‑led capital initiatives, providing senior engineering leadership, technical alignment, and structured risk identification for equipment installations, system upgrades, capacity expansions, and facility modifications.
• Review, challenge, and approve User Requirement Specifications (URS) to ensure technical clarity, GMP compliance, operational robustness, maintainability, and long‑term suitability for regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Perform senior‑level technical reviews of equipment specifications, engineering drawings, layouts, P&IDs, control philosophies, FAT/SAT protocols, and supplier technical documentation, ensuring conformance with design intent, process requirements, safety standards, and regulatory expectations.
• Establish and govern engineering and maintenance performance frameworks, ensuring effective tracking, review, and continuous improvement of key reliability and operational KPIs, including Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), maintenance labor efficiency, and preventive maintenance (PM) compliance.
• Lead the definition of asset reliability and maintenance strategies, ensuring alignment between production demands, lifecycle asset management objectives, and business growth plans across CMO client programs and internal branded product manufacturing.
• Ensure manufacturing, packaging, and utility systems are designed, installed, and maintained to support high equipment availability, process capability, reliability, and full lifecycle value.
• Provide engineering leadership to procurement and sourcing activities, including technical input to RFPs, evaluation of vendor proposals, supplier due diligence, and resolution of complex technical, quality, and compliance‑related issues.
• Oversee and support equipment installation, commissioning, and start‑up activities, working cross‑functionally with PMO, Operations, and Quality to enable on‑time, compliant, and right‑first‑time project delivery.
• Provide engineering governance and oversight for equipment qualification activities (IQ/OQ/PQ), ensuring full traceability to URS, design documentation, risk assessments, and Quality requirements.
• Lead and develop the Maintenance organization, ensuring reliable, compliant, and cost‑effective operation of all production, packaging, facility, and utility assets in a GMP environment.
• Ensure preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs are robustly designed, effectively executed, and consistently documented, with formal review of PM compliance, backlog management, and recurring failure trends.
• Ensure all engineering and maintenance activities are executed in compliance with Health Canada GMP, internal Quality Management Systems, and applicable client quality agreements, supporting audit and inspection readiness.
• Govern engineering change, upgrade, and continuous improvement initiatives through formal Change Control, impact assessment, and risk management processes.
• Maintain engineering and maintenance documentation, systems, and data in a state of continuous inspection readiness, supporting scaling, technology transfer, and future expansion.

Key Competencies & Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in GMP‑regulated pharmaceutical and/or Natural Health Products manufacturing environments.
• Strong technical understanding of manufacturing, packaging, and utility equipment within regulated operations including but not limited to P&ID drawings (process, clean utilities, HVAC, CIP/SIP), Equipment General Arrangements (GA) and layout drawings, Process flow diagrams (PFDs), Electrical single‑line diagrams and Utility system designs (PW, Clean Steam, compressed air, HVAC)
• Exposure to CMO operations, client‑facing quality expectations, and contractual manufacturing requirements is a strong asset.
• Proven experience leading or overseeing maintenance teams and maintenance programs in a regulated environment.
• Ability to balance equipment reliability, compliance, operational efficiency, and cost‑effectiveness.
• Experience supporting capital equipment projects executed under a PMO‑led governance model.
• Strong cross‑functional collaboration skills with Operations, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain, and external clients, suppliers, or partners.
• Working knowledge of Health Canada GMP requirements and regulated manufacturing best practices.

Note: Canadian work experience is not required. Equivalent international experience is accepted.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related discipline).
• 5–7 years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical and/or Natural Health Products manufacturing.
• Demonstrated experience in start‑up, scale‑up, or manufacturing expansion environments strongly preferred.
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation is required.

Role Impact

This role is critical to establishing and sustaining a robust, compliant, and high‑performing technical operations foundation within a growing CMO and branded‑product manufacturing organization. The Head of Engineering & Maintenance enables uninterrupted manufacturing performance, inspection readiness, and scalable growth by ensuring engineering excellence, maintenance reliability, and strong technical governance in a regulated start‑up environment.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: $90,000 – $105,000 per year
• Additional benefits and programs will be discussed during the hiring process

Hiring Process

• Nanz Pharma does not use AI in candidate screening or selection — all hiring decisions are human-led.
• Interviewed candidates will be informed of hiring decisions within 45 days.

Why Join Us

Join a collaborative, global team driving the launch of new pharmaceutical products. Make an impact on operational excellence, patient health, and company growth in a dynamic, regulatory-compliant environment.