Executive Director, Systems Assurance (Validation)

Who We Are :

At Neurocrine Biosciences, we pride ourselves on having a strong, inclusive, and positive culture based on our shared purpose and values. We know what it takes to be great, and we are as passionate about our people as we are about our purpose - to relieve suffering for people with great needs, but few options.

What We Do :

Neurocrine Biosciences is a leading neuroscience-focused, biopharmaceutical company with a simple purpose : to relieve suffering for people with great needs, but few options. We are dedicated to discovering and developing life-changing treatments for patients with under-addressed neurological, neuroendocrine, and neuropsychiatric disorders. The company’s diverse portfolio includes FDA-approved treatments for tardive dyskinesia, chorea associated with Huntington’s disease, endometriosis

• and uterine fibroids
• as well as a robust pipeline including multiple compounds in mid- to late-phase clinical development across our core therapeutic areas. For three decades, we have applied our unique insight into neuroscience and the interconnections between brain and body systems to treat complex conditions. We relentlessly pursue medicines to ease the burden of debilitating diseases and disorders, because you deserve brave science. For more information, visit neurocrine.com, and follow the company on LinkedIn, X (Formerly Twitter) and Facebook. (
• in collaboration with AbbVie)

About the Role :

This individual will oversee the strategy, processes, and execution of testing and release management across software platforms, ensuring product quality. The Sr. Director will collaborate cross-functionally with development, IT software & hardware engineering, and business system owners and managers to build a robust QA and release process that aligns with NBI’s commitment to quality assurance. Also has experience overcoming the challenges of improving quality for mature applications, while setting and achieving a vision for modernizing testing tools and processes across a global QA organization.

Your Contributions (include, but are not limited to) :

Leadership & Strategy :

Develop and execute the overall vision, strategy, and roadmap for Software Quality Assurance and Release Management across multiple software products

Lead and mentor a high-performing team of QA managers in validation and compliance

Build and promote a culture of continuous improvement in software quality, testing methodologies, and process automation

Provide leadership in establishing QA best practices, tools, and processes, ensuring scalability and efficiency in a fast-paced environment

Quality Assurance :

Own the entire software QA lifecycle, from test strategy planning to execution, bug tracking, and final quality sign-offs

Ensure comprehensive test coverage across all software products supporting clinical and commercial manufacturing, including functional, regression, performance, security, and scalability testing

Implement and oversee automation testing frameworks and tools to increase the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of software testing

Monitor and report key quality metrics to drive actionable insights and improvements

Apply the FDA's new CSA guidelines to reduce documentation burdens while maintaining product quality and safety

Conduct rigorous and ongoing data evaluation to ensure compliance without overdocumentation

Release Management :

Oversee the release lifecycle from planning, scheduling, coordinating, and managing software releases across multiple products

Develop and implement robust release processes to ensure timely and smooth delivery of software updates and releases to production environments

Collaborate closely with IT to ensure seamless integration of QA and release activities with infrastructure and system operations

Drive incident management processes related to software defects and releases, ensuring fast resolution and effective communication to stakeholders

Cross-functional Collaboration :

Partner with System Owners / Managers and IT teams to ensure that QA and release management processes align with product roadmaps and organizational goals

Act as a key point of contact for customer support, product teams, and other stakeholders to provide visibility into quality status, issue resolution, and release timelines

Champion a customer-first mindset, ensuring that product releases meet high standards of quality, reliability, and performance

Innovation and Best Practices :

Stay abreast of industry trends and advancements in QA tools, testing methodologies, and release management practices

Foster a culture of innovation by introducing cutting-edge technologies and approaches to software quality, testing automation, and release processes

Requirements :

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biotechnology field or Computer Science Engineering

15 years of experience in software quality assurance, with at least 5 years in leadership roles

Proven experience in leading large-scale, complex software QA and release management initiatives

Strong knowledge of software testing methodologies (manual and automated), tools, frameworks, and processes

Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor high-performing teams in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills

LI-SW1

Neurocrine Biosciences is an EEO / AA / Disability / Vets employer.

We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, and we recognize there are a variety of ways to meet our requirements. We are looking for the best candidate for the job and encourage you to apply even if your experience or qualifications don’t line up to exactly what we have outlined in the job description.

The annual base salary we reasonably expect to pay is $232,600.00-$336,750.00. Individual pay decisions depend on various factors, such as primary work location, complexity and responsibility of role, job duties / requirements, and relevant experience and skills. In addition, this position offers an annual bonus with a target of 35% of the earned base salary and eligibility to participate in our equity based long term incentive program. Benefits offered include a retirement savings plan (with company match), paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver / parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

Salary : $232,600 - $336,750