As a mother of two little children, I am thankful for the possibility to work less than 100% while being in a leadership position.

Hi, my name is...
Kristin. I grew up and studied in the eastern part of Germany. At school and during my studies, I always dreamed of being a researcher. However, after a few years of academic basic research during my doctorate in molecular biology, I felt that I wanted my work to have more impact on the treatment of diseases. I’ve now been working at Roche for about six years in an area that produces drugs for patients who suffer from severe diseases. In my position, I ensure that these patients receive products of high quality.

My typical day at work is...

half structured and foreseeable, whereas the other half is completely unpredictable. I lead a team of quality assurance (QA) managers who directly interact with the production department in making decisions and assessing the quality of the produced batches. Together we discuss current GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) issues and how we can improve the performance of our processes. I am embedded in a team of QA team leaders, which shares best practices and makes strategic decisions for the whole department. Every morning begins with a short meeting with representatives of all manufacturing units to share the latest news. Next, the information is spread within the team and department to clarify important tasks for the week. The rest of my day is filled with project meetings, problem-solving sessions and one-to-one conversations with my team members, with short in-between times that I can use for emails and administrative tasks.

The location I am working at is...

the production site in Kaiseraugst, which includes various units like production, packaging, warehouse, IT and clinical supply. During the last years, the site has grown extensively and now includes different dining areas and a fitness centre, surrounded by beautiful green areas and some very modern buildings. The site is embedded in Kaiseraugst, a pretty village in Switzerland, where I found a cosy place to live with my family. Due to the close vicinity of my working location, my home and the kindergarten, I don’t lose much valuable time with my family. 

My work helps Roche to...
supply patients with their medicines at the right time, amount and quality. I ensure that we follow our quality guidelines, so that we maintain the trust of the health authorities and patients from all over the world. Furthermore, my contribution to the QA leadership team helps to further develop our organisation regarding empowerment of employees and implementation of new ways of working.

Roche as an employer is...

highly motivating. Although I have worked as a QA Manager the whole time, I had plenty of opportunities to expand my horizon and change my area of responsibility. I feel very empowered as an employee and love to have so much freedom in what I do or want to change. In my surroundings, I feel part of a big family and I developed truly friendly relationships with many of my colleagues. That makes it very easy to come to work every day. As a mother of two little children, I am thankful for the possibility to work less than 100% while being in a leadership position. This arrangement helps me to fulfil both of my roles – being a mother and a QA team leader at Roche.