Executive Director, Head of Strategic Sourcing

Role Summary

Ionis is seeking a dynamic, experienced, and visionary leader to establish and lead our Strategic Sourcing function. This individual will be responsible for executing a strategic sourcing roadmap and operating model that aligns with Ionis’ values, culture and strategic objectives. The ideal candidate will bring deep procurement expertise, demonstrated change leadership, and a passion for developing high-performing teams. The core opportunity for this role lies in transformational change: evolving from decentralized, department-driven procurement to a unified, enterprise-wide strategic sourcing approach. This is a highly visible role that requires exceptional stakeholder management, influencing skills, and a strong grasp of procurement best practices in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry. This position reports to the Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and ideally be located at our corporate headquarters in Carlsbad, California.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  • Execute a comprehensive sourcing strategy aligned with company goals.
  • Drive the transformation of the procurement operating model to support scalable, efficient operations.
• Organizational Design & Team Development
  • Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing Strategic Sourcing team in line with the Strategic Sourcing roadmap.
  • Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management
  • Partner with leaders across departments to understand business needs and gain sponsorship.
  • Guide the organization through procurement transformation‚Äîmoving the organization from decentralized processes to a hybrid model between Strategic Sourcing and the business owners and then ultimately aligning stakeholders around a center-led sourcing model.
• Category & Supplier Management
  • Lead the development and establishment of category strategies and support supplier selection processes, contracting to ensuring value creation and risk mitigation.
  • Manage supplier relationships and performance in partnership with business owners, enabling innovation and continuous improvement.
• Technology Enablement & Optimization
  • Lead the evaluation, implementation, and optimization of sourcing/procurement technologies (e.g., e-sourcing tools, contract lifecycle management, spend analytics).
  • Ensure technology solutions are effectively integrated into sourcing operations to drive efficiency, transparency, and data-driven decision-making.
• Risk, Compliance & Governance
  • Ensure adherence to legal, regulatory, and ethical procurement standards.
  • Embed risk review and escalation into sourcing processes.
• Operational Excellence
  • Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor sourcing effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Implement policies, processes, and systems to support sustainable sourcing operations.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of progressive procurement and sourcing leadership experience, including direct and indirect categories.
• Proven success building procurement organizations and delivering business value through sourcing strategies. Experience establishing strategic sourcing processes in a scaling biotech or mid-cap pharma environment preferred.
• Deep expertise in category management, complex contract negotiations, and supplier performance management.
• Demonstrated experience driving procurement transformation and leading change in a matrixed environment.
• Strong track record within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills.
• High integrity and a commitment to ethical sourcing practices.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic organization.