Senior Director Planning, Clinical Production and Alliances (CPA)

Role Summary

Provides leadership to CPA planning leads to develop and implement robust global clinical supply chain strategies that ensure continuity of clinical supplies to meet program and study milestones across Therapeutic Areas. Drives cross-functional initiatives to improve planning processes, enhance stakeholder relationships, and deliver value to the business. Optimizes global and regional planning principles, measures effectiveness, and leads continuous improvements. Serves as a key leader within Takeda and with external partners. Location: Boston, MA (also Lexington, MA).

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of planning professionals and ensure robust procedures, tools, and technology are in place to strategically deliver optimum clinical supply to support all Therapeutic Areas in a consistent and predictable manner, including Takeda-sponsored studies, IISR’s, partnered studies (if applicable), and Post Trial Access (Compassionate Use, Named Patient programs).
• Ensure line management and key stakeholders are apprised of developments that may impact clinical supply chain, anticipate risks, and develop solutions; discuss with direct reports and management; understand probabilities of success for the solutions.
• Establish strong stakeholder relationships and drive effective collaboration with Clinical Operations, PharmSci, GSQ, TAUs, GMA, MPG, PSDQ, Regulatory, and other stakeholders.
• Represent CPA as a primary interface for key stakeholders and on key cross-functional projects.
• Establish, lead, and evolve Clinical Supply Chain governance forums to support business needs including Clinical and Operations Planning process (CSOP), Monthly Governance forum, and other applicable forums.
• Accountable for demand and supply planning of Drug Substance and Drug Product, inventory planning, and adherence to business targets while ensuring regulatory and compliance frameworks.
• Work closely with the Business Process Excellence and Digital Strategy team to identify and drive opportunities to leverage data and insights to improve planning and supply strategy.
• Drive improvements and utilization of Smart Supplies Forecasting & Planning and ensure effective and consistent utilization of Smart Supplies across GCSC and PharmSci teams.
• Support Due Diligence efforts to provide input on behalf of PharmSci.
• Maintain enterprise view of clinical supply chain connecting clinical operations, PharmSci, regulatory, GMA, QA, and commercial manufacturing (GSQ) perspectives across the development portfolio.
• Bring significant industry expertise to the team and mentor junior members to build and maintain strong planning capabilities within GCSC.
• Stay current with regulatory and industry developments and best practices in the clinical supply chain arena; demonstrate Takeda leadership behaviors.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of pharmaceutical industry experience with experience in clinical supply chain management (preferred), planning, Commercial supply chain management, CMC development, Clinical Operations or related discipline; experience working with CMC teams.
• Significant experience in global Clinical Supply planning and forecasting, including systems and tools for supply planning and forecasting (e.g., Smart Supplies, SAP).
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse internal and external groups toward development of globalized approaches to Clinical Supplies project fulfillment.
• Demonstrated strong and effective leadership capabilities including the ability to successfully deliver complex cross-functional initiatives.
• High-level relationship-building and influencing skills; ability to gain buy-in for ideas and proposals and generate consensus among stakeholders.
• Strategic/enterprise mindset; capable of creating and articulating a vision and inspiring team members to strive toward goals.
• Builds an inclusive work environment and develops the organization for the future; enterprise mindset with focus on priorities that matter.
• Ability to influence stakeholders from many technical disciplines and at many levels.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills; strong oral and written communication; managing timelines; negotiation; integrity and adaptability.
• Works well with others and within global teams; able to bring working teams together for common objectives.

Skills

• Technical/Functional Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and global Clinical Supply planning/forecasting, with experience using planning tools such as Smart Supplies and SAP.
• Leadership: Experience managing and leading cross-functional teams across regions; ability to inspire, motivate, and drive results; strong communication; inclusive leadership.
• Decision-making and Autonomy: Ability to provide input into highly complex decisions; accountable for decisions; able to seek diverse input and implement solutions swiftly.
• Interaction: Builds relationships; negotiates; resolves conflicts constructively; collaborates across Takeda functions and external partners.
• Innovation: Forward-thinking; challenges the status quo; fosters and implements innovative solutions; comfortable taking calculated risks.
• Complexity: Works effectively in a global ecosystem with high complexity; maintains an enterprise perspective.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy, Supply Chain/Logistics or related discipline. Advanced degree preferred.