Strategic Sourcing, Associate Director (Cell & Gene Therapy and Biologics)

Role Summary

Associate Director of Strategic Sourcing for Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) and Biologics, based at the company’s world headquarters in Boston, MA. Focuses on raw materials and CDMO sourcing to support CGT and biologics products; requires strong knowledge of raw material technology, supplier landscapes, and regulatory requirements. Communicates with senior leaders and drives category strategies, supplier management, and continuous improvement to ensure quality, delivery, and cost objectives.

Responsibilities

• Business Partnering ‚Äì develop strong relationships with stakeholders, understand objectives, bring supplier/market expertise, and drive multi-year plans and business outcomes.
• Global Category Management ‚Äì develop and manage category and sourcing strategies, manage strategic supplier relationships and performance, and handle tactical RFx activities.
• Sourcing Strategy Development ‚Äì co-develop and implement sourcing strategies to enable development and commercialization of CGT/biologics products; identify suppliers, negotiate contracts, influence network strategy, and manage relationships.
• Supplier Relationship Management ‚Äì maintain relationships with key CDMOs/suppliers; negotiate terms, ensure quality and timely delivery; identify opportunities for risk mitigation, cost savings, and process improvements; collaborate with external manufacturing and process development teams.
• Risk Mitigation ‚Äì assess and mitigate supply chain risks; develop contingency/resilience plans.
• Cross-functional Collaboration ‚Äì align sourcing with production schedules, product specs, and regulatory requirements with R&D, quality, regulatory, and others.
• Market Analysis ‚Äì monitor market trends, supplier capabilities, and technologies; conduct assessments to identify opportunities and risks.
• Continuous Improvement ‚Äì implement initiatives to streamline processes, leverage data analytics to monitor performance and drive improvements.
• Financials ‚Äì support annual budget, provide cost guidance for long-range planning, and evaluate BOMs/COGS to identify opportunities and risks.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7‚Äì10 years of experience in strategic sourcing/procurement/supply chain, with a focus on CDMO for CGT or biologics in pharma/biotech.
• Bachelor's degree in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or related field desired.
• Proven track record in contract negotiation, supplier management, and cost-saving initiatives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to assess risks and mitigate them.
• In-depth knowledge of biologics and/or CGT products, technologies, and manufacturing processes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to collaborate across functions.
• Understanding of raw material specifications, quality requirements, and GMP/ISO standards.
• Ability to travel as needed to supplier sites and industry events.

Skills

• Influence and senior leadership engagement; able to gain a seat at the table with stakeholders
• Category management and end-to-end strategic sourcing, RFx, negotiation, contracts, supplier performance management
• Complex supplier negotiations and CDMO management within a virtual plant governance model
• Data analytics using Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools; reporting and benchmarking
• Continuous improvement methodologies and tools (Pareto charts, flow diagrams, etc.)
• Project management and organizational skills; collaborative leadership across Legal, Compliance, Finance, etc.
• Strong written and verbal communication; comfortable presenting to senior management
• Contract law understanding; ability to assess terms and risks across agreements (CDAs, MSAs, etc.)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, ERP systems, and e-Sourcing tools with BI capabilities

Education

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or related field (preferred)

Additional Requirements

• Travel up to 10% to supplier sites and facilities as needed