Associate Director, External Manufacturing Procurement

Associate Director, External Manufacturing Procurement Macclesfield, UK

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe.

Come and join our AZ team where you will play a pivotal role in this exciting period of development!!

Reporting to the Director – External Manufacturing Procurement (New Modalities), the Associate Director, External Manufacturing Procurement is accountable for delivering the technology-aligned category strategy across both pre-commercial and commercial spend. This role plays a central part in enabling AstraZeneca’s Ambition 2030 strategy, ensuring external manufacturing partners are selected, developed and managed to deliver 20 new life-changing medicines by 2030. Sitting within the technology-aligned category team, the role leads high-value initiatives in the Category Improvement Plan, drives supplier performance and development, and supports activities related to acquisitions and divestments across both commercial and pre-commercial phases of the lifecycle.

Operating through established governance forums, this position connects closely with stakeholders across the value chain to secure robust, sustainable and competitive external manufacturing solutions that keep patients at the centre.

• Leadership of initiatives or with their suppliers within the applicable category improvement plan and execution of that plan to deliver the business value.
• Support the development of category strategy where required, providing market insight, supplier intelligence, benchmarking and practical input from sourcing and supplier management activity. Contribute to market analysis, supplier landscape reviews and benchmarking to advise sourcing decisions and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Lead high value/high complexity project supplier selection activities including guiding S2C team with supplier selection where required, in line with category strategy.
• Delivering value for accountable supplier relationships in line with segmentation & supplier development plan.
• Represents EMP & contributes as required at relevant technology enterprise governance forums (e.g ESM Tech Forum, Supplier BRMs, Boards) to drive informed decision-making and ensure alignment with corporate objectives.
• Leads stakeholder relationships effectively through Business Partnering with relevant roles across ESM, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, Legal and Pharm Sci, PT&D and BPD organisations (where applicable) to resolve issues, optimise business performance and develop future improvement opportunities.

• Deliver annual financial and non-financial targets for their category.
• Deliver on EMP goals and objectives.
• If applicable lead assigned area of EMP’s overall governance system and processes driving a continuous improvement mentality and lean methodology.
• Supports innovation within the category strategy and emphasises sustainability and ethical sourcing practices.
• Participate in/lead where appropriate pre-commercial & commercial category core team meetings with business & procurement stakeholders.

• Contribution to advancing and delivering Procurement’s overall 2-2-2 strategy and Value Proposition.
• Manages and monitors supplier spend & records savings.
• Ensuring procurement processes and supplier management are applied in line with identified AstraZeneca standard operating policies, compliance, ethics & procedures.
• Develop and apply negotiation tactics, effectively communicating with stakeholders, and building mutual trust to influence outcomes efficiently.
• Be responsible for End-to-End Source to Contract (S2C) activities performed by GSCE
• Supports GSCE execution of Master Supply Agreements, and/or individual product contracts for assigned Suppliers or Brands.
• Supporting risk assessment processes for suppliers
• Foster trusted relationships with suppliers to achieve competitive value and quality of services.
• Support AZ’s industry-leading Sustainability agenda with suppliers.