Director, R&D Sourcing and Procurement

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop immediate and long-term R&D sourcing strategies/plans for global vendors (focus on clinical operations vendors).
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (R&D Operations, Clinical Operations, and other business leads) to identify sourcing needs and align strategies with business goals.
• Assess, benchmark, and negotiate existing R&D vendor contracts; conduct gap analysis.
• Contribute to R&D vendor governance (vendor optimization, risk assessment, operational performance evaluation).
• Track vendor budget progress with R&D business leads, operational teams, and FP&A (e.g., CRO change orders, risk/reward proposals, volume discounts, savings validation).
• Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies (e.g., AI in procurement) to improve vendor intelligence and sourcing automation.

• 12+ years of sourcing experience in pharmaceuticals/vendors across Clinical Operations, preclinical, medical affairs, pharmacovigilance, and regulatory affairs.
• Proven leadership managing and negotiating large, complex R&D vendor spend (especially CRO spend) and driving cross-functional leverage.
• Demonstrated success developing short- and long-term sourcing strategies in complex environments.
• Strong negotiation and vendor benchmarking experience across R&D contract types.
• Proficient with procurement systems: S2P (Coupa), CLM (Agiloft), and upcoming AI sourcing tools.
• Familiar with sourcing savings reporting methodology and tools (e.g., Smartsheet).
• BS/BA or equivalent relevant education.

• Initiative to find innovative ways to deliver measurable savings/results.
• Ability to communicate/present sourcing strategies clearly.
• Ensure compliance with corporate compliance SOPs/policies.
• Up to 5% domestic/international travel as needed.

• Competitive base, bonus, and equity; medical/dental/vision; 401(k) match; employee stock purchase plan; paid time off (15+ vacation days), paid holidays, sick time, paid parental leave, tuition assistance.