Director of Global Procurement

Kyowa Kirin is a fast-growing global specialty pharmaceutical company that applies state-of-the-art biotechnologies to discover and deliver novel medicines in four disease areas: bone and mineral; intractable hematologic; hematology oncology; and rare disease.  A Japan-based company, our goal is to make people smile by delivering breakthroughs where no adequate treatments currently exist, working from drug discovery to product development and commercialization. In North America, we are headquartered in Princeton, NJ, with offices in California, Massachusetts, and Ontario.

This is a hybrid position requiring two days a week in the Princeton, NJ Head Quarters.

Summary of Job:

The Director of Global Procurement will report to the Group Lead of Global Procurement Group in HQ (Tokyo) and will serve as a global procurement project lead and provide professional services to the strategic sourcing services in Clinical Development projects, Pharmacovigilance, Medical Affairs, Information Technology (incl. system and software), CMO development projects and One Kyowa Kirin. This role involves overseeing relationships with internal stakeholders and external vendors who provide, ensuring transparency and compliance and with contractual obligations, company standards, and project timelines. By utilizing key deliverables such as benchmarking and financial standard reports, this role will need to consider the total spend within the strategy, provide leadership, support, and oversight on sourcing negotiations.

Reporting Relationship:

Direct reporting line to Group Lead of Global Procurement Group, HQ and  Indirect reporting line to Head of Procurement, North America.

Essential Functions:

• Liaise with Global Procurement managers and supervisors to support their functions, and create and conduct procurement strategies for projects
• Work in partnership with internal key stakeholders to assure compliance with effective procurement policies, latest global procurement regulations and compliance requirements
• Lead cross-functional sourcing events & initiatives, including RFIs(Request for Information)/RFPs (Request for Proposals), supplier direct negotiations, contract extensions & contract exits, based on the procurement strategy
• Negotiate payment terms, payment milestones and package discounts with new suppliers during bid evaluations
• Review terms with existing preferred suppliers (cost, payment terms, service levels, etc.) re-negotiating where there is scope for improvement
• Identify and/or develop the right supplier partners, to ensure service excellence, reliability, compliance and capacity to support business requirements
• Lead strategic supplier relationship management to continually identify process improvements and cost reduction opportunities
• Develop deep supplier relationships with strategic suppliers to include data review and analysis of spend data and cost models, performance management and improvement
• Escalating procurement issues to the project partners and joining meetings with the vendors to resolve issues
• Identifying, achieving, and reporting procurement cost savings for the project

The Director actively engages in high-level negotiations, fosters strong relationships with key suppliers, and integrates modern technologies and best practices to enhance procurement operations. In a landscape of fast-paced market changes, this role requires a dynamic individual capable of fostering consensus and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams and adapting procurement strategies to meet the evolving needs of the business.

Job Requirements: 

Education & Experience:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, business administration, information technology or a related field A master’s degree in a relevant field is a plus.
• Experience: At least 10 years of experience in pharmaceutical procurement, particularly in managing indirect categories.

Skills:

• Professional:
  • In-depth knowledge of GCP, GVP, FDA regulations, and other relevant regulatory requirements. Knowledge of GMP and IT preferred.
  • Has proven knowledge of procurement industry cost structures and drivers
  • Ability to establish supplier specifications, measure conformance and identify process improvement opportunities that are defined in conjunction with internal stakeholders
  • Strong procurement negotiation, contract management, and project management skills
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with external partners and internal stakeholders
  • Knowledge of risk management, with the ability to identify and address anticipated issues
• Technical:
  • Adv Advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite, with a focus on PowerPoint and Excel.
  • Skilled in utilizing modern procurement technologies.
• Non-Technical:
  • Leadership: Demonstrated leadership abilities with experience in managing teams and leading cross-functional projects.
  • Business Acumen: Strong financial and business analysis skills, with a proven track record of strategic decision-making.
  • Adaptability: Ability to navigate fast-paced environments, adapt to change, and prioritize effectively under pressure.
  • Cultural Competence: Experience in multinational contexts and an understanding of Japanese business practices are highly valued.
  • Sustainability and Diversity: Familiarity with sustainable procurement practices and supplier diversity initiatives.

  • Attributes:

    Business Acumen: Strong financial and business analysis skills, with a proven track record of strategic decision-making.Adaptability: Ability to navigate fast-paced environments, adapt to change, and prioritize effectively under pressure.Cultural Competence: Experience in multinational contexts and an understanding of Japanese business practices are highly valued.Sustainability and Diversity: Familiarity with sustainable procurement practices and supplier diversity initiatives.

    • Detail-oriented with a strong work ethic and the ability to deliver results on tight deadlines.
    • Passionate about personal growth and development within a dynamic, high-growth environment.
    • Capable of fostering consensus and collaboration across multinational teams.

KKNA and all of its employees have an obligation to act in accordance with the law and with integrity in all our operations and interactions

It is the policy of Kyowa Kirin North America, Inc. to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, religion, creed, color, pregnancy, sex, age, national origin, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or affection preference or citizenship status or any other category protected by law.

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