Associate Director, Clinical Program Sourcing & Contracting

About This Role

We are building a high-performing clinical contracting capability that accelerates clinical trial delivery while strengthening compliance, financial discipline, and inspection readiness. You will lead a team of procurement associates in the Clinical Program Sourcing & Contracting (CPSC) ensuring end-to-end execution across demand planning, sourcing and contracting activities supporting global clinical programs (e.g., Phase I-IV).

This role is accountable for operational excellence, contractual compliance, and delivery performance across CPSC remit. You will collaborate closely with Clinical Services Category Management, Clinical Trial Development Unit (CTDU), and Strategic Resourcing & Performance Optimization (SRPO) teams to align study contracting timelines, specifications collection, budget validation, and contract execution.

You will also establish and lead a robust Vendor Demand Management Model across TAs, programs, and studies, ensuring consistent translation of program-level outsourcing strategies into study-level execution. The focus is to create a lean, predictable model that improves speed, quality, and stakeholder confidence. This role reports into the Head of Research, Development & Medical Services within the Global Procurement organization.

What You'll Do

Operational Excellence - Demand planning and Clinical Contract Delivery

• Lead end-to-end Demand planning and Clinical Contract Delivery operations supporting global clinical trials (Phase I-IV), ensuring timely, compliant execution of sourcing and contracting activities.
• Design and optimize a scalable CPSC operating model aligned to portfolio growth.
• Establish a technology-enabled Demand planning and Clinical contract delivery environment. Implement predictive contracting capabilities using historical study data and demand trends.
• Define and monitor KPIs (cycle time, quality, compliance, stakeholder satisfaction) and deliver performance transparency to senior leadership.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across SOPs, templates, legal support models, training, and systems.

• Establish and oversee an integrated Vendor Demand Management Model ensuring consistent program-level outsourcing strategies are implemented effectively at study level.
• Translate program and portfolio forecasts into structured resource capacity planning and prioritization frameworks.
• Ensure clear handoffs of study specifications and contracting requirements into CPSC execution teams.
• Serve as escalation point for contracting risks, timeline conflicts, and cross-functional barriers impacting study start-ups.

• Drive financial transparency and discipline across contracting activities, including Fair Market Value (FMV) governance, milestone-payment alignment, and value reporting.
• Develop and report Commercial Framework Contractual Compliance Metrics, tracking adherence to approved rate cards, templates, commercial protections, and negotiated terms.
• Ensure audit readiness, regulatory compliance, and strong documentation practices.
• Monitor contractual control effectiveness, identifying systemic gaps and leading corrective process enhancements.

• Implement an integrated supplier risk and performance management framework.
• Establish standardized mechanisms to monitor vendor performance indicators (budget accuracy, scope stability, cycle-time adherence, inspection findings).

• 10+ years of experience in contracting, ideally within biotech/pharma and clinical trial operations.
• Previous experience managing teams, setting departmental priorities to support business objectives, matrixed environment
• Strong understanding of clinical trial operations and the drivers of contracting speed.
• Deep knowledge of end-to-end Source to Contract processes, complex negotiations, and contract lifecycle management in a regulated environment.
• Highly effective stakeholder partner with the ability to persuade and build strong relationships across technical and operational teams.
• Data-driven and performance-oriented; experienced in establishing KPIs, dashboards, and reporting to drive transparency and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate clearly with leaders and technical stakeholders
• Process-oriented, continuous improvement mindset; Identifies and solves complex, operational and organizational problems

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree and/or legal/contracting background is a plus; relevant certifications (e.g., CPSM/C.P.M.) are desirable.

• Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurances
• Fitness & Wellness programs including a fitness reimbursement
• Short- and Long-Term Disability insurance
• A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and an additional end-of-year shutdown time off (Dec 26-Dec 31)
• Up to 12 company paid holidays + 3 paid days off for Personal Significance
• 80 hours of sick time per calendar year
• Paid Maternity and Parental Leave benefit
• 401(k) program participation with company matched contributions
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year
• Employee Resource Groups participation