Associate Director, External Manufacturing Procurement

AstraZeneca • Mississauga, ON

9d • Hybrid

About The Position

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation. The company emphasizes individualized flexibility, allowing employees to balance personal and work commitments while maintaining a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork through engaging face-to-face in offices 3 days a week. The head office and BlueSky Hub in downtown Toronto are designed for collaboration. AstraZeneca is also dedicated to sustainability, recognizing the interconnectedness of people, planet, and business, and taking ambitious action on climate change, healthcare access, and disease prevention. The Associate Director, External Manufacturing Procurement reports to the Director – External Manufacturing Procurement (New Modalities). This role is responsible for delivering the technology-aligned category strategy for both pre-commercial and commercial spend. It is crucial for enabling AstraZeneca’s Ambition 2030 strategy, which aims to deliver 20 new life-changing medicines by 2030, by ensuring external manufacturing partners are selected, developed, and managed effectively. The Associate Director leads high-value initiatives within the Category Improvement Plan, drives supplier performance and development, and supports activities related to acquisitions and divestments. The position involves close collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain through established governance forums to secure robust, sustainable, and competitive external manufacturing solutions, always keeping patients at the center.

Requirements

• Proven experience in Procurement or a related field.
• Bachelor’s degree level or equivalent qualifications.
• Strong Stakeholder Management skills, preferably in a matrix organization.
• Commercial Procurement experience.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to lead supplier relationship management.
• Proven ability to handle change and uncertainty.
• Strong analytical and financial skills to support data-driven decision-making.
• Demonstrated experience working across different geographical regions and cultures.
• Experience in working within a manufacturing site.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in working with Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs).
• Category management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead project supplier selection activities including guiding GSCE with supplier selection where required, in line with category strategy.
• Leadership of initiatives or with their suppliers within the applicable category improvement plan and execution of that plan to deliver the expected business value.
• Supports development of category strategy with Director where applicable.
• 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.
• Manages stakeholder relationships effectively through Business Partnering with relevant roles across ESM, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, Legal and Pharm Sci, PT&D and BPD organizations (where applicable) to resolve issues, optimize 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 emphasizes sustainability and ethical sourcing practices.
• Provides additional market analysis and benchmarking input to Dir. and contributes to supplier landscape review.
• Participate in 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.
• Developing excellent relationships & influence with internal stakeholders.
• Foster trusted relationships with suppliers to achieve competitive value and quality of services.
• Support AZ’s industry-leading Sustainability agenda with suppliers.

Benefits

• Annual Variable Pay Bonus/Short Term Incentive opportunity
• Eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (if applicable to role)
• Competitive Flex Benefits & Retirement Savings Program
• 4 weeks’ paid vacation
• Annual Personal Days
• Contract Benefits Program (for Fixed Term Contract/Temporary positions, excluding students)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees