Associate Director, Global Cell Therapy Procurement

AstraZeneca•Gaithersburg, MD

11h

About The Position

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. Join us at AstraZeneca, a place that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking, and innovation. We are looking for an integral member to join our Cell Therapy Supply Chain team. This role has a global remit and you will have accountability for some categories. The role focuses on the development and deployment of global category strategies and initiatives, leading our major supplier relationships, developing deeper relationships with the various stakeholder groups through effective business partnering, and ensuring that the underpinning process improvement and procurement activities deliver the expected business value. In this role, you will be responsible for developing long-term strategic plans for an entire spend category within AstraZeneca. You will manage stakeholder and supplier relationships to ensure that category strategies are highly aligned to current and future business needs and that the supply base can support these strategies. You will lead project initiatives tied to the category strategies to deliver value to the business, lead the implementation of sustainability initiatives with vendors, and lead complex contractual and commercial negotiations. You will work alongside key stakeholders. You will ensure a data-driven approach to category management and high-quality analytics to deliver insights, capabilities, and results.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
7+ years of experience in a procurement environment
Strong project management expertise (PMP certification preferred)
Deep knowledge of procurement processes: sourcing methodologies, contract management, supplier performance management, risk mitigation
Experience implementing procurement governance frameworks and driving organizational change
Track record building capability through training, process improvement, and change management
Excellent stakeholder management skills across all organizational levels
Experience in biotech/pharma procurement (cell therapy a plus)
Familiarity with procurement technology platforms (SAP, Coupa) and AI/automation tools
Background in sustainability and supplier diversity programs
Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)

Nice To Haves

PMP certification
cell therapy experience
Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)

Responsibilities

Serve as primary liaison between Cell Therapy Supply Chain and Global Procurement
Lead procurement project management for Commercial Readiness (2028 launch), COGM reduction, China support, AI Initiative, and Sustainability targets
Establish procurement governance framework aligned with Global Procurement Must Wins
Drive process standardization and capability building across the Cell Therapy Supply Chain team
Implement procurement best practices and continuous improvement initiatives