Associate Director Global Vaccines Planning

MSD•Durham, NC

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

This Associate Director (P4) is an End-to-End Planner supporting Vaccines, responsible for planning supply to meet customer demand, achieving inventory targets, and partnering with manufacturing sites and commercial teams to manage product supply and demand. The Vaccine Planning team coordinates supply planning, sourcing, manufacturing, inventory management, packaging, and delivery, partnering with Marketing, Finance, and Manufacturing to develop integrated demand and supply plans and deliver products to customers at the right place and time. The role interacts regularly with site planning and operations personnel and Commercial partners through the integrated business process. Depending on the assigned product scope, the planner may be the primary contact for Manufacturing Division and Commercial stakeholders or support part of a more complex product. The role partners with operations, site and functional leads, site and regional planners, ExM operations and functional leads, Value Chain leaders, VCM Product leaders, and Centers of Excellence. It owns supply planning across the 0–36-month horizon while supporting tactical escalations and strategic decisions as needed. The role leads the end-to-end product supply team, develops supply plans and scenarios, manages product profit and inventory plans, and guides supply execution and improvement work. The position is based primarily in Durham, North Carolina, with a hybrid work arrangement and 10% travel. Relocation is not offered, and visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, Life Sciences, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
At least 7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, vaccine, or a related regulated industry.
Experience in Supply Chain Planning, Operations, Master Data Management, Inventory Planning, Demand Planning, Production Planning, or Value Chain Management.
Experience supporting end-to-end supply planning processes across a manufacturing network.
Experience with master data governance, ERP systems, and planning systems to support supply-chain execution.
Demonstrated experience coordinating with Manufacturing, Quality, Commercial, Finance, and Supply Chain stakeholders.
Experience managing supply interruptions, inventory risks, and supply-demand imbalances in a regulated environment.
Knowledge of planning, including MRP and ERP, inventory and forecast planning, and demand planning.
Skills in continuous improvement, inventory logistics, logistics management, master data, Materials Requirements Planning (MRP), order management, pharmaceutical industry operations, planning, risk management, SAP master data, strategic thinking, supply-chain processes, and supply planning.

Nice To Haves

MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or vaccine industry experience.
Proficiency with SAP, ERP/MRP, and planning systems.

Responsibilities

Lead the End-to-End Product Supply Team for assigned product(s).
Develop and communicate supply plans and scenarios, including their impact on revenue, product cost, inventory, and transfers.
Understand production rhythms and plant shop-floor challenges.
Balance and integrate dependent demand across nodes and regions, allocating supply to optimize business benefits such as inventory, tax, capacity, and P&L.
Address and mitigate supply issues and bottlenecks while building supply-chain resilience and responsiveness.
Connect supply-chain nodes and engage sites and the DS/DP/packaging network in supply-chain improvements.
Drive product inventory plan performance.
Partner with Commercial and Value Chain Management teams to integrate regional and global brand strategies into supply plans within the 0–36-month horizon.
Lead the product Profit Plan and Inventory Plan.
Provide strategic guidance to sites, including flavor management strategy.
Approve end-to-end supply-chain targets from Drug Substance through Finished Goods.
Own supply execution strategies for global source changes, including regional allocations and transition timing, to ensure supply and minimize discards and inventory.
Follow established planning processes and create processes where gaps exist.
Lead and participate in planning projects focused on continuous improvement.
Manage issues through effective communication and stakeholder management.
Assemble and analyze data, identify problems, and develop recommendations to support supply-chain operations and planning.
Demonstrate urgency and ownership while working for the common good.
Collaborate to create a positive environment within the product planning team.