Director, Technical Operations Planning (Onsite)

MSD

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Global Clinical Supply (GCS) organization within our company's Research Laboratories manages the end-to-end clinical supply chain for the company's portfolio (300+ Phase I-IV Clinical Trials, 200+ Investigator Initiated Studies and 200+ External Collaborations). GCS is accountable for the planning, sourcing, labeling, packaging and delivery of clinical supplies to clinical sites across more than 60+ countries, in compliance with worldwide regulations, company policies and standard operating procedures. The Director, Technical Operations Planning is a strategic team leader and technical expert within the Global Operations Planning Team. The ideal candidate should have a passion for operational excellence and a proven track record in continuous improvement of processes, systems, and talent development across global, culturally diverse teams. The incumbent must demonstrate strong strategic and leadership skills to manage and resolve challenges arising from the diverse and dynamic requirements of our complex clinical supply chain. The key immediate needs and opportunities for the role include: Integrating teams across US and Switzerland, implementing a new operating model and ways of working. Lead a team of technical experts responsible for: CSO Compliance Operations CSO Integration Operations Global Site Scheduling Process ownership, KPIs, investigations & CAPAs for Operations Planning Proactively identifying operational risks and implementing data-driven mitigation strategies to ensure strong operational performance. Embedding business process continuous improvement that allows for enhanced efficiency with required responsiveness/flexibility to project-specific needs. Seeks opportunities to innovation and efficiency, removing barriers for the team and supporting change initiatives

Requirements

Degree (BSc, MSc, MBA, PhD) in Life Sciences, Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Administration or related discipline
Experience (10+ years) in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or medical devices with proven success in Project management and team leadership
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams, manage complex projects, and deliver innovative solutions.
Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
Adaptable and resilient, with a track record of performing under pressure and fostering collaboration across global, culturally diverse teams
Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver integrated solutions.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and drive evidence-based decisions.
Proficiency in English (verbal and written) at a professional working level.
Accountability
Audit Preparations
Business Process Improvements
Clinical Supply Chain Management
Contract Management
Customer Alignment
Customer-Focused
Data Compilation
Detail-Oriented
Dispatching
Driving Continuous Improvement
Financial Forecasting
Inventory Control Management
Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Materials Procurement
Medical Supply Management
Motivating Teams
Negotiation
Operational Excellence
Operational Risk Assessment
Outsourcing
People Leadership
Problem Solving
Process Optimization

Responsibilities

Supports strategic plans by defining priorities, establishing key performance indicators, and driving change initiatives and process improvements.
Continuously optimize assets, processes, and resources across the supply chain to maintain compliance and achieve operational excellence.
Ensure coordinated scheduling process across sites, influence siting decisions, ensure productivity targets are met and provide direction to address scheduling conflicts
Engage with inspectors/auditors to review processes, coordinate responses to observations and lead implementation of CAPA
Lead integration of complex BD assets (e.g. new external sites, complex packaging) and provide guidance to team for operational execution
Lead complex, cross-functional investigations and provide guidance to team on problem-solving and effective CAPA
Lead implementation and change adoption for new systems and tools within Operations Planning to deliver digital strategy
Lead operational simplification efforts with external sites to enable speed, flexibility and cost opportunities
Inspire and motivate teams by setting high-performance expectations and fostering a culture of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement.