Global Category Lead, Full-Service CRO - Associate Director, Global Procurement R&D

Amgen•Newark, NJ

13d•$147,939 - $200,153

About The Position

Amgen is seeking a strategic procurement leader to serve as Global Category Manager and lead the global category strategy for Full-Service CRO. The role develops multi-year category strategies that address business needs, deliver best-practice outcomes, build enterprise-wide business partnerships, and activate Procurement resources to achieve strategic sourcing results, reduce costs, and enable top-line performance. The position analyzes internal demand, external market data, spending, and specifications to create category plans aligned with business objectives and sourcing initiatives. It also leads the Procurement innovation agenda, supplier performance, and risk management to deliver sustained value across a complex global professional services landscape. The category includes support for fully outsourced clinical trials across ClinPharm, Phases I–IV, observational research, and inherited studies resulting from M&A activity. The role partners with R&D, Clinical, Regulatory, Compliance, Legal, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, and other stakeholders to align procurement activities with regulatory, contractual, operational, and business requirements. It provides strategic oversight for sourcing and negotiations, supports supplier governance and issue resolution, and guides collaboration across global and regional teams. Amgen describes a collaborative, innovative, science-based culture and offers benefits and career-development opportunities. The posted U.S. annual salary range is $147,939.10–$200,152.90, with actual salary varying based on relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

Requirements

One of the following education and experience combinations: doctorate degree and 3 years of Global Strategic Sourcing or Procurement experience; master’s degree and 5 years; bachelor’s degree and 7 years; associate’s degree and 12 years; or high school diploma/GED and 14 years.
Strong problem-solving and organizational skills.
Strong analytical skills, including analyzing large datasets, identifying trends, and deriving actionable insights.
Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing complex global projects in a matrixed environment.
Extensive experience and knowledge of the global vendor landscape supporting clinical trials, including CROs, SMOs, AMCs, and CRO-adjacent vendors.
Global category management experience with a proven record of executive business partnering, leading change, and enterprise activation of sourcing initiatives informed by marketplace expertise.
Deep understanding of category management, supplier relationship management, and contract lifecycle management.
Strong financial, legal, and contractual fluency to navigate sales services agreements and deliver business-aligned outcomes.
Track record of driving innovation in category strategy, supplier engagement models, and internal stakeholder partnerships.
Ability to communicate complex category strategies, influence senior stakeholders, and manage change across functions and regions.
Ability to use spend analytics and benchmarking to inform category strategies and identify value opportunities.
Understanding of regulatory landscapes and ability to navigate and manage compliance requirements.
Ability to partner closely with Legal, Compliance, Cybersecurity, and Regulatory Affairs.
Strong contractual and regulatory navigation skills for healthcare technology agreements.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with procurement platforms such as Ariba, ERP systems, and advanced analytics tools to support decision-making and process automation.
Familiarity with compliance frameworks including 21 CFR Part 11, GxP, HIPAA, and GDPR.

Responsibilities

Lead category management for Full-Service CRO, supporting fully outsourced clinical trials across ClinPharm, Phases I–IV, observational research, and inherited studies resulting from M&A activity.
Partner with R&D, Clinical, Regulatory, and Compliance teams to ensure alignment with FDA, EMA, HIPAA, and GCP standards.
Negotiate contracts, amendments, commercial terms, rates, and discounts with vendors supporting fully outsourced clinical trials, balancing innovation, compliance, and risk.
Partner with Program Leads, Study Teams, and R&D Supplier Governance to enable supplier governance frameworks, promote high-quality delivery and performance, and resolve issues effectively and promptly.
Monitor market trends and intelligence, including evolving digital health regulations, and incorporate compliance, quality, and risk mitigation into sourcing strategies.
Provide strategic oversight for the Full-Service CRO category and sourcing, aligning category strategies with Amgen’s evolving business needs and broader organizational objectives.
Facilitate collaboration across cross-functional teams and regional stakeholders to ensure procurement strategies meet organizational needs and are implemented effectively.
Ensure procurement activities supporting Full-Service CRO comply with regulatory, contractual, and operational risk requirements.
Partner with Legal, Compliance, Data Privacy, and Cybersecurity teams to oversee risk mitigation strategies and align with best practices.
Collaborate with Global Procurement colleagues and stakeholders on complex CRO MSA and amendment negotiations, and support Study-Level Agreements and Purchase Orders as needed.
Provide guidance and establish appropriate processes and frameworks for RFPs, supplier evaluations, and contract development.
Activate Procurement resources and delegate sourcing activities to advance category priorities while managing stakeholder expectations and mitigating risk.

Benefits

Health and welfare plans for staff and eligible dependents.
Financial plans with opportunities to save toward retirement or other goals.
Work/life balance and career development opportunities.
Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions.
Group medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Life and disability insurance.
Flexible spending accounts.
Discretionary annual bonus program, or a sales-based incentive plan for field sales representatives.
Stock-based long-term incentives.
Award-winning time-off plans.
Flexible work models where possible.