Head of Sourcing R&D

EMD Serono•Burlington, MA

4d•$209,700 - $314,500•Onsite

About The Position

You’re at the forefront of driving purpose to create, improve and prolong lives, as one for patients, with leaders across the Medical and Research business as well as through strategic relationships with our suppliers. As a senior, strategic leader, you build and guide a high-performing team of category and strategic sourcing managers. You accelerate early drug development through rapid, compliant supplier collaboration from discovery to late development. You partner with key R&D stakeholders to integrate sourcing with program goals.

Requirements

12+ years in strategic sourcing/procurement in Pharma/Biotech or life sciences; strong R&D support background.
Experience leading a global, matrix sourcing team; deep GxP/GMP/ICH knowledge and supplier risk management.
Proven CRO/CDMO management and external partner experience for preclinical/clinical work.
Ability to translate complex scientific needs into actionable sourcing strategies.
Excellent negotiation and contract management skills.
Bachelor’s degree

Nice To Haves

advanced degree (PhD, MBA) preferred.
Experience with digital sourcing tools, data analytics, and e-sourcing.
Licensing, technology transfer, and external collaboration familiarity.
Track record of cost-out and speed-to-development outcomes; multilingual with international experience; travel as needed.

Responsibilities

Define and execute a global R&D Healthcare sourcing strategy aligned with early development timelines.
Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary team; promote speed, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Partner with R&D from discovery to development; develop category strategies for rapid supplier selection, tech evaluation, and risk-based decisions.
Engage suppliers early (pre-clinical/clinical) to secure capacity, quality, and capabilities (analytical services, equipment, APIs, formulations, GMP/GxP, etc.); Align milestones with development timelines; accelerate cycles without compromising quality or compliance.
Lead negotiations for high-impact contracts (CRO/CDMO, master service agreements, licenses).
Implement agile sourcing processes, digital tools, and governance for rapid decision-making.
Ensure compliance with GxP, ICH, GMP, data integrity; foster innovation in digital sourcing and analytics.