Sr Manager, Vendor Outsourcing

Gilead Sciences • Parsippany, NJ

9d • $143,225 - $203,940

About The Position

Gilead Sciences is seeking a Senior Manager, CRO Sourcing—Phase 1b–3 Clinical Trial Management, within Development Operations, Vendor Outsourcing. The position leads study-level sourcing for complex clinical trial management services across multiple therapeutic areas, including Virology, Oncology, Inflammation, and Cell Therapy. The Senior Manager develops and leads requests for information and proposals, evaluates and selects vendors, and presents supported recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders in line with the established CRO sourcing strategy. The role is accountable for the full contracting lifecycle, including negotiation and management of work orders, amendments, change orders, and change notifications. It requires clinical outsourcing expertise, commercial judgment, and collaboration with Clinical Operations, Legal, Finance, Quality, Compliance, and external vendors.

The role provides category and contracting leadership to internal stakeholders, leads sourcing and contracting from requirements definition through vendor selection and award, manages contract documentation and vendor performance, and identifies risks and improvement opportunities. It also applies market information, benchmarks, analytical tools, and emerging technologies to improve sourcing decisions, commercial value, and operational efficiency. The Senior Manager resolves study-level vendor issues, develops practical mitigation strategies, and communicates recommendations and guidance to stakeholders and senior leaders.

As a people leader, the role is expected to foster inclusion, develop talent through coaching and feedback, and empower teams by aligning goals and helping remove barriers.

The salary range is $157,590–$203,940 for the Bay Area and $143,225–$185,350 for other U.S. locations. The position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives, paid time off, and company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans.

Requirements

• High school degree and 12 years of experience, or a bachelor’s degree and eight years of experience, or a master’s degree and six years of experience, or a PhD/PharmD.
• Demonstrated clinical trials industry experience, particularly in Phase 1b–3 clinical trial management services.
• Experience supporting clinical studies and sourcing vendors for CRO clinical trial management services.
• Formal training in category management, strategic sourcing, procurement, contracting, or a related discipline, or equivalent demonstrated experience, with application in a category-management environment.
• Expertise in study-level requests for information and proposals, proposal and budget analysis, vendor evaluation, negotiation, award recommendations, and vendor selection.
• Strong end-to-end contracting experience, including work orders, amendments, change orders, and change notifications.
• Ability to negotiate and manage contracts collaboratively across Legal, Clinical Operations, Finance, Procurement, Compliance, Quality, and vendor teams.
• In-depth knowledge of clinical development, study start-up and execution, vendor oversight, and applicable regulatory and quality requirements.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including evaluation of complex budgets, cost drivers, pricing models, and commercial value.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a dynamic, fast-paced, matrixed environment, using sound judgment and an appropriate sense of urgency.
• Ability and willingness to travel as required.
• Strong technology acumen and proficiency with analytical tools, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and emerging digital technologies.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, life sciences, supply chain, procurement, or a related discipline, together with relevant experience in clinical outsourcing, category management, strategic sourcing, or contracting.

Nice To Haves

• Experience across related clinical trial ancillary categories.
• Current knowledge of evolving clinical trial technologies and innovative provider offerings, and ability to apply these insights to sourcing strategy, service delivery, and trial performance.
• Advanced degree.
• Professional certification such as CPSM, CIPS, PMP, or an equivalent credential.

Responsibilities

• Lead assigned study contracting activities and serve as the category subject-matter expert for internal stakeholders.
• Evaluate stakeholder business requirements and develop, implement, and maintain sourcing and contracting strategies aligned with business requirements and priorities.
• Lead study-specific sourcing decisions by balancing operational requirements, quality, timelines, risk, and total cost.
• Lead study-level sourcing and contracting from requirements definition through request development, bid analysis, vendor due diligence, bid defense, selection recommendation, and award.
• Translate protocol and operational requirements into scopes of work, assumptions, deliverables, timelines, service levels, and pricing models.
• Own the end-to-end contracting process for assigned studies, ensuring timely execution, policy compliance, and alignment between commercial terms and operational scope.
• Negotiate and administer work orders, amendments, change orders, and change notifications.
• Apply external benchmarks, cost-driver analyses, and negotiation strategies to improve value, pricing consistency, and commercial transparency.
• Maintain complete sourcing and contracting documentation, decision records, approvals, and audit-ready files.
• Monitor vendor performance, commercial commitments, and utilization; identify risks and opportunities; and coordinate corrective actions.
• Evaluate the business need, scope, and financial impact of proposed contract changes and negotiate related costs and terms.
• Document lessons learned to improve future sourcing and contracting cycles.
• Synthesize scientific, operational, financial, and market information into actionable recommendations.
• Incorporate market developments, vendor capabilities, and innovation into sourcing and contracting strategies.
• Use analytical tools, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and emerging digital technologies to improve efficiency, decision-making, and continuous improvement.
• Identify and implement leading practices in vendor selection, cost containment, category management, contracting, and negotiation.
• Take accountability for issues through resolution; triage vendor-management issues and escalate significant operational, financial, quality, or compliance risks.
• Identify operational and systemic issue trends and develop sustainable solutions for study start-up and execution.
• Anticipate risks and present practical mitigation strategies and resolution options.
• Partner with Clinical Operations, study teams, Legal, Finance, Procurement, Compliance, Quality, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate collaborative negotiations that integrate legal, operational, financial, quality, and regulatory considerations.
• Maintain effective vendor relationships while representing Gilead’s interests and appropriately escalating material risks.
• Influence stakeholders and senior leaders through clear analysis, transparent decision criteria, and supported recommendations.
• Recommend appropriate global development vendors to senior leadership for endorsement.
• Resolve vendor project-management and scoping issues by addressing deviations from agreed requirements and procedures.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders at all organizational levels, including senior leaders.
• Provide training and guidance, as appropriate, on contract budgeting, development, negotiation, and administration.
• Create inclusion, develop employee talent through coaching and feedback, and empower teams by aligning goals and removing barriers.
• Travel as required.

Benefits

• May be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus.
• May be eligible for discretionary stock-based long-term incentives; eligibility may vary by role.
• Paid time off.
• Company-sponsored medical insurance.
• Company-sponsored dental insurance.
• Company-sponsored vision insurance.
• Company-sponsored life insurance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED