Associate Director, Specialty Laboratory Sourcing, Contracting and Category Management

At Gilead, we’re creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we’ve tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer – working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world’s biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference.

Every member of Gilead’s team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we’re looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.

Job Description

The Associate Director, Vendor Outsourcing, focused on Specialty Laboratory Sourcing, Contracting and Category Management serves as the category partner and subject matter expert for Biomarker, Bioanalytical, and Companion Diagnostics across Clinical Development and Research. The role is responsible for developing and executing the category strategy, leading strategic sourcing initiatives, negotiating and executing complex agreements and managing vendor relations to deliver quality, compliance, innovation and value.

The candidate will partner closely with Biomarker Operations, Clinical Pharmacology, Translational Medicine, Therapeutic-Area Research Scientists, Clinical Operations, Legal, Finance, Quality, Compliance, Regulatory, and other cross-functional stakeholders to ensure optimized vendor solutions are in support of the business.

Leadership Competencies

• Act as as strategic thinker backed with subject-matter expertise with strong business acumen to deliver data-driven decisions with a collaborative and stakeholder focused approach.
• Ability to influence and lead without direct authority in a highly matrixed, GxP-regulated, fast paced environment.
• Results oriented with a continuous improvement mindset to drive category adoption

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy and Portfolio Management

• Develop, maintain, and execute the Specialty Laboratory category strategy for Biomarker, Bioanalytical, and Companion Diagnostic laboratory services.
• Lead category reviews, including marketplace analysis, demand and spend assessment, vendor segmentation, capability mapping, benchmarking, and identification of core competencies.
• Manage the portfolio of strategic core and niche laboratories based on scientific capability, quality, capacity, geographic reach, innovation, risk, performance, and total value.
• Develop and manage category-level standards that can be applied across the laboratory portfolio.
• Monitor market practices, technologies, emerging vendors, and internal demand to recommend portfolio changes and fit-for-purpose sourcing approaches.

Stakeholder Management and Scientific Partnership

• Serve as the primary Vendor Outsourcing point of contact for specialty lab services.
• Provide strategic consultation to business stakeholders on vendor strategy and market dynamics.
• Build trusted relationships with Biomarker Operations, Clinical Pharmacology, Kite Translational Medicine, therapeutic-area research scientists, Clinical Operations, and other key partners.
• Translate scientific and business requirements into laboratory sourcing strategies, vendor recommendations, contracting approaches, and implementation plans.
• Influence senior internal stakeholder decisions and external laboratory partners on contractual, commercial, operational, legal, and regulatory matters.

Contracting and Commercial Terms Management

• Lead contract negotiations in partnership with functional leaders and Legal, translating business and scientific requirements into appropriate contractual and commercial terms.
• Manage the development, negotiation, execution, maintenance, and renewal of master laboratory agreements and master service agreements for core and niche laboratories.
• Lead amendments to master agreements, including updates required for new services, capabilities, technologies, legal terms, compliance requirements, or changes to the commercial framework.
• Manage rate cards and related pricing structures; use internal and external benchmarking and market assessments to ensure pricing is at or below fair market value where supported by scope, service level, geography, quality, and technical requirements.
• Negotiate CDx agreements with commercialization terms including milestones and royalty structures with direction from legal.

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