Outsourcing Project Director - Drug Substance Outsourcing

Novo Nordisk; Taastrup; On-site; DKK 941,000 - 1,449,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk is seeking a senior sourcing and project leader to own end-to-end sourcing initiatives for Drug Substance Outsourcing. You will shape category strategies and negotiate with CMOs up to CEO level, balancing value, cost, flexibility and risk.

You will lead cross-functional projects with MSAT, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance and Legal, and partner with Global Contract Manufacturing DS and country affiliates. Expect extensive interaction with international CMOs.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• ~15+ years in pharmaceutical experience in manufacturing, development or CMO environments.
• Strong background in strategic sourcing and contract negotiation.
• Experience leading complex cross-functional projects.
• In-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturing, CMOs, quality and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent negotiation and contracting skills with senior management exposure.
• Ability to lead without formal authority, with urgency and execution.

Responsibilities

• Develop category strategies for strategic areas, e.g., synthetic peptides, combining market insight with Novo’s outlook.
• Lead CMO negotiations independently to signature within mandate, balancing value, cost, flexibility, speed, and risk.
• Drive end-to-end projects: governance, business cases, plans, deliverables, risk management.
• Coordinate specialists across MSAT, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance and Legal; raise bottlenecks early.
• Keep senior stakeholders informed and aligned, input to business plans and budgets.
• Develop sourcing standards and share approach with category managers.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Contract negotiation

External partner management

Cross-functional leadership

Influence without authority

English proficiency

Education

Master's degree (pharmacy, biology, engineering, supply chain, law or business)

Job description

Your impact begins here

What you’ll bring

You are a senior sourcing and project leader who combines a strategic mindset with an eye for contractual detail.

You Have

• A university master’s degree in pharmacy, biology, engineering, supply chain management, law or business.
• Around 15+ years of relevant pharmaceutical experience, in manufacturing, manufacturing development and/or CMO environments. The role may suit candidates with around 20 years of experience.
• A strong background in strategic sourcing, contract negotiation and external partner management.
• Solid experience leading complex, cross-functional projects, as project and/or line manager.
• In-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturing, CMOs, quality and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent negotiation and contracting skills, and the ability to engage with senior management and CMO executives, up to CEO level.
• The ability to lead and influence without formal authority, with resilience, autonomy, a sense of urgency and strong execution skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Useful, But Not Essential

• Supplementary training in areas such as cGMP, project execution or personal development.
• An existing network within Novo, CMOs and pharmaceutical engineering companies.
• Experience in Drug Product sourcing.

What you’ll do

You will own sourcing projects from the first idea to final implementation, and you will keep strategy, contract and delivery pointing in the same direction.

In Practice, You Will

• Develop category strategies for areas of strategic importance, such as synthetic peptides, by pairing market insight, including global players and trends, with Novo’s strategic outlook.
• Lead critical CMO negotiations independently until signature, securing outcomes within mandate that balance value, cost, flexibility, speed and risk.
• Drive projects end-to-end: set up governance and Steering Committees, build business cases and plans, define deliverables and manage risk.
• Bring together specialists from MSAT, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance and Legal, and raise bottlenecks early so work keeps moving.
• Keep SVP and EVP-level stakeholders informed and aligned on progress, and give input to business plans and budgets.
• Raise the standard for how Drug Substance Outsourcing works by sharing your approach with category managers and developing sourcing standards.

Who you’ll work with

You will be a senior individual contributor in GSOD Drug Substance Outsourcing, reporting to the Senior Director of the department. The role has no direct reports, but you will lead through influence: category groups and project teams with specialists from MSAT, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Quality, Finance and Legal, as well as colleagues in Global Contract Manufacturing DS, Supply Chain Design, GMS Management and country affiliates.

Externally, you will work with CMOs across the US, Europe and Asia, so you should expect to spend significant time abroad. You will balance partnership and long-term collaboration with the best possible commercial terms for Novo, and you will be at ease handling cross-cultural discussions when tension runs high.

In Global Manufacturing & Supply, colleagues work across the value chain to scale molecules, processes, devices and products for the people who need them. Your primary focus will be Drug Substance, with potential involvement in Drug Product and Devices.

What you can expect here

You will be trusted to take decisions independently and to give strategic guidance to senior leaders on the project portfolio. You will build new skills through cross-functional and cross-border work, and you will be recognised for results through clear performance expectations.

You will also have room to challenge convention: to find faster, better ways to run projects and to shape new processes and standards for CMO partnerships.

The pay range for this role is 940,800 – 1,448,700 DKK per year. The final offer reflects your experience and qualifications.

For further information, please contact Uffe Holme [e-mail]