Project Director

Novo Nordisk A/S; Måløv; Remote; DKK 941,000 - 1,449,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk A/S is seeking a senior Project Director to lead the most complex sourcing projects in Drug Substance, from strategy through to signed contracts with CMOs, where commitments can exceed DKK 1 billion.

You will own sourcing from idea to implementation, build category strategies, lead negotiations, and drive end-to-end projects with governance while coordinating with MSAT, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance and Legal.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in one of: pharmacy, biology, engineering, supply chain management, law or business.
• Around 15+ years of relevant pharmaceutical experience in manufacturing, manufacturing development and/or CMO environments.
• Strong background in strategic sourcing, contract negotiation and external partner management.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Develop category strategies for strategic areas, such as synthetic peptides, by pairing market insight with Novo’s strategic outlook.
• Lead critical CMO negotiations independently until signature, balancing value, cost, flexibility, speed and risk.
• Drive projects end-to-end: governance, business cases, plans, deliverables and risk management.
• Coordinate with MSAT, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance and Legal, raising bottlenecks to keep work moving.
• Keep SVP and EVP-level stakeholders informed and aligned on progress and input to business plans and budgets.
• Raise the standard for Drug Substance Outsourcing by sharing approaches with category managers and developing sourcing standards.

Skills

Strategic mindset

Contract negotiation

Partner management

Cross-functional leadership

English proficiency

Education

Master’s degree in pharmacy/biology/engineering/supply chain management/law/business

Job description

As Project Director, you will lead the most complex sourcing projects in Drug Substance, from category strategy through to signed contracts with CMOs, where commitments can exceed DKK 1 billion. You will shape strategies for areas of growing importance to Novo, such as synthetic peptides, and negotiate partnerships that are strong commercially and sustainable over time. Your work helps keep the supply of treatments for people living with serious chronic diseases reliable.

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 or Devices 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 [insert hiring manager name and contact details].