Strategic Sourcing Specialist

Unipharmedtech; Ireland; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Unipharmedtech is seeking a Strategic Sourcing Specialist for the CityWest area in Ireland. The role focuses on sourcing medicines shortages within the Irish market, ensuring continuity of supply for critical medicines and securing reliable sourcing routes for retail and hospital needs.

You will manage shortages, support urgent hospital requirements, develop supplier relationships, and drive timely, compliant sourcing solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Job description

Strategic Sourcing Specialist Full-time Permanent CityWest

Role Purpose

The Strategic Sourcing Specialist is responsible for sourcing medicine shortages within the Irish market and managing both retail-specific and hospital-specific product requirements. This role supports a key strategic pillar for the business by:
Ensuring continuity of supply for critical medicines
Securing reliable sourcing routes
Supporting hospital demand and urgent requirements
Take ownership of proactively following up with stakeholders to maintain momentum and drive timely decisions
Leverage internal stakeholders to support opportunity assessment, product identification, and rapid execution of sourcing solutions
The role is operational, hands-on, and execution-focused, delivering timely, compliant, and commercially viable sourcing solutions in a fast paced, every changing environment.

Core Responsibilities

Shortages & New Product Sourcing

• Lead sourcing of medicines within the Irish market
• Identify compliant and viable supply routes and alternatives
• Monitor signals from HPRA, wholesalers, hospitals, and internal teams
• Proactively identify emerging shortages
• Develop relationships with Manufacturers, Hospitals and key internal stakeholders

Retail & Hospital Support & Escalations

• Manage bespoke hospital requests end-to-end
• Support urgent escalations and critical drug requirements
• Work closely with: Key Account Managers (KAMs) Customer Service teams Commercial teams
• Provide clear updates and shortage intelligence to stakeholders
• Collaborate on pricing/commercial decisions (which will be supported by wider Procurement and Commercial team)
• Ensure key actions and decisions remain visible, with proactive follow-up to prevent delays and maintain stakeholder accountability

Supplier Management

• Maintain a focused network of shortage suppliers
• Build strong relationships with specialist suppliers, both internally and externally
• Have the ability to react quickly and execute plans embracing flexibility and creative solutions
• Become a subject expert on UK market in particular, but also broaden the Dept knowledge of the international medicine landscape

Stock Ownership

• Manage stock levels to ensure availability
• Monitor stock value within agreed guidelines
• Identify and manage stock-at-risk: Expiry Slow-moving lines Demand shifts
• Work with Commercial Team (KAMs & Hospital/Retail Management) to determine reinvestment qtys
• Work with the Finance Team to determine risk levels associated with stock

Execution & Responsiveness

• Drive rapid sourcing timelines
• Target quick turnaround on supplier engagement (e.g. initial quotes)
• Ensure fastest viable supply routes are pursued
• Assess margin vs additional transport costs vs reputational impact

Data & Reporting

• Maintain KPI reporting on: Shortage sourcing Hospital fulfilment Turnaround times Supplier performance
• Report weekly on: Stock levels Stock value Stock-at-risk Stock to reinvest
• Use data and market intelligence to identify trends and risks.
• Report monthly to Finance regarding stock at risk.

Communication Ownership

• Provide clear, timely updates to: Hospital and Retail CS team KAMs Internal stakeholders Suppliers
• Ensure ownership and consistent messaging on: Availability Timelines Risks

Commercial awareness is very much expected in this role however this role is not solely accountable for this. Working in partnership with key stakeholders will support the development of commercial awareness and promote shared accountability. Strong clinical knowledge is preferred for this role; however, it should not come at the expense of commercial capability.

Our Vision

What we strive to do

Our Mission

Why we exist Improve patient access to pharmaco-medical products and therapies Our Mission Why we exist We are focused on improving patient access to pharmaco-medical products and treatments by enhancing connectivity between manufacturers and healthcare stakeholder

Our Shared Values

• Patient First -The patient is always at the centre of everything we do.
• Customer Partnership - We stay close to our customers who trust us to deliver.
• Team Players We work together as one team to deliver solutions.
• Commercial Focus We stay agile, responsive and focused on the goal.
• Innovative and Entrepreneurial We focus on bringing new solutions to challenges.
• Our Global Footprint - Enables us to offer flexible ways of working, allowing employees to be based in one of our offices or work remotely where the nature of the role permits. While occasional travel and in-person meetings may be required, some flexibility in working hours may also be needed to collaborate effectively with colleagues and clients across different time zones.

In return, you'll join an organisation that recognises the importance of balancing professional and personal commitments. Through our flexible working culture, we foster a balanced, progressive, and supportive environment that empowers our people to perform at their best while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Our Work Experience

Our Work Experience is the combination of everything that’s unique about us: our culture, our core values, our company meetings, our commitment to sustainability, our recognition programs, but most importantly, it’s our people.

Our employees are self-disciplined, hard working, curious, trustworthy, humble, and truthful. They make choices according to what is best for the team, they live for opportunities to collaborate and make a difference, and they make us the #1 Top Workplace in the area.