Associate Director

Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited; Pune District; On-site; INR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited seeks a Head of Direct Procurement to lead group-wide sourcing for Commercial APIs, excipients, key starting materials, and primary packaging, ensuring uninterrupted manufacturing and regulatory compliance. The role reports to the Head SCM and Procurement and is based in Pune.

The ideal candidate will have 15+ years in pharma procurement, strong leadership across multiple plants, and deep knowledge of API markets, pricing dynamics, and risk management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor or Master degree in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related discipline.
• 15+ years of experience in pharmaceutical procurement or supply chain, with exposure to API and primary packaging sourcing.
• Proven experience leading group-level direct procurement across multiple plants and regulated environments.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the Direct Procurement strategy and governance across the group.
• Provide strategic oversight for API and primary packaging categories with long-term sourcing plans.
• Build and govern supplier partnerships, with performance reviews focusing on quality, cost and compliance.
• Drive cost improvements through strategic sourcing, negotiation, and demand consolidation.
• Collaborate with Planning, Manufacturing & R&D to align procurement with demand and product lifecycles.
• Ensure GMP/compliance standards and risk management across direct procurement activities.

Education

MBA preferred

Job description

Position: Head Direct Procurement

Reporting: Head SCM and Procurement

Job Location: Pune

Head of Direct Procurement leads group-wide sourcing and supply assurance for Commercial APIs, Excipients, Key Starting Materials, and primary packaging to enable uninterrupted manufacturing, cost competitiveness and regulatory compliance, while operating within approved governance, quality and risk management frameworks.

Key Responsibilities

• Group Direct Procurement Strategy & Governance: Define and own the Direct Procurement strategy and establish group-wide policies, sourcing frameworks and governance mechanisms across all manufacturing and R&D sites.
• API & Packaging Category Leadership: Provide strategic oversight to API and primary packaging categories, setting category playbooks, long-term sourcing strategies, volume leverage models and contract frameworks aligned to demand plans and manufacturing strategies.
• Supplier Strategy & Relationship Management: Build and govern strategic supplier partnerships, including key API manufacturers and packaging suppliers. Drive supplier performance management across quality, reliability, compliance, cost and responsiveness, with structured reviews and escalation mechanisms.
• Cost, Productivity & Working Capital Optimisation: Drive sustainable cost improvement initiatives through strategic sourcing, cost modelling, demand consolidation and commercial negotiations without compromising quality, supply continuity or regulatory requirements.
• Integration with Planning, Manufacturing & R&D: Partner closely with Integrated Planning and Technical Operations functions to align procurement strategies with demand signals, capacity plans, product lifecycle changes, regulatory compliances and new product introductions.
• Quality, Compliance & Risk Oversight: Ensure all direct procurement activities comply with GMP, regulatory expectations and internal quality standards. Oversee supplier qualification, audits, change management and risk mitigation related to material quality or continuity.
• Organisation & Capability Leadership: Build a strong group direct procurement leadership bench by defining capability standards, strengthening plant and category heads, and institutionalising best practices across organization.

Key Success Metrics

• Continuity of supply for critical APIs and primary materials
• Effectiveness of sourcing risk mitigation strategies
• Sustainable cost and productivity improvements from direct procurement
• Supplier quality and compliance performance
• Alignment of procurement plans with demand and manufacturing plans
• Strength of procurement governance and leadership capability

Qualifications & Experience

Education:

• Bachelors / Masters degree in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related discipline; MBA preferred.

Experience:

• 15+ years of experience in pharmaceutical procurement or supply chain, with significant exposure to API and primary packaging sourcing.
• Proven experience leading group-level direct procurement across multiple plants and regulated environments.
• Strong understanding of API supply markets, pricing dynamics, market dependencies and regulatory risk.
• Demonstrated capability in strategic sourcing, supplier governance, cost optimisation and crisis management.
• Leadership maturity to operate at enterprise level, influencing planning, manufacturing, quality and R&D stakeholders. .