Associate Director - Procurement - External Manufacturing Drug Product

GSK; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

GSK seeks an Associate Director to shape external manufacturing partnerships for Drug Product across sterile CDMO supply chains. You will lead category strategy, drive supplier governance, and negotiate complex agreements to ensure quality, resilience, and cost effectiveness across clinical, launch, and commercial needs.

You will collaborate with Legal, Quality, Finance and Product teams in a global matrix environment, ensuring alignment with patient‑focused delivery and portfolio priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, engineering, life sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, or related field.
• 15+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, external manufacturing, or equivalent experience.
• Experience developing project plans and leading complex, high‑value commercial negotiations.
• Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or consumer goods industry experience.
• Strong commercial, analytical, communication, influencing, and stakeholder‑management capabilities.
• Ability to lead cross‑functional initiatives in a global and matrixed environment.

Responsibilities

• Category Strategy and Sourcing Leadership: end‑to‑end management of the Drug Product external manufacturing category.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for clinical, launch, and commercial needs.
• Assess market trends, supplier capabilities, capacity, cost drivers, and tech to support portfolio needs.
• Lead sourcing events and data‑driven negotiations to meet business requirements.
• Supplier Relationship Management: governance, reviews, performance management, and executive engagement with CMOs.
• Drive supplier performance across quality, service, delivery, sustainability, risk, and cost.
• Commercial Negotiations and Contracting: Master Service Agreements, Statements of Work, capacity arrangements, pricing.
• Negotiate terms aligning value, flexibility, risk, and long‑term supply; manage obligations with cross‑functional teams.
• Business Partnership: collaborate with External Manufacturing Ops, R&D, Quality, Finance, Legal, and Supply Chain.

Skills

Category Strategy

Contract Management

Data Analysis

Digital Literacy

Financial Acumen

Negotiation

Sourcing Management

Stakeholder Management

Supplier Relationship Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, engineering, life sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related discipline

15+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, external manufacturing, or equivalent experience

Job description

About the job

Are you energized by a procurement role that allows you to shape strategic external manufacturing partnerships, lead complex commercial negotiations, and support reliable delivery of critical medicines for patients? If so, this Associate Director - Procurement - External Manufacturing Drug Product role could be an ideal opportunity to explore.

As part of GSK’s Global Procurement organization, you will lead sourcing, category strategy, supplier relationship management, and commercial execution across a portfolio of external partners supporting Drug Product manufacturing across a portfolio of Large Molecules, Specialty Medicines and Vaccines modalities.

Job Purpose

As an Associate Director - Procurement - External Manufacturing Drug Product, you will be accountable for a category of outsourced manufacturing services needed to support GSK’s sterile commercial portfolio. Negotiate contracts with external manufacturing suppliers that secure favorable commercial terms for manufacturing services in line with agreed business requirements. Ensure that business requirements are clearly defined and supplier performance management is in place to deliver value, quality, service, resilience, and innovation to GSK. Lead strategic category reviews with in-depth knowledge of the sterile CDMO market, manufacturing technologies, supply risks, and pipeline requirements.

Key Responsibilities

These responsibilities include some of the following:

Category Strategy and Sourcing Leadership Accountability for end-to-end management of the Drug Product external manufacturing category. Develop and execute category and sourcing strategies across clinical, launch, and commercial requirements. Assess market trends, supplier capabilities, capacity, cost drivers, and emerging technologies to support present and future portfolio needs. Lead sourcing events and data-driven negotiations to deliver against business requirements and procurement value targets.

Supplier Relationship Management Drive the elaboration of new commercial and partnership approaches with CMOs to implement design to cost approach and to ensure assurance of supply Define and develop the optimum supply base to deliver the qualitative and quantitative objectives of the category Lead relationship management with key external manufacturing suppliers, including strategic CDMOs and other critical partners. Lead supplier governance, business reviews, performance management, and executive engagement. Drive supplier performance across quality, service, delivery, innovation, sustainability, risk, and cost. Partner with suppliers and internal stakeholders to support capacity availability, operational performance, and business continuity.

Commercial Negotiations and Contracting Lead complex commercial negotiations, including Master Service Agreements, Statements of Work, long-term capacity arrangements, pricing agreements, and strategic partnership frameworks. Negotiate contracts with suppliers that secure favorable terms for procurement of external manufacturing services in line with agreed business requirements. Develop commercial models that appropriately balance value, flexibility, risk allocation, and long-term supply requirements. Partner with Legal, Finance, Quality, Technical, Supply Chain, and product teams to manage contractual obligations and commercial risk.

Business Partnership Business Partner to multiple functions within a matrixed organization, including: External Manufacturing Operations R&D Procurement and R&D teams Technical Development and Manufacturing Science and Technology Supply Chain and Product teams Quality Finance Legal Provide procurement leadership for new product introductions, technology transfers, network changes, capacity expansions, supplier transitions, and supply‑continuity initiatives, ensuring alignment with GSK priorities and patient‑focused delivery.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, engineering, life sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related discipline.

15+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, external manufacturing, commercial management, or equivalent experience.

Experience developing project plans and leading complex, high‑value commercial negotiations.

Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or consumer goods industry experience.

Strong commercial, analytical, communication, influencing, and stakeholder‑management capabilities.

Ability to lead cross‑functional initiatives in a global and matrixed environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree in procurement, business management, business operations, supply chain, engineering, mathematics, or science.

Knowledge of sterile manufacturing processes and the global CDMO market.

• Experience managing external manufacturing partnerships within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.

Understanding of GMP manufacturing, quality systems, technology transfer, product development, and pharmaceutical lifecycle requirements.

Strong business and financial acumen, with the ability to analyze and present data in a clear and concise manner.

Proficient in leveraging AI and digital tools to simplify ways of working and drive efficiency in business processes.

Ability to engage and influence senior leadership with limited direction.

MBA, CIPS, CPSM, or another relevant professional qualification.

Skills

Category Strategy, Contract Management, Data Analysis, Digital Literacy, Financial Acumen, Interactive Storytelling, Negotiation, Sourcing Management, Stakeholder Management, Supplier Relationship Management

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive.

We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines.

We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.

People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most.

Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

Inclusion at GSK: As an employer committed to Inclusion, we encourage you to reach out if you need any adjustments during the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team at [e-mail] to discuss your needs.

Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.