Associate External Operations Manager

Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association is seeking an External Operations Manager to oversee outsourcing activities with external vendors, ensuring on-time delivery, quality and cost efficiency within the CMO network.

Responsibilities include coordinating packaging, distribution, vendor management, and material routing, while ensuring compliance with HSE/GMP standards and driving continuous improvement across study-related operations.

Qualifications

• 4 to 6 years of practical experience in chemical/pharmaceutical industry or > 3 years in relevant field
• Basic project management, good organization and planning skills
• Good knowledge of HSE/GMP standards and processes
• Good presentation skills and basic leadership abilities
• Good communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills

Responsibilities

• Plans and executes packaging and distribution activities with external vendors.
• Provides guidance for packaging design optimization and ensures capacity/budget alignment.
• Coordinates packaging orders and ensures timely, resourced study requirements.
• Serves as business partner for vendor interactions; reviews capacity and distribution trackers.
• Coordinates material routing and inventory management for packaging materials at external vendors.
• Liaises with CTSM/SCM to create packaging orders based on project needs.
• Flag potential bottlenecks due to item availability and sourcing constraints.
• Ensures cost-efficient material flow and minimizes waste.

Skills

Project management

Organization skills

Planning skills

Presentation skills

Communication

Negotiation

Interpersonal skills

Education

Degree in science, engineering or equivalent

Apprenticeship or formal education in logistics/technical/business area

Job description

Job Description Summary

The External Operations Manager (EOM) is responsible for planning, execution and distribution activities performed at external vendors. The EOM oversees all outsourcing activities including packaging, distribution and functions as the key business partner interface with external vendors and ensures operational excellence within the CMO network, ensuring the delivery of high productivity, quality and cost effectiveness.

Execute and monitor timely activities related to assigned area of responsibility under the guidance and accountability of more senior associates.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Manages all applicable finance activities, including Request for Proposal (RFP) for bidding & vendor selection, Grants, Purchase Orders (PO), invoice approval and tracking financial metrics.
• Provides guidance to the CTSM for packaging design optimization. Advises GCS Study Team on packaging designs to ensure optimal usage of available capacity and budget.
• Manages Order Alignment with GCS Study team members to coordinate packaging order preparation and to ensure proactive resolution of any packaging order related question.
• Acts as the key business partner for operational interactions with the Vendors. Reviews the vendor capacity, resource planning and distribution tracker and verifies this with the study requirements to ensure the study timelines and specifications are met.
• Coordinates material routing and inventory management of all drug product, primary packed materials, packaging components and labels for packaging orders at external vendors.
• Liaises with CTSM/SCM on a regular basis to create packaging orders based on the project specific requirements.
• Interacts with the SCM and CTSM to flag potential issues or bottlenecks due to availability of PP/DP or locally/ regionally sources items at the respective local hub.
• Ensures most cost-efficient material flow, minimizing waste and allowing the flexibility to accommodate the changing demand.
• Manages all packaging activities executed by vendors and ensures agreed milestones and cost are met and creates packaging orders in SAP.
• Coordinates logistic documents for facilitating import requirements.
• Manages deviations occurring at external vendors and escalates high level issues/bottlenecks to the relevant internal GCS stakeholders and external partners. Participates or supports external inspections and audits together with TRD QA (and GCP QA where applicable) to assess packaging contractor capabilities.

Essential Requirements:

• 4 to 6 years of practical experience in chemical / pharmaceutical industry or > 3 years of experience in field of expertise, with Degree in science, engineering or equivalent.
• Apprenticeship or formal education in a logistical, technical or related business area
• Basic project management, good organization and planning skills
• Good knowledge of HSE/GMP standards and processes. Problem-solving and idea generation skills
• Good presentation skills. Fundamental Leadership skills.
• Good communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills. Ability to work in interdisciplinary teams.

Skills Desired

Continual Improvement Process, Master Data, Materials Management, Production Planning, Waterfall Model