Associate Director, Procurement

Jobtailor; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking a seasoned Head of Procurement to define a company-wide strategy and scale a high-performing team in a biotech-enabled, R&D-driven environment.

You will lead long-term sourcing, vendor programs, and enterprise-level negotiations while partnering with Finance and cross-functional leaders to drive procurement excellence in a growth-focused company.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Life Sciences, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a company-wide procurement strategy aligned with scientific platform needs and corporate objectives
• Build, lead, and mentor a small, high-performing procurement team as the organization scales
• Establish procurement as a strategic function and influence decision-making across the organization
• Develop long-term sourcing strategies for lab automation, scientific instrumentation, CRO/CDMO and building-block suppliers, reagents and consumables, and procurement/data systems
• Establish and manage strategic partnerships with key suppliers, CROs, and service providers
• Lead complex negotiations, including master service agreements, multi-year contracts, and enterprise-level deals
• Develop preferred vendor programs and optimize the supplier base for quality, cost, and scalability
• Monitor supplier performance through KPIs and drive continuous improvement
• Advise leadership on external market dynamics, supplier innovation, and make-vs-buy decisions
• Lead the transition and implementation of a new procurement/ERP platform, such as Coupa, including data migration, process redesign, and organizational change management
• Report to the SVP of Finance and collaborate with the Finance Team and multiple departments to improve procurement operations

Skills

Strategic Sourcing

Supplier Relationship Management

Negotiation of MSAs

Procurement Systems Implementation

Leadership in Procurement

Data-Driven Decision-Making

Team Leadership

Influencing Decision-Making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Life Sciences, or related field

Tools

Coupa

NetSuite

ERP Systems

Job description

• Define and execute a company-wide procurement strategy aligned with scientific platform needs and corporate objectives
• Build, lead, and mentor a small, high-performing procurement team as the organization scales
• Establish procurement as a strategic function and influence decision-making across the organization
• Develop long-term sourcing strategies for lab automation, scientific instrumentation, CRO/CDMO and building-block suppliers, reagents and consumables, and procurement/data systems
• Establish and manage strategic partnerships with key suppliers, CROs, and service providers
• Lead complex negotiations, including master service agreements, multi-year contracts, and enterprise-level deals
• Develop preferred vendor programs and optimize the supplier base for quality, cost, and scalability
• Monitor supplier performance through KPIs and drive continuous improvement
• Advise leadership on external market dynamics, supplier innovation, and make-vs-buy decisions
• Lead the transition and implementation of a new procurement/ERP platform, such as Coupa, including data migration, process redesign, and organizational change management
• Report to the SVP of Finance and collaborate with the Finance Team and multiple departments to improve procurement operations

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Life Sciences, or related field
• 8+ years of progressive procurement/supply chain experience, including leadership roles
• Significant experience in biotech, pharma, or life sciences, ideally within a platform-based or R&D-driven organization
• Proven track record of building and scaling procurement functions in high-growth environments
• Deep expertise in strategic sourcing, category management, and supplier relationship management
• Demonstrated success negotiating MSAs, statements of work, and multi-year service agreements with meaningful commercial impact
• Experience with ERP and procurement systems, such as NetSuite and Coupa, and data-driven decision-making
• Experience managing or mentoring existing procurement staff through periods of organizational change
• Current authorization to work in the United States
• Based in San Diego or willing to relocate

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, and procurement operations within biotech or life sciences sectors. Proven ability to lead and mentor teams while implementing procurement strategies that align with corporate objectives.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Strategic Sourcing
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Negotiation of Master Service Agreements
• Procurement Systems Implementation
• Leadership in Procurement Functions

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Procurement Strategy
• Category Management
• Data-Driven Decision-Making
• Supplier Performance Monitoring
• Contract Negotiation
• Long-Term Sourcing Strategies
• Building-Block Suppliers
• Lab Automation
• CRO/CDMO Experience
• Continuous Improvement

Soft Skills

• Team Leadership
• Mentoring
• Influencing Decision-Making
• Collaboration
• Advisory Skills

Industry Keywords

• Biotech
• Pharma
• Life Sciences
• High-Growth Environments
• Organizational Change Management

Tools & Technologies

• Coupa
• NetSuite
• ERP Systems
• Procurement/Data Systems