Director, Strategic Sourcing

Protagonist Therapeutics; Newark (CA); On-site; USD 195,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Care benefits

Flexible Spending Accounts – FSA

401(k) Plan

Flexible Vacation Policy

Life Insurance

Short Term & Long Term Disability

Company paid lunch and snacks

Job summary

Protagonist Therapeutics seeks a Director of Strategic Sourcing to drive cost savings, optimize supplier relationships, and ensure operational efficiency across CROs, IT, travel, contract renewals, and manufacturing. You will negotiate discounts and identify opportunities for strategic sourcing initiatives.

The role is on-site at our Newark, CA office, four days a week, with a focus on delivering measurable procurement improvements in a dynamic biotech environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of strategic sourcing experience in biotech, life sciences or related industries.
• Proven contract negotiation and vendor management experience.
• Strong analytical skills to analyze spend data and identify trends.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal teams to understand contract requirements, budget constraints and align sourcing strategies.
• Analyze spend data and vendor performance to optimize costs.
• Build and maintain supplier relationships for continuity of service and favorable terms.
• Lead quarterly business reviews with major vendors and assess performance against contracts.
• Conduct market research on industry best practices and new vendor offerings.
• Prepare regular reports on savings and KPI evolution for senior leadership.
• Coordinate with travel vendors to ensure best pricing for travel and related expenses.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Contract negotiation

Vendor management

Analytical skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

About Us

Protagonist Therapeutics is a discovery-through-late-stage development biopharmaceutical company with a proprietary technology platform that enables de novo discovery of peptide therapeutics. Two novel peptides derived from Protagonist's proprietary discovery platform are at or near commercialization. ICOTYDE™ (icotrokinra), licensed to Johnson & Johnson company Janssen Biotech, Inc., is the first and only targeted oral peptide that precisely blocks the Interleukin-23 receptor. ICOTYDE was launched in the U.S. in March 2026, is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age or older and is in Phase 3 development for psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. ICOTYDE was jointly discovered by Protagonist and Johnson & Johnson scientists, with Protagonist having primary responsibility for the development of ICOTYDE through Phase 1, and Johnson & Johnson assuming responsibility for further development and commercialization. Protagonist also discovered and led development through Phase 3 of rusfertide, a first-in-class hepcidin mimetic peptide licensed to Takeda Pharmaceuticals. An NDA for rusfertide for the treatment of polycythemia vera is under priority review with the FDA. The Company also has a number of clinical and preclinical programs addressing clinically and commercially validated targets, including an oral IL-17 antagonist peptide, obesity dual and triple agonists, an oral hepcidin functional mimetic, and the recently announced IL-4 and amylin programs.

About Us

Protagonist Therapeutics is a discovery-through-late-stage development biopharmaceutical company with a proprietary technology platform that enables de novo discovery of peptide therapeutics. Two novel peptides derived from Protagonist's proprietary discovery platform are at or near commercialization. ICOTYDE™ (icotrokinra), licensed to Johnson & Johnson company Janssen Biotech, Inc., is the first and only targeted oral peptide that precisely blocks the Interleukin-23 receptor. ICOTYDE was launched in the U.S. in March 2026, is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age or older and is in Phase 3 development for psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. ICOTYDE was jointly discovered by Protagonist and Johnson & Johnson scientists, with Protagonist having primary responsibility for the development of ICOTYDE through Phase 1, and Johnson & Johnson assuming responsibility for further development and commercialization. Protagonist also discovered and led development through Phase 3 of rusfertide, a first-in-class hepcidin mimetic peptide licensed to Takeda Pharmaceuticals. An NDA for rusfertide for the treatment of polycythemia vera is under priority review with the FDA. The Company also has a number of clinical and preclinical programs addressing clinically and commercially validated targets, including an oral IL-17 antagonist peptide, obesity dual and triple agonists, an oral hepcidin functional mimetic, and the recently announced IL-4 and amylin programs. More information on Protagonist, its pipeline drug candidates, and clinical studies can be found on the Company's website at https://www.protagonist-inc.com.

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Director of strategic sourcing to join our growing team at Protagonist. This individual will play a key role in driving cost savings, optimizing supplier relationships, and ensuring operation efficiency across various categories, including but not limited to, CROs, IT, travel, contract renewals and manufacturing. The candidate will be responsible for negotiating better discounts, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and executing agreed-upon strategic sourcing initiatives.

We are committed to a thriving in-office culture. This role requires being on-site at our office in Newark, CA 4 days a week.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal teams to understand their contract requirements, budget constraints and align sourcing strategies and timelines.
• Analyze spend data and vendor performance to recommend strategies for cost optimization.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors to ensure continuity of service and favorable terms.
• Organize and lead quarterly business reviews with major vendors and assess their performance relative to the contract.
• Conduct market research to stay abreast of industry best practices and new vendor offerings.
• Prepare regular reports on savings, vendor performance and sourcing initiatives for senior leadership.
• Track and report on KPIs related to cost savings, contract renewals and supplier relationships.
• Coordinate with corporate travel vendor to ensure best pricing is obtained for travel and related expenses.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 5 years+ of strategic sourcing experience with a focus on biotech, life sciences or related industries. Negotiating with CROs preferable.
• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, procurement, finance or related field.
• Proven experience in contract negotiation, contract terms and vendor management.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to analyze spend data, identify trends and recommend related sourcing strategies.
• Ability to drive multiple projects in a fast paced and dynamic environment.

Pay Range

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $195,000 and $235,000/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Benefits

A top priority for Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. is to provide a robust and comprehensive health and wellness program for our employees and their families. We offer a variety of high-quality coverage and benefit options.

• Health Care benefits. Protagonist covers 100% of the premium cost for medical, dental, and vision coverage for all full-time employees and their dependents.
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Healthcare FSA, Dependent Care FSA, Commuter Benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Flexible Vacation Policy
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Company paid lunch and snacks