Director, Strategic Sourcing

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

Benefits offered by this job

Health care benefits

Healthcare FSA

Dependent Care FSA

Commuter benefits

401(k) Plan

Flexible vacation policy

Life Insurance

Job summary

Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. seeks a Director of Strategic Sourcing to drive cost savings, optimize supplier relationships, and streamline operations across CROs, IT, travel, contracts and manufacturing.

This on-site role anchors sourcing initiatives, negotiates favorable terms, and partners with internal teams to meet budget goals. The candidate will lead cost optimization efforts, coordinate quarterly reviews, and deliver strategic sourcing programs across multiple categories, with a focus on

Qualifications

• 5+ years of strategic sourcing experience in biotech, life sciences or related industries.
• 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 sourcing strategies.
• Ability to drive multiple projects in a fast paced and dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal teams to understand 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 relationships with vendors to ensure continuity of service and favorable terms.
• Lead quarterly business reviews with major vendors and assess performance relative to 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 for travel and related expenses.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Contract negotiation

Vendor management

Spend analytics

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business / related field

Job description

Protagonist Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company built on a proprietary peptide technology platform that has now produced two FDA-approved, first-in-class medicines, generating royalties and milestones from global commercial partnerships with Johnson and Johnson and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. 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 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 clinical and regulatory development and commercialization. Protagonist also discovered and led research and development through Phase 3 for MIMRYLO ™ (rusfertide), a first-in-class hepcidin mimetic peptide licensed to Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited for worldwide commercialization. MIMRYLO is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of erythrocytosis in adults with PV. The Company also has a number of clinical and preclinical programs based on clinically and commercially validated targets and addressing unmet medical needs, including an oral IL-17 antagonist peptide, anti-obesity dual and triple agonists, an oral hepcidin functional mimetic, and the recently announced IL-4 and amylin discovery 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.

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-qualitycoverage and benefitoptions.

• Health Care benefits. Protagonist covers 100% of the premium costfor 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)