New

Associate Director Outsourcing & Vendor Management

Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc.
United States, New Jersey, Princeton
Feb 21, 2025
About Acadia Pharmaceuticals Acadia is advancing breakthroughs in neuroscience to elevate life. Since our founding, we have been working at the forefront of healthcare to bring vital solutions to people who need them most. We developed and commercialized the first and only FDA-approved drug to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease psychosis and the first and only approved drug in the United States and Canada for the treatment of Rett syndrome. Our clinical-stage development efforts are focused on Prader-Willi syndrome, Alzheimer's disease psychosis, and multiple other programs targeting neuro-psychiatric and neuro-rare diseases. For more information, visit us at Acadia.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X. Please note that this position is based in Princeton, NJ. Acadia's hybrid model requires this role to work in our office three days per week on average. Position Summary The Associate Director will support Clinical Operations' management objectives to perform clinical trials that are of high quality, and that are delivered to agreed timelines and budget. This role manages clinical operations processes including project planning, budget, resource and vendor management. S/he will assist with the creation and implementation of policies and procedures. This role will serve as a key resource across all therapeutic areas and research phases and will be required to work closely with R&D teams and vendors. Primary Responsibilities Contracts and Outsourcing Meet with study, program and functional team leaders to align with their goals and objectives and prioritize/align outsourcing projects to meet the corporate goals Work cross-functionally with key internal stakeholders including R&D Functions, Finance, Legal, Quality, Sourcing, to negotiate MSA, SOW/WO, and Change Orders Oversee vendor qualification process, including risk tiering Develop and implement sourcing strategies for R&D categories, closely working with Acadia Sourcing and Clinical Operations stakeholders Support (lead where needed) RFI and RFP processes, including bid comparison, analysis, negotiation, and project award Support (lead where needed) the vendor selection process, including the selection of transactional suppliers for designated studies, programs, and/or services Ensure cost savings and reduction in supplier spend are achieved without placing risk on the company's quality and operational timelines Perform/oversee ongoing and end-of-study reconciliation of invoices Vendor Oversight and Relationship Management Oversee the performance and health of vendors to ensure delivery to plan, budget , and quality. Ensure assignment and oversight of primary points of contact for relationship level vendor-related issues and escalations Lead/Oversee Vendor Relationship Management governance for key vendors, supporting issue escalation and management. Oversee and develop/enhance vendor performance scorecards that drive identification of mitigations/contingencies against performance risks/issues Assess portfolio resource demand and shortfall/mitigations for current and potential future portfolio with key vendors Lead the integration of new vendors into Acadia strategy and operating model(s) to create stronger probability of success with new collaborations Set up and maintain Supplier Due Diligence/Risk for supplier assessment and selection. Identify and propose opportunities for process improvement of the vendor selection, contract negotiation, and cost saving components of the outsourcing process. Perform other duties as assigned. Education/Experience/Skills Bachelor's degree in a life science or business-related field. Advanced degree preferred. Targeting 10 years of progressively responsible experience in legal, strategy or financial analysis within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry. An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered Understanding of outsourcing processes, corporate purchasing standards, legal, and finance policies and procedures Demonstrated negotiation skills Collaborate cross-functional with teams to ensure cohesive vendor management practices Advanced skills in managing broad-scope of projects involving cross-functional teamwork Ability to think and plan strategically Strong analytical skills with the ability to understand scientific and financial data, recognize key issues and establish priorities Ability to build and maintain effective internal and external partnerships Possess strong relationship management and influencing skills High degree of customer focus Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal), including experience in preparing/presenting key information to senior leadership Requires problem-solving abilities at both strategic and operational levels Mentor and fostering a culture of continuous improvement Skilled at facilitating process change, stakeholder readiness and communication strategy Must be able to travel both domestically and internationally Scope Establishes strategic plans for designated function(s), and develops methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for projects, programs, and people. Works on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth knowledge of functional area and related organizational objectives. Erroneous decisions will have a serious impact on the overall success of functional area and may impact the long term success of the Company. Physical Requirements While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, see, talk or hear in a standard office environment and independently from remote locations. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Ability to travel independently overnight and work after hours if required by travel schedule or business needs. #LI-HYBRID EEO Statement (US-Based Employees): Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications in the exact way they are described in job postings. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and innovative company and we are looking for the BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background or may meet the qualifications in a different way. We would strongly encourage you to apply - especially if the reason you are the best candidate isn't exactly as we describe it here. It is the policy of Acadia to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to considerations of race, including related to hairstyle, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, country of origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, legally-protected medical condition or information, marital status, domestic partner status, family care status, military caregiver status, veteran or military status (including reserve status, National Guard status, and military service or obligation), status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, or any basis protected under federal, state or local law. As an equal opportunity employer, Acadia is committed to a diverse workforce. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. Furthermore, you may request additional support if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Acadia's career website due to your disability, along with any accommodations throughout the interview process. To request or inquire about your reasonable accommodation, please complete our Reasonable Accommodation Request Form or contact us at [emailprotected] or 858-261-2923. Please note that reasonable accommodations granted throughout the recruiting process are not guaranteed to be the same accommodation given if hired. A new request will need to be submitted for any ADA accommodations after starting employment. Notice for California Applicants: Please see our California Applicant Privacy Notice within our Privacy Policy. Notice to Search Firms/Third-Party Recruitment Agencies (Recruiters): The Talent Acquisition team manages the recruitment and employment process for Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("Acadia"). Acadia does not accept resumes from recruiters or search firms without an executed search agreement in place. Resumes sent to Acadia employees in absence of an executed search agreement will not obligate Acadia in any way with the respect to the future employment of those individuals or potential remuneration to any recruiter or search firm. Candidates should never be submitted directly to our hiring managers or employees.