Procurement Specialist - Medical Affairs

The Procurement Specialist - Medical Affairs generates, negotiates and executes contracts to support the utilization of clinical Contract Research Organizations (CROs) for Novartis Clinical Trials. Assuring the business of a compliant, high quality, timely and cost-effective external service delivery to support the Novartis drug development pipeline. The Procurement Specialist - Medical Affairs also participates in projects and initiatives to ensure Clinical Contracting & Outsourcing Management is prepared to successfully respond to the changing needs and requirements (legal, operational, regulatory, and financial) of our customers.

• Prepare and release RFI, RFP and RFQs and negotiate with existing and new suppliers to support business for new requests as well as re-negotiating scope changes.
• Act as the main point of contact with vendors for negotiation of the scope of work, study assumptions, pricing, and payment schedules.
• Negotiate, develop, and execute contract frameworks including MSAs & SLA with key suppliers and ensure full implementation.
• Ensure agreements are commercial advantageous to Novartis while minimizing risk through close collaboration with functional partners such as legal, finance, and QA.
• Ensure ESP selection is based on current category strategy, value added services, cost avoidance and savings opportunities. Delivering a robust implementation to maximize value and drive spend/contract compliance - to also include ongoing monitoring and reduction of maverick spend
• Drive annual productivity improvements in applicable spend categories
• Responsible for complete contract packages for clinical ESP activities. Secure all necessary approvals to ensure compliance to SOX and company procedures.
• Contribute to vendor audit requests and facilitate corrective action plans.
• Ensure ESPs are delivering in line with expectations and contracts.
• Able to identify proactively and pursue new ideas and opportunities, acting as an innovation agent and modifying approach and behaviors as necessary to create value.
• Planning, organizing and managing projects taking into account priorities, resources, budgets, issues and constraints to achieve desired results; defining clear project scope and objectives; utilizing software and tools to plan, track and report status.
• Achieving results by proactively building long-term, sustainable and effective relationships, understanding the stakeholder landscape and demonstrating political astuteness across business structures and networks.

• Minimum of 5 years experience in Clinical Development / Pharma R&D / Procurement
• Minimum of 5 years experience in Outsourcing within the Pharma or CRO industry.
• Detailed understanding of the clinical development process and robust understanding of the management of clinical trials.
• Excellent influencing and negotiating skills.
• Solid understanding of contractual legal terms and conditions.
• Excellent understanding of the Clinical CRO marketplace including central laboratories, reference laboratories and speciality providers
• Solid financial understanding as it relates to clinical trial contracts and cost elements.
• Analysing specifications for optimization. Linking specification to customer value, challenging specification confidently. Conveying messages clearly and convincing stakeholders

• Minimum Bachelors degree in Lifesciences/Chemistry / Biochemistry or Pharmaceutical sciences is required.