Manager - Commercial Operations & Program Management (Africa & UAE)

Role Purpose:

The role will be responsible for end‑to‑end commercial execution, regulatory‑to‑launch transition, institutional sales management, and public health product development program management across priority markets. The position requires strong cross‑functional coordination across sales, supply chain, regulatory, manufacturing, and external partners to ensure timely launches, flawless execution of tenders, and sustainable revenue realization.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Sales Planning and Execution – Sub‑Saharan Africa & UAE

Lead sales planning and execution for assigned markets, covering order processing, production planning, order fulfilment, and receivables management.

Act as the primary commercial interface with partners, distributors, tendering bodies, and key customers.

Coordinate closely with planning, manufacturing, supply chain, and finance teams to align demand forecasts with production and ensure on‑time deliveries.

Monitor order status, shipment milestones, and collections, proactively resolving execution bottlenecks.

Ensure compliance with contractual commitments, pricing, and market‑specific business policies.

2. Regulatory Filing to Commercial Launch Management

Manage the transition from regulatory filing to commercial launch, including submission tracking, deficiency responses, approvals, and readiness planning.

Drive close collaboration with API Plus regulatory teams, internal regulatory affairs, and quality teams for timely approvals.

Partner with launch planning, marketing, and supply teams to ensure smooth commercialization post‑approval.

Track launch timelines, risks, and dependencies, ensuring alignment between regulatory outcomes and commercial supply readiness.

3. Institutional Sales & Tender Management

Identify and develop institutional business opportunities, including: Ministry of Health (MoH) tenders

National and central procurement body tenders

Global public access tenders

Large private institution and hospital biddings

Lead end‑to‑end tender management, including opportunity tracking, supply diligence, price submissions, and complete tender documentation.

Coordinate internal approvals and ensure readiness for delivery as per tender schedules.

Oversee execution and receivables management for institutional contracts, ensuring adherence to contractual terms.

4. Product Development Program Management – Public Health Access Portfolio

Program‑manage development of public health access products, from late development through launch.

Track and drive development milestones, identifying risks and resolving bottlenecks in collaboration with stakeholders.

Enable strong cross‑functional collaboration between IPDO, GMO, Regulatory, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams.

Ensure launch readiness, supply availability, and timely deliveries aligned with public health commitments.

Key Stakeholders:

Internal: Planning, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Marketing, Finance, IPDO, GMO

External: Distributors, Partners, Ministries of Health, Procurement Bodies, Institutional Customers

Educational Qualification

Graduate/Postgraduate degree in Pharmacy, Life Sciences, Management, or Engineering (MBA preferred).

8–12 years of experience across commercial operations, tender management, regulatory‑to‑launch execution, or program management in pharmaceuticals or public health businesses.

Strong exposure to emerging markets, preferably Sub‑Saharan Africa and/or Middle East.

Behavioural Skills:

Ability to collaborate with diverse teams

Effective interpersonal skills such as communication, empathy, and harmonious collaboration with team members, contributing to a positive and supportive team culture.

Strong Execution skills