Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager D&R API

Job Description Summary

-The Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing D&R API leads the end-to-end sourcing and strategic management of active pharmaceutical ingredients for Sandoz development projects, from project allocation and early development through registration and launch handover. The role ensures timely access to compliant, technically suitable and cost-effective APIs by identifying the right partners, shaping sourcing strategies, leading due diligence and negotiations, and coordinating execution across Sandoz Development Centers and global functions.

Job Description

Position Purpose:

The Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing D&R API leads the end-to-end sourcing and strategic management of active pharmaceutical ingredients for Sandoz development projects, from project allocation and early development through registration and launch handover. The role ensures timely access to compliant, technically suitable and cost-effective APIs by identifying the right partners, shaping sourcing strategies, leading due diligence and negotiations, and coordinating execution across Sandoz Development Centers and global functions.

Your Key Responsibilities: 

Your responsibilities include, but not limited to: 

1. D&R API sourcing strategy

·   Develop and execute project-specific API sourcing strategies for development, registration and launch across multiple Sandoz Development Centres.

·   Build life-cycle sourcing plans for APIs from early project evaluation and NCE-1 filing through launch readiness and handover.

·   Translate portfolio priorities, technical requirements, timelines, risk appetite and budget expectations into clear supplier and sourcing decisions.

·   Provide early API market intelligence, supplier landscape assessments, indicative pricing, capacity insights and source-selection recommendations to support project evaluation and allocation.

2. Supplier identification, due diligence and selection

·   Identify, prequalify and assess API manufacturers and development partners across India, China, Europe and other relevant markets.

·   Lead strategic, technical and commercial due diligence with potential partners in collaboration with Quality, Regulatory, Intellectual Property, Development, ESO and other subject-matter experts.

·   Evaluate supplier capability covering chemistry, process maturity, analytical package, scale-up, regulatory readiness, quality systems, capacity, supply resilience, sustainability, cost structure and long-term fit.

·   Prepare fact-based supplier recommendations, sourcing scenarios and decision packages for governance forums.

3. Commercial leadership and contracting

·   Own commercial alignment for API, analytical standards, reference impurities, development quantities, validation or registration material and launch requirements.

·   Partner with Legal and relevant Procurement teams to establish appropriate confidentiality, supply, quality and development agreements.

·   Deliver sustainable value through cost avoidance, savings, payment-term improvement, risk reduction and fit-for-purpose commercial models while maintaining quality and supply reliability.

4. Project execution and launch readiness

·   Ensure timely availability of API and associated technical documentation for formulation development, analytical development, stability, exhibit or registration batches and launch preparation.

·   Monitor supplier deliverables, critical milestones, budgets, risks and dependencies from allocation through launch handover.

·   Facilitate urgent decisions and escalations; assemble cross-functional stakeholders when critical technical, quality, regulatory, IP, commercial or supply issues arise.

·   Drive recovery and contingency plans for delays, supplier exits, technical failures, capacity constraints or material availability risks.

5. Supplier relationship and performance management

·   Build strong, transparent and long-term relationships with strategic and opportunistic API partners.

·   Establish and monitor supplier KPIs and productivity metrics covering quality, service, cost, innovation, compliance and delivery.

·   Lead performance reviews, improvement plans and senior-level governance where required.

·   Maintain open communication during unexpected events and ensure actions, decisions and commitments are clearly documented.

6. Compliance, governance and responsible sourcing

·   Ensure sourcing activities are executed in line with applicable laws, Sandoz policies, procurement governance, quality standards and third-party risk-management requirements.

·   Embed ethical procurement, data integrity, confidentiality, sustainability and responsible-sourcing expectations in partner selection and management.

·   Maintain auditable sourcing documentation, decision rationale, approvals, contracts, key correspondence and supplier records.

·   Support audits, technical visits, quality and regulatory assessments, and remediation activities as required.

7. Cross-functional and global collaboration

·   Work closely with Sandoz Development Centres and global functions including Launch Management, Commercial Procurement, ESO, Quality, Regulatory, Intellectual Property, Finance, Legal, and project development teams.

·   Build effective connections among technical experts and business stakeholders to ensure timely, balanced and enterprise-aligned decisions.

·   Contribute to global procurement initiatives, partner strategy, market intelligence and capability-building across the D&R API sourcing community.

·   Represent D&R API Procurement in project teams and governance forums with a clear, concise and solution-oriented approach.

What you’ll bring to the role: 

Essential Requirements: 

·        Master's degree in chemistry, Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences, Supply Chain, Procurement, Business Management or a related discipline.

·        At least 14 years of relevant professional experience in the pharmaceutical or generics industry, with substantial experience in API strategic sourcing, API procurement, business development, external partnerships or drug development.

·        Demonstrated end-to-end experience in sourcing development APIs, including supplier identification, technical and commercial assessment, negotiation, contracting and supply execution.

·        Strong understanding of small-molecule API development, chemical synthesis, analytical requirements, scale-up and the documentation needed to support development, registration and launch.

·        Working knowledge of intellectual property, regulatory expectations and quality or compliance requirements relevant to generic API sourcing.

·        Experience in supplier selection, due diligence, cost-structure analysis, risk assessment and supplier performance management.

·        Knowledge of the global generic API market and key supplier ecosystems in India, China and Europe.

·        Fluent English with excellent written, verbal, presentation and stakeholder-management skills.

·        Strong negotiation, commercial judgment, problem-solving and project-management capability in an international matrix environment.

Why Sandoz? 

Sandoz is the global leader in Biosimilar and Generic medicines, a segment of the healthcare industry that delivers 80% of the world’s medicines at 30% of the cost, touching the lives of more than 1 billion people across 100+ countries! While we are proud of our achievements, we have an ambition to do more, so that everyone can achieve the basic human right of access to good healthcare.

With investments in new development capabilities, production sites, new acquisitions, and partnerships, we have the opportunity to shape the future of Sandoz and help even more people gain access to low-cost, high-quality medicines, sustainably.

Our momentum is powered by an open, collaborative culture driven by our talented and ambitious colleagues, who, in return for applying their skills, experience an agile and collegiate environment with impactful careers, where diversity of thought is welcomed and where personal growth is supported!

Join us, help us make healthcare fairer and faster.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: 

We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Skills Desired

Effective Communication, Finance Management, Internal And External Customer Needs Analysis & Satisfaction Studies, Managing Resources, Negotiating