Associate Procurement Manager (GPS Americas)

Role Purpose

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines for some of the world's most serious diseases. But we're more than one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. At AstraZeneca, we're proud to have a unique workplace culture that inspires innovation and collaboration. Here, employees are empowered to express diverse perspectives and are made to feel valued, energized and rewarded for their ideas and creativity. 

Job Description

To manage strategic relations with the Business Stakeholders, Procurement Category Teams and in-market Procurement Managers and lead the complex and high-value Source to Contract projects, including preparing and running sourcing events and negotiations/renegotiations of contract clauses. The Procurement Associate Manager will perform Procurement activities in line with ONEProcurement Operating Model.

Typical Accountabilities, Experience & Behaviours

Responsible for Source to Contract activities:

• Proactively develop recommendations for effective strategies implementation to deliver category targets and savings targets and demonstrates contribution to procurement scorecard objectives.
• Knows and applies Procurement Processes and Tools and actively drive Source to Contract process simplification, improvement, and optimisation (process steps, internal ways of working, legal support model, documents, and templates etc.), Co-creates processes that she/he is involved in.
• Has deep category knowledge to independently drive the S2C process, understands the category/SET area specifics, business needs and priorities and applies them to the work.
• Knows and advises Stakeholders about Sourcing events and Contracts types.
• Drive E2E (End 2 End) S2C process independently, including identifying and mitigating the related risks. Shares expertise with procurement and business and influence decision making process.
• Support market research activities by issuing RFI, manage sourcing projects (incl. issue of RFP, RFQ) and conduct e-auctions.
• Analyse received proposals, make recommendations, prepare summary reports, applies analytical thinking and knowledge of data analysis, tools, and methodologies. Requires attention to detail when making decisions and recommendations. Breaks information on a systematic manner.
• Runs independently complex contracting projects, including driving in suppliers’ negotiations process, ensuring contract renewals and leading new contracts creation – negotiations/renegotiations of the T&C’s and contract clauses, that may include contracts administration – gathering signatures and contract storage in the system.
• Enhance relations with Global Category Leaders and business stakeholders, ensuring high standards and ability to connect and build strong relationship with stakeholders across the globe (matrix organization)
• Ensure compliance to company procurement policies and improve the usage of the procurement tools.
• Represents GPS on wide forum of senior stakeholders and acts as an ambassador of GPS.
• May provide informal guidance or on the job training for peers

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Essential

• University degree required.
• At least 4 years of the work experience in the procurement department or supply chain (preferably in the organisation with a big or mature procurement organisation)
• Experience with End-to-End Source to Contract process
• Experience in managing stakeholders across the globe within the matrix organization.
• Experience in Project Management
• Excellent communications skills (verbal and written) with the ability to present information in a clear and concise format to all levels within the organization. Communicates eloquently/freely. Confident speaker - can advise team members and present to senior stakeholders.
• Proficient presentation skills- knows and applies best practises, able to choose presentation method and adjust the content to the audience. Shapes the message that gets through to the audience. Communicates clearly, successfully and in an attractive manner.
• Extraordinarily strong relationship and business partnering skills and ability to engage with the stakeholders on different level in the organization.
• Strong team player able to collaborate with stakeholders from diverse cultures.
• Effective influencing/persuasion skills and conflict resolution
• Project management skills (contribution to the procurement process by participation in designing, implementing, and managing multiple projects) and ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Time management (timely decisions to create real savings or cost avoidance) and prioritization (the ability to place urgency on varying demands)
•  “Can do attitude” and problem solving / continuous improvement approach.
• Flexibility and fast adaptation to changing environment.
• Microsoft Office literacy
• Focus on result with the ability and drive for achieving and surpassing targets against an internal or external standard of excellence.
• Excellent English communications skills (verbal and written)
• Additional language would be a benefit and exact expectations to be precise at the role advert level.

Desirable

• Very good working knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry
• Demonstrated ability to indirectly lead or influence people in a global environment in cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of Procurement tools (i.e. Jaggaer, Coupa)

Key Relationships to reach solutions

Internal (to AZ or team)

• GPS Teams
• Category Teams and in-market Procurement
• AstraZeneca business stakeholders
• Suppliers and service providers

External (to AZ)

• Suppliers and service providers

Other Role Requirements

• Schedule flexibility to work on holidays when necessary.
• Schedule flexibility to accommodate global time zone.
• Flexibility and Ability to travel and work in another AZ facilities outside the country when necessary.
• Schedule flexibility to work on the days off given by the wellness Policy when necessary (Política de Bienestar).

According to the company policies, the candidate must prove that there are no situations that generate a conflict of interest (COI) for the company. The non-existence of COI is considered as an objective requirement of the position. To know beforehand the weightings of COI contained in the policies of the company, consult the Human Resources Department.

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer. AstraZeneca will consider all qualified applicants for employment without discrimination on grounds of disability, sex or sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity leave status, race or national or ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, gender identity or re-assignment, marital or civil partnership status, protected veteran status (if applicable) or any other characteristic protected by law. AstraZeneca only employs individuals with the right to work in the country/ies where the role is advertised.