Associate Director Vendor & Relationship Management

Seeking talent near: Princeton NJ ; San Diego CA

Position Summary

The Associate Director Vendor & Relationship Management will support and optimize strategic partnerships with clinical vendors CROs and functional service providers to ensure operational excellence compliance and value delivery across global clinical development programs. This role will drive vendor governance performance management and continuous improvement initiatives while collaborating cross functionally to support R&D business objectives and foster a culture of partnership and innovation. The Associate Director will partner closely with R&D stakeholders Procurement Quality Finance and Legal to enable effective vendor oversight and consistent outsourcing practices across the Acadia R&D organization.

Primary Responsibilities

Vendor & Relationship Management

• Support the development and execution of vendor and supplier relationship management strategies including identification and management of critical partners (CROs central and specialty labs functional service providers clinical technologies patient recruitment and retention vendors).

• Serve as a primary point of contact for vendor related operational issues coordinating resolution and escalating unresolved matters through established governance pathways.

• Coordinate and facilitate when appropriate vendor governance including operational and steering committee meetings.

• Develop and maintain supplier scorecards dashboards and KPIs to monitor vendor performance and identify trends and risks.

• Conduct routine business reviews with vendors to ensure alignment on priorities and performance expectations partnering with Sourcing and Legal as needed.

Operational Oversight & Excellence

• Oversee vendor performance supporting outsourced clinical trials through partnership with the Clinica Operations team. Ensure alignment with program timelines budgets and quality expectations.

• Partner with Clinical Operations Clinical Supply Chain Quality Finance and other cross functional teams to support timely and compliant delivery of services.

• Support inspection readiness activities including audits vendor oversight documentation and CAPA development in collaboration with Quality.

• Contribute to process mapping documentation and implementation of standardized vendor oversight practices.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve vendor performance efficiency and collaboration through data driven insights and process improvements.

• Support innovation initiatives within vendor relationships including new operating models technologies or ways of working.

• Contribute to the development and rollout of best practices standards and tools for R&D vendor management.

• Identify opportunities for cost optimization demand management and improved vendor utilization.

Data Reporting & Technology Enablement

• Support the development and maintenance of vendor performance reporting and dashboards.

• Analyze performance metrics to proactively identify risks issues and opportunities for improvement.

• Partner with internal teams to support implementation and optimization of vendor management tools and systems.

• Act as a mentor and subject matter resource for team members and matrixed stakeholders involved in vendor oversight.

• Foster strong collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners to enable transparent communication and proactive issue resolution.

• Effectively influence stakeholders across a matrixed organization without direct authority.

• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Education/Experience/Skills

Bachelors degree in life science or a related field; Advanced degree preferred. Targeting 8 years of experience in clinical trial operations vendor/CRO oversight supplier relationship management or related roles within the biopharmaceutical industry. Experience managing complex vendor relationships and supporting performance improvement initiatives required. An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.

Key Skills:

• Strong understanding of clinical trial operations and outsourced service models.

• Working knowledge of ICH GCP regulatory requirements and quality expectations for outsourced clinical activities.

• Strong analytical skills including experience with supplier scorecards KPIs and performance dashboards.

• Experience in R&D outsourcing vendor governance or business operations functions.

• Exposure to financial management of outsourced services including budgeting and accruals.

• Experience supporting audits inspections or inspection readiness activities.

• Familiarity with alliance or partnership management methodologies.

• Excellent communication interpersonal and organizational skills.

• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced matrixed environment while managing multiple priorities and working cross-functionally.

• Willing and able to travel both domestically and internationally.

Physical Requirements

This role involves regular standing walking sitting and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment. The employee may also need to reach climb balance stoop kneel crouch and maintain visual verbal and auditory communication in a standard office environment and while working independently from remote locations. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. This position requires the ability to travel independently overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedules or business needs.

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