Global Category Buyer – Advanced Sourcing

Job title:Global Category Buyer – Advanced Sourcing

• Location: ES Barcelona / Edificio Meridian
• Job type: Permanent, Full time

Within Sanofi, the Procurement function is a powerhouse maximizing savings to fund the company’s future growth. The Chief Procurement Officer is reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, member of the sanofi executive committee. The Procurement organization is divided into five Domains (Manufacturing & Supply, Marketing & Sales, Professional Services, Scientific & Medical and Digital) leveraging Global Procurement Operations and the Procurement Center of Excellence & Transformation.  The yearly spend coverage is around 15B€ with a special focus on Procurement excellence, Supplier Diversity and Sustainability. Closely collaborating with Finance, Business Operations and Business Units, Procurement is instrumental in achieving cost efficiency and savings. Procurement plays a critical role in optimizing Business Operational Impact with a focus on driving simplification, efficiency, and productivity. It forges strategic partnerships with suppliers, prioritizing innovation and data driven solutions. 

Global Category Buyer - Advanced Sourcing has been introduced in the context of increased importance of procurement role within End-to-End sourcing process for Raw materials and our way of collaboration with our suppliers. Due to strong launch pipeline, this professional will spearhead raw material strategic sourcing efforts, driving seamless collaboration with preferred partners to accelerate product development, to increase the speed to market and to have the right cost base and manufacturability when launches are actualized and commercial.

This role will play a pivotal role in supporting launch enablement for products in pre-clinical, phase 1 or phase 2 of development by proactively launching sourcing catalogues with pre-selected specifications, technologies along with preferred suppliers, and by fostering innovation in partnership with suppliers. The responsibilities will encompass strategic planning of Bill of Materials for raw materials, supplier selection during the phase, risk mitigation, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure a robust and agile supply chain that meets the evolving needs of our stakeholders, business and regulatory environment. Additionally, Advanced Sourcing Buyer will focus on material cost sustainability while transitioning from development to manufacturing, ensuring high quality raw materials, efficient supplier capacity and capability and optimal continuous cost competitiveness.

The Lead plays a critical role in developing strategic partnerships with suppliers, driving innovation, and fostering collaboration to achieve mutual business objectives.

About the job

Responsibilities

Preferred Partner Selection for E2E Platform Sourcing: Investigate identify and evaluate preferred partners in alignment with each Raw Material subcategory strategy. This includes thorough assessment of capabilities, reliability, and compatibility of suppliers with our business goals. Early engagement to the Bill of Material process will be key.

Implementation and Adherence to Platform Sourcing by stakeholders : Oversee the implementation of preferred partner agreements and ensure strict adherence and compliance to selection standards set by Sanofi functions/ business units.

Platform Sourcing: Lead pre-aligned platform sourcing initiatives applicable to R&D, industrialization, commercialization, and life cycle management phases. Drive continuous improvement and optimization of sourcing processes to enhance efficiency, effectiveness a lower future cost through harmonized supplier, harmonized spesification. Create additional contractual benefits/levers with preferred suppliers, when platform sourcing is in place.

Optimized Supply Chain Management for E2E Hosted Catalogues: By proactively sourcing raw materials in advance and collaborating closely with suppliers, the lead ensures that the necessary materials are available in sufficient quantities and meet the required quality standards to support product launch timelines. Measure current performance of existing suppliers and identify success factors for selection. Create consignment stocks for R&D and MSAT for hosted catalogue raw materials with selected partners, for helping optimize the supply chain, reducing lead times, minimizing inventory holding costs, and improving overall supply chain efficiency for R&D and MSAT.

Supplier Collaboration: Coordinate Sanofi visits to supplier innovation labs or vice versa. Foster strong collaborative relationships with preferred partners, focusing on supply chain optimization, material science advancements, and manufacturability elements. Encourage innovation and knowledge-sharing to accelerate time-to-market and improve cost efficiency.In addition, activate the regulatory support through supplier collaboration, since timely access to high-quality raw materials can facilitate smoother regulatory approval processes by ensuring consistency and reliability in product formulations and manufacturing processes. This can help expedite regulatory submissions and approvals, leading to faster market entry for new pharmaceutical products.

Joint Innovation Workshops: Organize joint innovation workshops or brainstorming sessions with key suppliers across RM subcategories to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation. Encourage open dialogue and creative thinking to generate new ideas and solutions. Implementing innovative solutions developed through collaboration with suppliers can differentiate our company in the market and enhance its value proposition. This can lead to increased market share, higher customer satisfaction, and ultimately, greater revenue generation.

Technology Scouting: Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends relevant to raw material procurement and manufacturing processes. Work closely with suppliers to evaluate and adopt innovative technologies that can enhance efficiency, quality, and sustainability.

Supplier Hackathons: Organize supplier hackathons or innovation challenges where suppliers are invited to propose solutions to specific business challenges or opportunities both in R&D and M&S space.

Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to monitor supplier performance and track Progress towards strategic collaboration goals. Provide regular reports and updates to senior management on supplier collaboration initiatives and outcomes.

Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of preferred supplier and specification.

About you

Experience: Strategic Sourcing within R&D or Manufacturing in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology or automotive industry

Qualifications: Demonstrated track record of achieving significant cost savings from R&D to commercial.

Soft Skills/ Technical skills:

The position requires sourcing professional skills with a strong ability to engage and align stakeholders at all levels of the organization, and to have transversal / project management skills in a multi-cultural environment:

• Strong Negotiation Skills for early phase procurement activities to secure future commercial

• Transversal Business Partnering at corporate level with R&D,CMC, MSAT and Suppliers.

• Strong understanding of raw materials’ procurement value chain from R&D up to LCM, their supply chain dynamics and industry trends

• Good knowledge of R&D Phases, Launch enablement and Life Cycle Management

• Leverage E2E Technology platforms to ensure procurement strategies are applicable across the board.

• Assertive, high-level communicator, good organizational skills, excellent presentation skills, Team player with excellent interpersonal sensitivity

• Experienced and confident in managing complex and undefined business situations.

• Influential management, ability to convince and persuade others regarding appropriate solutions

• High sense of Ethics, Business integrity and compliance in doing business

Education: Minimum University degree from an accredited College or University. Chemistry & Chemical Engineering are a plus. Procurement certifications are plus.

Language: Excellent command of English is a must. French is a plus.

Why choose us?

• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.
• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.
• Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.
• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare,

Pursue progress, discover Extraordinary

Better is out there. Better medications, better outcomes, better science. But progress doesn’t happen without people – people from different backgrounds, in different locations, doing different roles, all united by one thing: a desire to make miracles happen. So, let’s be those people.

At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or gender identity.

Watch our and check out our Diversity Equity and Inclusion actions at sanofi.com!