Associate Project manager - Vendor Enablement & Resolution

About the job

Our Team:

Sanofi Global Hub (SGH) is an internal Sanofi resource organization based in India and is setup to centralize processes and activities to support Specialty Care, Vaccines, General Medicines, CHC, CMO, and R&D, Data & Digital functions​.

Main responsibilities:

The overall purpose and main responsibilities are listed below:

Operational Issue Resolution

Troubleshoot and resolve complex vendor-related issues across enterprise systems such as Coupa, SHIFT, and Salesforce for R&D Community

Collaborate cross-functionally with Procurement, Finance, AP, Legal Ops, and IT to investigate and resolve vendor master data, invoice discrepancies, or payment-related inquiries.

Track, monitor, and report issue resolution metrics; escalate persistent or high-risk blockers to leadership for intervention.

Develop root cause analyses of recurring vendor issues and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

Process Optimization & Documentation

Identify and analyze inefficiencies in the vendor enablement lifecycle and resolution processes; propose and implement process improvements.

Lead the design and maintenance of scalable SOPs, work instructions, and stakeholder training materials to support consistent execution.

Drive automation and system integration initiatives to reduce manual touchpoints, improve data accuracy, and accelerate vendor onboarding.

Create and manage real-time dashboards and reports to monitor  issue resolution rate, and operational KPIs.

Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Management

Serve as the central liaison between vendors and internal R&D functions to facilitate timely responses and issue resolution.

Provide transparent and regular status updates to internal stakeholders regarding vendor onboarding, enablement KPIs, and systemic challenges.

Partner with business leaders to understand evolving needs and proactively refine vendor enablement workflows to align with R&D priorities.

Issue Management & Risk Mitigation

Manage a centralized intake channel (shared mailbox, centralized form) for vendor inquiries and triage issues with appropriate urgency and prioritization.

Monitor and drive resolution of aging vendor cases, ensuring SLAs are met and escalations are minimized.

Maintain a proactive escalation framework to address unresolved or sensitive issues, ensuring appropriate stakeholder engagement.

Implement risk mitigation strategies to reduce payment delays and compliance exposures related to vendor setup errors.

Data Governance & Master Data Management

Enforce data integrity by auditing vendor records for accuracy, completeness, and alignment with master data governance policies.

Oversee the inactivation, deduplication, and cleansing of payments in coordination with AP.

Define and implement internal controls to prevent the creation of duplicate, inactive, or incomplete vendor records & Invoices.

Maintain auditable logs and data trails for all changes made to vendor master records to ensure compliance and traceability.

People Management & Team Leadership

Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team responsible for vendor enablement, issue resolution, and stakeholder support.

Set clear goals, performance metrics, and development plans to ensure team accountability and continuous growth.

Foster a culture of operational excellence, collaboration, and proactive problem-solving within the team.

Allocate team resources effectively to balance daily operational demands with long-term strategic initiatives.

Training, Communication, & Change Management

Provide onboarding, training, and ongoing guidance to internal stakeholders on vendor-related processes and change request workflows.

Facilitate cross-functional workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions to promote best practices and address common pain points.

Create and distribute user-friendly reference materials, job aids, and FAQs to enhance user experience for both requesters and vendors.

Drive awareness and adoption of process or tool changes through effective change management and stakeholder engagement strategies.

Strategic Leadership & Continuous Improvement

Act as a thought leader in vendor lifecycle management, proposing strategic improvements based on operational insights and industry benchmarks.

Stay updated on system enhancements, regulatory changes, and digital trends impacting vendor management in the R&D domain.

Collaborate with global and regional teams to harmonize processes and drive standardization across sites or business units.

Support audit readiness and compliance initiatives by ensuring timely documentation and audit trail availability for all vendor enablement activities.

About you

Experience: Project Management experience in pharmaceuticals medical contracting/Vendor Management pharma experience desirable

Soft skills: quality review, stakeholder management, Project management and project tracking, People management

Technical Skills: Expert knowledge of procurement and sourcing strategies and systems (Coupa, Ariba). Proficiency with business intelligence tools (Power BI, Qlik) and advanced project management methodologies.

Education: Degree in life sciences (pharma, chemistry, biology), information management, or related disciplines required. PMP or similar project management certification is a strong plus.

Languages: English (fluent)