Director, Sample Operations

Job Title: Director, Sample Operations

Location: Cambridge, MA / Morristown, NJ

About the Job

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible? Join Sanofi in one of our corporate functions and you can play a vital part in the performance of our entire business while helping to make an impact on millions around the world.

At Sanofi, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.  We believe our cutting-edge science and manufacturing, fueled by data and digital technologies, have the potential to transform the practice of medicine, turning the impossible into reality for millions of people. 

Currently, Sanofi has the most robust pipeline and forthcoming product launches in the company’s history. As the next phase of our Take the Lead strategy, Sanofi must appropriately support this pipeline to materialize our vision of delivering scientific miracles to patients worldwide. Thus, modernizing the Sanofi operational structure is also required.  

The new GTMC organization is charged with delivering best-in-class capabilities to bring speed and increased value to commercial operations. It will refine priorities across products, markets, and the pipeline through dynamic resources allocation and efficiencies. Silos that existed between business units as well as duplicative and overlapping resources will be replaced with standardized processes and tools. Operating with a One Sanofi mindset and entrepreneurial spirit, GTMC will accelerate and improve key capabilities to do more with less and facilitate the best-informed strategic decision making across the organization. 

 The GTMC organization aims to: 

• Centralize Go-to-Market operational tasks across GBUs 

• Standardize best in class capabilities, strengthen global support, and implement a better vertical reporting structure within GTMC from local to global 

• Define ways of working, bringing clarity on the interactions across GBUs, Digital, and Commercial executional support teams from Sanofi hubs to optimize process excellence and efficiency 

The Director, Sample Operations oversees the compliant execution and delivery of Sanofi's US drug samples, sitting at the intersection of commercial operations, regulatory compliance, supply chain logistics, and data governance. Operating under the strict requirements of the Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA), this role ensures all systems, tools, training, and procedures meet sampling guidelines across Sanofi's Specialty Care and General Medicines entities.

The Director leads sample strategy, deployment, and operational processes — driving efficiencies and innovative solutions that enable field success and business growth. This role collaborates closely with GTMC Functional Leaders, Business Unit and Sales Leaders, and cross-functional teams to ensure excellence in execution and informed strategic decision-making.

This position reports to the Senior Director, Reporting & Engagement and will be based in Cambridge, MA - Morristown, NJ.

We are an innovative global healthcare company with one purpose: to chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. We’re also a company where you can flourish and grow your career, with countless opportunities to explore, make connections with people, and stretch the limits of what you thought was possible. Ready to get started?

About Sanofi:

We’re an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system – and innovative pipeline – enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.

Main Responsibilities:

As the Director, Sample Operations, you will:

• Set the overall vision, strategy, and direction for the US Sample Operations team, serving as the primary point of contact for all sampling-related activities across Sanofi's Specialty Care and General Medicines entities

• Lead and develop the offshore hub team, overseeing budget creation, prioritization, and execution to enable the delivery of US Sample Operations

• Ensure full adherence to PDMA guidelines and State/Federal regulations, maintaining complete records of sample distributions and audit-ready inventory reconciliation

• Develop and maintain SOPs, work instructions, and training materials aligned to regulatory standards and business objectives

• Oversee the full sample lifecycle — from forecasting and manufacturer allocation through distribution, field use, reconciliation, and destruction — coordinating with supply chain on launches, backorders, and discontinuations

• Track inventory and transactions using compliant electronic systems, generating insights to identify trends, anomalies, and optimization opportunities

• Translate sampling data into strategic recommendations that inform brand and sales leadership decision-making

• Manage third-party vendors and outsourced partners against defined service-level expectations, conducting regular performance audits

• Provide tools and training to ensure compliant sampling practices across the field force, managing sales professional certification and eligibility

• Develop strategic sample allocations in partnership with brand and sales leadership to support commercial objectives

• Collaborate across Sales, Marketing, Finance, Analytics, and Supply Chain to align sampling programs with product launches and commercial initiatives

• Drive best practice sharing, consistency, and operational efficiencies across business units and hub operations

About You

Basic Qualification:

• BA / BS with a minimum of 7-years of experience in Pharmaceuticals or Biotechnology; equivalent combination of education (MS / MA / MBA / PhD) and / or consulting experience may be considered 

• Proven business acumen, with strong communication & presentation skills 

• Experience working with, leading and holding onshore and offshore vendor or hubs accountable

• Excellent project management and prioritization skills, able to deftly balance multiple projects / priorities  

• Demonstrated leadership ability to drive change within an organization, cultivating support and maximizing contribution from team members

• Ability to work in a matrixed environment with many cross-functional partners to understand and influence key business decisions

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, comfortable with ambiguity, and with a track record of delivering exceptional results   

• Knowledge/Experience with PDMA and relevant Federal and State regulations

• Well-developed strategic thinking ability, with capacity to synthesize data to provide a coherent narrative and actionable insights  

• Strong analytical skills, with ability to design, develop, and execute analyses to answer complex business questions 

• Experience with key pharmaceutical data sources and analytics platforms, including:

  • National-level sales / demand data (e.g., IQVIA NPA & NSP) 

  • CRM systems (e.g., Veeva, Salesforce, etc.) 

  • Data management & analysis platforms (e.g., Databricks, Snowflake, etc.) 

  • Data visualization / business intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, etc.)  

  • MS Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) 

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, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks’ gender-neutral parental leave.

Sanofi Inc. and its U.S. affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law.

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All compensation will be determined commensurate with demonstrated experience. Employees may be eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs, and additional benefits information can be found here.