Associate Director, Drug Product Supplier Relationship Manager

Position Summary:

As part of the Technical Operations Commercial Manufacturing and Science team, the Associate Director, Drug Product Supplier Relationship Manager, will assume overall management of the Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMO) relationship for drug product (DP) to strengthen the relationship to the CMOs and improve their overall performance. The incumbent will lead a cross-functional team, being the single point of contact to the supplier and setting the strategy for the CMOs. The AD, Drug Product Supplier Relationship Manager will bring a deep and diverse experience in the management of teams and the communication with external partners, being involved in all CMO relevant topics.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Establish leadership for a cross-functional team by developing clear communication channels and enabling transparency across the entire Supplier Relationship Team (SRT).
• Act as central go-to person and single point of communication for the drug product CMOs managing the daily business relationship with CMOs on all relevant levels.
• Responsible for preparation and facilitation of proper meeting cadence with CMOs. Build and develop a two-way mutually beneficial relationships with the CMOs.
• Manage and be responsible for supplier agreements and contracts such as CDA, NDA, MSA, SOW, quality agreements and other supplier agreements.
• Improve CMO relationship regarding quality, service and cost driving collaborative efforts and lead through strategic projects with the CMO to develop capabilities.
• Ensure close and proactive collaboration of the different cross-functional teams and roles to monitor performance and manage supplier issue escalation and obstacles.
• Contribute to tactical and strategic sourcing activities, as well as negotiation of contract terms and conditions.
• Have strong technical background to be able to handle minor deviations and to support the manufacturing technical.
• Orchestrate effective performance dialogue and set up necessary 360-degree performance KPIs.
• Identify CMO activity-related risks and work with CMOs and cross-functional business partners to develop robust mitigation and contingency plans.

Education, Registration & Certification:

• College degree in engineering, biotechnology, business or in a related area.

Experience:

• 8 years of progressive experience in manufacturing with a strong understanding of cross-functional processes with at least 5 years of experience in collaborating with CMOs.
• Experience in manufacturing.
• Understanding of biotech/pharma manufacturing operations, product and process development, and supply chain operations.
• Technical knowledge of drug product related processes to cover minor deviation handling.
• Experience in contract and risk management.
• Proven track records of staff management, team development and management experience, achieving results in time/targets.
• Knowledge in business development and business judgement, considering strategic aspects like risk mitigation or performance measurement and improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to lead people and get results through others.
• Ability to communicate effectively and facilitate/document regular meetings with suppliers.
• Excellent technical computer skills, communication, comprehension, interpretation, problem-solving, team spirit, critical thinking and organization skills.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

• This is largely a sedentary role; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary. This job operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Travel Requirements:

• 20-25% travel.

Benefits and Perks:

Apellis offers a great benefit package which includes: health insurance with full premium coverage, 401K with company match, paid time off (PTO), long- term disability insurance, life insurance and more! Visit to learn more.

Company Background:

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company that combines courageous science and compassion to develop life-changing therapies for some of the most challenging diseases patients face. We ushered in the first new class of complement medicine in 15 years and now have two approved medicines targeting C3. These include the first and only therapy for geographic atrophy, a leading cause of blindness around the world. With nearly a dozen clinical and pre-clinical programs underway, we believe we have only begun to unlock the potential of targeting C3 across many serious diseases.

For more information, please visit or follow us on and

EEO Statement:

Apellis is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state and local fair employment practices laws. Apellis strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including pregnancy), gender (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender or transsexual individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, marital status, AIDS/HIV status, smoker/nonsmoker, and occupational pneumoconiosis or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

For San Francisco postings: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.