Associate Clinical Sourcing Manager

Summary

The associate clinical sourcing manager is responsible for generating, negotiating, and executing contracts to support the utilisation of clinical Contract Research Organisations (CROs) for Novartis Clinical Trials. This role ensures compliant, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective external service delivery to support the Novartis drug development pipeline. The position also contributes to projects and initiatives to ensure Clinical Contracting & Outsourcing Management remains agile and responsive to evolving legal, operational, regulatory, and financial requirements.

About The Role

Major accountabilities:

• Prepare and release RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs; negotiate with suppliers for new requests and scope changes.
• Act as the primary contact for vendors, managing negotiations on scope, assumptions, pricing, and payment schedules.
• Develop and execute contract frameworks (MSAs, SLAs) with key suppliers, ensuring full implementation and compliance.
• Collaborate with legal, finance, and QA to ensure agreements are commercially advantageous and minimise risk.
• Drive supplier selection aligned with category strategy, cost optimisation, and compliance; monitor and reduce maverick spend.
• Deliver annual productivity improvements and cost-saving initiatives within assigned spend categories.
• Manage complete contract packages for clinical ESP activities, securing approvals in line with SOX and company procedures.
• Support vendor audits and facilitate corrective action plans to maintain compliance and performance standards.
• Monitor supplier performance against contractual obligations and proactively address gaps or risks.
• Lead or contribute to projects, applying strong planning and organisational skills to achieve defined objectives.
  
  

Minimum Requirements

Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Procurement, Life Sciences, or a related field; professional procurement certification (e.g., CIPS) is preferred.
• 5–7 years of experience in procurement or outsourcing within the pharmaceutical or clinical research industry.
• Proven expertise in contract negotiation, supplier management, and category strategy implementation.
• Familiarity with clinical trial operations, regulatory compliance, and SOX requirements.
• Strong track record in cost optimisation, risk management, and productivity improvement initiatives.
  
  

Languages

• English.
  
  

Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

---