Procurement Excellence Lead

Position Summary

The Procurement Excellence Lead will support procurement operations, contract management, supplier management, data governance, and cost analysis in Syracuse, NY. This role will help strengthen contract visibility, procurement KPIs, dashboards, cost reduction tracking, and reporting tools while providing data-driven insights to support decision-making and cross-functional accountability.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Establish procurement standards, improve operational visibility, and drive accountability across procurement processes, with emphasis on contract management, supplier performance, reporting discipline, and cross-functional execution.
• Serve as the technical owner for procurement KPIs, metrics, dashboards, and reporting tools, including development, maintenance, and continuous improvement.
• Own procurement contract tracking and visibility, including contract data accuracy, obligation tracking, renewal and expiration awareness, KPI linkage, risk identification, and escalation of gaps or issues with supporting analysis.
• Lead assigned procurement initiatives and new supplier contract activities, coordinating stakeholders through RFQ support, vendor selection, NDA execution, contract review, negotiation support, and launch readiness.
• Establish supplier performance scorecards and review cadences, including supplier business reviews, to define meaningful metrics, interpret performance trends, and recommend actions that improve supplier accountability and business outcomes.
• Initiate vendor setup activities, coordinate required information across stakeholders, and establish data tracking, KPI, and governance expectations for new vendors.
• Lead invoicing governance by coordinating monthly invoice review meetings, owning invoicing trackers, establishing invoice-related KPIs and metrics, analyzing issue trends, and driving timely resolution with internal stakeholders and vendors.
• Prepare supplier and category spend analyses, monitor contract activity, track savings and cost reduction plans against goals, and identify cost avoidance, cost reduction, or process improvement opportunities.
• Collect, analyze, and visualize procurement and supplier performance data using tools such as SAP, Ariba, Excel, and related reporting platforms to support decision-making.
• Manage assigned procurement improvement projects to drive process efficiency, compliance, supplier performance, and operational visibility.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with site project teams and internal stakeholders to support procurement planning, contract readiness, supplier engagement, issue resolution, and timely execution of site priorities.
• Provide indirect leadership through training, coaching, and knowledge sharing on procurement best practices, tools, KPI interpretation, data discipline, and process expectations to support consistency, compliance, and adoption across stakeholder groups.
• Manage other activities to support site goals in procurement or supply chain as assigned.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience will be considered.
• 5+ years of related experience in procurement, supply chain, quality, manufacturing, or a regulated operations environment.
• Experience supporting procurement activities such as sourcing, contracting, contract review, supplier management, purchase order processes, spend analysis, cost analysis, savings tracking, cost reduction initiatives, or invoice issue resolution.
• Experience using SAP, Ariba, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Power BI, or similar business systems and reporting tools to support procurement operations and data management.
• Experience working in a cGMP, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, manufacturing, or other regulated environment preferred.
• Professional certification such as CPIM, CSCP, CPSM, or equivalent supply chain/procurement certification preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Strong procurement knowledge and commercial acumen, including contracting, sourcing, and negotiations, and the ability to apply procurement best practices to support compliant, cost-effective, and timely business decisions.
• Strong data analysis, reporting, and visualization skills, with the ability to interpret procurement, contract, supplier, spend, and operational data and translate findings into clear insights, cost reduction opportunities, recommendations, and actions.
• Working knowledge of Lean methodologies and continuous improvement practices.
• Ability to prioritize, organize, and manage multiple concurrent tasks, projects, requests, and stakeholder needs in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to facilitate meetings, present data clearly, document decisions, align stakeholders, and communicate issues, risks, and recommendations effectively.
• Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally across departments, site project teams, vendors, and procurement stakeholders to achieve shared goals.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Working knowledge of SAP/ERP system, Ariba, Sharepoint, PowerBI.
• Professional (CPIM, CSCP APICS) certification is desirable.

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer while reviewing contracts, analyzing data, preparing reports, and participating in meetings.
• Frequent use of standard office equipment, including computers, telephones, printers, and audiovisual equipment.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through virtual collaboration platforms.
• Occasionally required to walk through manufacturing, warehouse, laboratory, and operational areas to support supplier activities, project initiatives, audits, investigations, or cross-functional meetings.
• Ability to move between office and operational areas throughout the facility.
• May occasionally lift and/or move materials weighing up to 15 pounds.
• Ability to travel domestically on an occasional basis to support supplier meetings, audits, business reviews, conferences, or company initiatives.

Work Environment

• Primary work environment is an office setting within a cGMP-regulated pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing facility.
• Regular interaction with cross-functional teams including Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal, Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Facilities, Validation, Project Management, and other business stakeholders.
• Occasional presence in manufacturing, laboratory, warehouse, and support areas where personal protective equipment (PPE) and adherence to site safety and cGMP requirements may be required.
• Work is performed in a fast-paced environment supporting commercial operations and client-focused priorities within a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO).
• Must maintain compliance with all company policies, safety requirements, quality standards, data integrity expectations, and regulatory requirements.
• May be required to work outside of normal business hours on a limited basis to support critical business initiatives, supplier escalations, audits, or project deadlines.

Travel

Less than 5% travel is required for this position. 

Target Bonus

10%

Work Location:

East Syracuse, NY