Associate Director, Specialty Laboratory Sourcing, Contracting and Category Management

At Gilead, we’re creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we’ve tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer – working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world’s biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference.

Every member of Gilead’s team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we’re looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.

Job Description

The Associate Director, Vendor Outsourcing, focused on Specialty Laboratory Sourcing, Contracting and Category Management serves as the category partner and subject matter expert for Biomarker, Bioanalytical, and Companion Diagnostics across Clinical Development and Research. The role is responsible for developing and executing the category strategy, leading strategic sourcing initiatives, negotiating and executing complex agreements and managing vendor relations to deliver quality, compliance, innovation and value.

The candidate will partner closely with Biomarker Operations, Clinical Pharmacology, Translational Medicine, Therapeutic-Area Research Scientists, Clinical Operations, Legal, Finance, Quality, Compliance, Regulatory, and other cross-functional stakeholders to ensure optimized vendor solutions are in support of the business.

Leadership Competencies

• Act as as strategic thinker backed with subject-matter expertise with strong business acumen to deliver data-driven decisions with a collaborative and stakeholder focused approach.
• Ability to influence and lead without direct authority in a highly matrixed, GxP-regulated, fast paced environment.
• Results oriented with a continuous improvement mindset to drive category adoption

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy and Portfolio Management

• Develop, maintain, and execute the Specialty Laboratory category strategy for Biomarker, Bioanalytical, and Companion Diagnostic laboratory services.
• Lead category reviews, including marketplace analysis, demand and spend assessment, vendor segmentation, capability mapping, benchmarking, and identification of core competencies.
• Manage the portfolio of strategic core and niche laboratories based on scientific capability, quality, capacity, geographic reach, innovation, risk, performance, and total value.
• Develop and manage category-level standards that can be applied across the laboratory portfolio.
• Monitor market practices, technologies, emerging vendors, and internal demand to recommend portfolio changes and fit-for-purpose sourcing approaches.

Stakeholder Management and Scientific Partnership

• Serve as the primary Vendor Outsourcing point of contact for specialty lab services.
• Provide strategic consultation to business stakeholders on vendor strategy and market dynamics.
• Build trusted relationships with Biomarker Operations, Clinical Pharmacology, Kite Translational Medicine, therapeutic-area research scientists, Clinical Operations, and other key partners.
• Translate scientific and business requirements into laboratory sourcing strategies, vendor recommendations, contracting approaches, and implementation plans.
• Influence senior internal stakeholder decisions and external laboratory partners on contractual, commercial, operational, legal, and regulatory matters.

Contracting and Commercial Terms Management

• Lead contract negotiations in partnership with functional leaders and Legal, translating business and scientific requirements into appropriate contractual and commercial terms.
• Manage the development, negotiation, execution, maintenance, and renewal of master laboratory agreements and master service agreements for core and niche laboratories.
• Lead amendments to master agreements, including updates required for new services, capabilities, technologies, legal terms, compliance requirements, or changes to the commercial framework.
• Manage rate cards and related pricing structures; use internal and external benchmarking and market assessments to ensure pricing is at or below fair market value where supported by scope, service level, geography, quality, and technical requirements.
• Negotiate CDx agreements with commercialization terms including milestones and royalty structures with direction from legal.
• Oversee scopes of work, change orders, budgets, and related contracting documents to maintain alignment with the governing master agreement and approved commercial terms.
• Identify and execute category-level cost-containment and cost-avoidance opportunities through benchmarking, negotiation, demand management, rate-card discipline, and portfolio leverage.
• Maintain appropriate contract records and support compliant execution, inspection readiness, and agreement closeout.
• Lead the onboarding of new core and niche laboratories in partnership with Vendor Qualification, Quality, Legal, Compliance, Privacy, Security, Finance, functional stakeholders, and other required groups.
• Collaborate with Vendor Performance and Relationship Management to address performance, capacity, quality, timeline, compliance, and business-continuity risks.
• Support inspection-readiness activities, audit responses, regulatory and contractual compliance, data privacy, and protection of intellectual property.

Problem Solving and Continuous Improvement

• Proactively monitor vendor performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives. Recommend innovative or alternative laboratory sourcing solutions through effective stakeholder management and structured evaluation of vendor capabilities.
• Use benchmarking analytics and industry best practices to improve sourcing, contracting, onboarding, governance, vendor performance, and cycle times.
• Support new data sources and technologies that enable efficient clinical-trial and research execution.

Capabilities and Requirements

• Demonstrated experience leading a specialty laboratory category, laboratory vendor portfolio, strategic sourcing area, or related function in biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, clinical research, diagnostic, or laboratory services.
• Knowledge of Biomarker, Bioanalytical, Companion Diagnostic, translational medicine, and/or related specialty laboratory services.
• Strong category-management capabilities, including category strategy, marketplace analysis, vendor segmentation, capability mapping, category reviews, benchmarking, governance, and value delivery.
• Strong stakeholder-management and influencing skills across scientific, clinical, operational, legal, financial, quality, compliance, regulatory, and vendor organizations.
• Demonstrated contracting expertise, including negotiation and maintenance of master laboratory agreements or master service agreements, amendments, scopes of work, change orders, budgets, and rate cards.
• Experience onboarding new vendors and coordinating qualification, contracting, operational setup, and governance.
• Financial and commercial acumen, including fair-market-value assessment, cost-driver analysis, benchmarking, rate negotiation, cost avoidance, and spend optimization.
• Ability to solve complex problems, manage multiple priorities, communicate recommendations clearly, and maintain momentum in a matrixed global environment.
• Experience leading experienced professionals, cross-functional teams, and/or direct reports, as applicable.

Education and Preferred Credentials

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific, medical, business, finance, supply-chain, or related discipline w/10+ years of experience
• Advanced degree in a scientific, medical, business, finance, supply-chain, or related discipline is preferred
  • MA/MS w/8+ years of experience
  • PhD/PharmD/JD w/5+ years of experience
• Professional certification in supply management, procurement, contracting, project management, or a related discipline is preferred.
• Travel may be required.

Measures of Success

• Improved vendor performance and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Timely completion of sourcing and contracting activities to successfully support clinical development timelines.
• Adoption of preferred vendor strategies and category standards.
• Reduced contracting cycle times.
• Achievement of category savings and value-generation targets.
• Sustained inspection readiness and compliance.

People Leader Accountabilities:

• Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.
• Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop and realize their purpose.
• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

The salary range for this position is:

Bay Area: $182,070.00 - $235,620.00.Other US Locations: $165,495.00 - $214,170.00.

Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit:

* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

For jobs in the United States:

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