Program Manager Life Science

The Life Science (LS) Program Manager serves as the strategic operational leader, customer advocate, and primary point of contact between Life Science customers and ECW’s integrated logistics network — including warehouse operations, drayage, over-the-road (OTR) transportation, customer service, quality and compliance, Safeway Logistics Solutions (SLS), and other supporting business lines — across all business models and geographies.

The LS Program Manager orchestrates cross-functional execution, aligns operational priorities with customer requirements, and drives timely resolution of complex issues across the end-to-end supply chain. This role owns customer onboarding, operational Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), strategic account initiatives, and escalation management when operational failures occur. The position is accountable for ensuring the premium level of service that justifies Life Sciences pricing by translating customer requirements into coordinated operational execution, driving accountability across internal teams, and proactively identifying opportunities to improve service, quality, resilience, and customer value.

The LS Program Manager serves as a strategic operational partner to Life Science customers, developing a deep understanding of their supply chain, business priorities, product requirements, quality expectations, and service objectives. The role represents the voice of the Life Sciences customer internally and translates those requirements into actionable strategies across warehousing, transportation, customer service, quality, and other business functions.

Lane Risk Assessment & Transportation Compliance — Mandatory

• Own the documentation and implementation of Lane Risk Assessments for all new transportation lanes prior to launch.
• Identify potential risks and failure points within each lane, including weather, congestion, capacity, customs, seasonality, carrier availability, handling requirements, and other operational risks.
• Develop actionable contingency plans for identified risks and ensure those plans are understood and executable by operational teams.
• Coordinate with transportation, customer service, quality, and other relevant teams to ensure lane-specific risks are appropriately addressed.
• Ensure transportation moves comply with established Lane Risk Assessment guidelines.
• Periodically review and refresh existing lane assessments as part of ongoing risk management and continuous improvement.
• Proactively identify changes in network conditions that could increase transportation risk and recommend mitigation strategies.

Cross-Business-Line Leadership & Operational Integration

• Lead cross-business-line coordination for LS accounts, ensuring alignment across Warehouse Operations, Safeway Drayage, Safeway OTR, Customer Service, Quality & Compliance, SLS, and other supporting functions.
• Drive accountability across functional teams for customer commitments, service recovery, CAPA actions, strategic initiatives, and operational performance.
• Establish and maintain effective communication rhythms across business lines to ensure timely escalation, decision-making, and execution.
• Identify operational interdependencies and proactively address gaps that could affect customer service, quality, compliance, or business continuity.
• Facilitate regular cross-functional touchpoints to identify emerging risks, coordinate priorities, and resolve issues before they become customer-impacting.
• Ensure consistent communication, documentation, and hand-offs between customers and internal teams.
• Serve as the central integrator when customer requirements span multiple business lines, geographies, or operating models.
• Resolve cross-functional conflicts and competing priorities by aligning teams to customer requirements, quality standards, operational realities, and business objectives.

Quality, Compliance & Audit Support

• Support customer, global freight forwarder (GFF), and certification body (e.g., SGS) audits in partnership with the LS Quality team.
• Maintain customer quality agreements and ensure operational adherence to GDP requirements across all customer touchpoints.
• Partner with Quality & Compliance to identify and address quality risks associated with customer programs, transportation lanes, warehouse operations, and service delivery.
• Complete ECW GDP awareness and QMS/CAPA training upon hire and maintain knowledge as quality programs and regulatory requirements evolve.
• Promote a strong quality and compliance culture across all business lines supporting LS customers.
• Ensure appropriate documentation and operational records are maintained to support audit readiness and customer confidence.

Customer & Business Performance

• Monitor end-to-end customer performance across warehouse, drayage, OTR, customer service, and other applicable business lines.
• Identify trends and opportunities that can improve customer experience, operational efficiency, service reliability, and program profitability.
• Use customer and operational data to support fact-based decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Sales and operational leadership to identify opportunities for account expansion, improved service offerings, and long-term customer retention.
• Support development of customer-facing materials, business reviews, improvement plans, and strategic program updates.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Life Sciences, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in international logistics, 3PL, supply chain operations, or account/program management, ideally within Life Sciences, healthcare, or a regulated industry.
• Demonstrated experience managing customer relationships in an operational or logistics environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence across multiple business functions without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of warehouse operations, drayage, and over-the-road (OTR) trucking processes.
• Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies (CAPA, 8D, 5 Whys, or similar).
• Working knowledge of GDP/GxP and temperature-controlled logistics requirements, or the ability to complete ECW GDP and QMS training upon hire.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills; comfortable presenting to customer executives and leading QBRs.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple accounts, strategic initiatives, escalations, and competing priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex operational issues, establish priorities, and drive resolution across multiple stakeholders.
• Proficiency with WMS/TMS platforms, Excel, and business reporting tools.

Preferred

• Experience in Life Sciences, pharmaceutical, healthcare, or cold chain logistics.
• Familiarity with GxP, temperature-controlled, or regulated shipping requirements.
• Prior experience building or managing risk assessment frameworks for transportation networks.
• Experience managing complex, multi-modal, multi-site, or geographically dispersed logistics programs.
• Dangerous Goods/Hazmat familiarity (IATA and DOT 49 CFR awareness), including experience with Class 5, 8, or 9 freight.
• Experience with air freight import/export operations, including ULD handling and airport transfer processes.
• PMP, Six Sigma, or related certification.