Lead Associate / Lead External Manufacturing

Lead Associate / Lead External Manufacturing

We are seeking a Lead Associate / Senior Manager External Manufacturing to lead operations for North America, to ensure reliable supply of commercial products and support new product launches. The position manages relationships with Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) and Contract Packaging Organizations (CPOs), driving operational excellence, compliance, and cost efficiency while collaborating with internal stakeholders across Quality, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Technical Services, and Commercial teams.

Responsibilities:

Supply Assurance & Operations

• Coordinate with CMOs/CPOs to ensure on-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery of cGMP compliant, quality reviewed and released FG and Bulk drug products to customers and markets
• Determine supply priorities through interaction with the Global Supply chain and External Manufacturing (EM) team members on a regular basis and communication of these priorities and changes to the relevant CMO/CPO
• Understand CMO's capacity constraints, bottlenecks, material shortages etc. in the short medium and long term, aid resolution of these constraints & escalate to the supply chain management as needed
• Manage the commercial product lifecycle, including raw material changes, artwork updates, process revalidations, packaging changes, and shelf-life extensions
• Prepare and provide accurate monthly forecasts, purchase orders, and stock-transfer orders to the CMO's manufacturing sites in-order to meet forecasted demand and target inventory/MOH levels
• Lead/participate in cross-functional due diligence teams to assess new business opportunities and potential capabilities of a new CMO
• Review, approve, and submit CMOs invoices for timely payments

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure all compliance-related documents, such as batch records, COC/COA, etc., for each order are accurate and available for Quality Assurance review and release
• Arrange permits, state licenses, quality agreements, and service agreements to maintain GMP/GDP compliance
• Review of CMO related change controls to understand the supply chain impact. Work closely with QA, regulatory, commercial and packaging teams to facilitate risk assessment & impact, along with approval process for the changes proposed/implemented at the CMO
• Ensure the complete set of shipping documents is provided by the CMO/CPO including packing list, commercial/custom invoice, certificate of origin, BOL/AWB/HWB, EPICS file and all approved copies of COC's and COA's at the time of shipment

Data & Systems

• Facilitate set up and validate material and vendor master data in SAP and related systems
• Support the entire order-to-commercial cycle with proactive issue resolution
• Liaison and support DSCSA compliance and serialization requirements with CMO's Serialization team, collaborate with internal IT, and 3PL warehouse to ensure complete and timely implementation of GS1 EPCIS process to meet FDA requirements for new product launches and CMO's on-boarded

Continuous Improvement

• Lead cost optimization projects with partners to improve throughput and efficiency
• Drive initiatives to mitigate supply chain risks and enhance operational resilience
• Participate and drive Alternate Vendor Development (AVD) projects for evaluating and validating new API, excipients and RM vendors for dual-sourcing, cost savings and reliability optimization

Qualifications

Educational qualification: Postgraduate degree with specialization in Operations Management, Supply Chain Management or related field

Minimum work experience: 5-10 years of experience in cGMP pharmaceutical manufacturing or supply chain operations

Skills & attributes:

• Proven experience in contract manufacturing management in an international environment
• Strong operational expertise in pharmaceutical supply chain and generics business model
• Proficiency in SAP, MS Office, and MS Project
• Demonstrated ability to work with urgency, meet timelines, and ensure compliance
• Excellent leadership and relationship-building skills across multicultural, multilingual environments
• Strategic thinking with strong execution capability
• Negotiation and alliance management skills
• Problem-solving and proactive risk mitigation
• Ability to influence across functions and geographies

Incumbent must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident of U.S. or otherwise authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring visa transfer or sponsorship, now or in the future.

Incumbent should be willing to work in person from our Princeton, NJ office

Additional Information

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories offers a competitive total rewards package including base salary determined on the basis of role, experience, skill set and location. Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, and benefits including comprehensive health care coverage, retirement savings plan and leave benefits. Additional details about total compensation and benefits will be provided during the hiring process.

Our Work Culture Ask any employee at Dr. Reddy's why they come to work every day and they'll say, because Good Health Can't Wait. This is our credo as well as the guiding principle behind all our actions. We see healthcare solutions not only as scientific formulations, but as a means to help patients lead healthier lives, and we're always attuned to the new and the next to empower people to stay fit. And to do this, we foster a culture of empathy and dynamism. People are at the core of our journey over the last few decades. They have been supported by an enabling environment that buoys individual ability while fostering teamwork and shared success. We believe that when people with diverse skills are bound together by a common purpose and value system, they can make magic.

Equal Opportunity Employer All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.