Associate Director, Production Planning & Procurement

More than one million people in the United States today are fighting blood cancer. While a traditional allogeneic stem cell transplant has been the best hope for many, the transplant itself can prove fatal or lead to serious conditions, such as graft versus host disease. Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company redefining the transplant process by developing next-generation cell therapies with the goal of providing significantly better survival rates with dramatically fewer risks. We have built a state-of-the-art, 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Sacramento, CA (7910 Metro Air Pkwy) to ensure the consistent and reliable delivery of our high-precision cell therapy products. This site is essential to advancing our clinical pipeline and supporting future commercial availability of our life-saving therapies. The Associate Director, Production Planning & Procurement leads planning and procurement functions while driving the design, implementation and optimization of manufacturing execution systems (MES) and enterprise resource planning connections across cell therapy manufacturing sites. This role ensures robust, compliant and scalable planning and procurement processes with digital systems to enable accurate, real‑time visibility and uninterrupted production of clinical and commercial cell therapy products. The Associate Director will partner with Manufacturing, Finance, IT, Facilities and Quality to deliver a reliable planning foundation that supports operations and data‑driven decision‑making. Physical Demands Must have visual acuity of 20/20 (corrected or uncorrected) and normal color vision to safely perform critical tasks such as visual inspection of materials, equipment, and labeling. Must be able to meet cleanroom gowning requirements, including wearing full gowning for extended periods. Use of cosmetics, jewelry or facial piercings is not permitted in the cleanroom. Work Conditions Must be able to work at either Orca Bio Sacramento location (3400 Business Dr. or 7910 Metro Air Pkwy) based on operational needs, and regularly participate in video‑based meetings. May be required to work scheduled overtime, weekends, or holidays based on business needs. Key Responsibilities Production Planning: Lead site production planning, production scheduling, and material planning to meet customer service and operational targets; manage capacity planning aligned with clinical and commercial demand forecasts; develop and analyze operational scenarios; ensure effective inventory strategies; develop Sales & Operations Planning processes for cell therapy programs. Digital Systems: Serve as site business lead for MES and ERP system deployment, configuration, and optimization; partner with IT, Engineering, and other functions to define requirements, ensure seamless integration, and enable end‑to‑end planning functionality; translate planning processes into digital workflows; drive user adoption, training, and change management. Process Improvement & Analytics: Implement best practices in production planning, leveraging system capabilities to improve forecast accuracy, scheduling efficiency, material availability, and cost competitiveness; establish KPIs and dashboards for planning performance; identify and resolve systemic bottlenecks in planning processes through digital solutions. Leadership: Effectively lead, mentor, and coach a direct team of planners and system users; oversee daily workflow and performance; recruit, interview, hire, and train new staff; provide constructive and timely performance feedback and evaluations. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related fields. 5–7 years of progressive supply chain experience in biomanufacturing, cell therapies or advanced therapies. Leadership of digital transformation initiatives including MES and ERP systems. Strong knowledge of production planning, material requirements planning (MRP), and capacity planning within manufacturing. Proven success leading cross‑functional teams and driving operational results. Excellent interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills. Preferred Qualifications Experience with autologous or allogeneic cell therapy supply chains. Familiarity with both clinical and commercial supply chain models. Knowledge of manufacturing, chain‑of‑identity/custody requirements, and vein‑to‑vein workflows. Personal Qualities & Physical Demands Demonstrates strong work ethic, curiosity to learn and contribute in a fast‑paced collaborative environment. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively. Ability to work in a collaborative manner. Strong problem‑solving skills. Domestic and international travel may be required from time to time (approximately 10–25%). Domestic and international travel may be required from time to time. May require occasional lifting up to 25 lbs. Requires sitting, standing, working in an office environment and computer use. $145,000 – $175,000 a year The anticipated annual salary range for this job is based on prior experience in the role/industry, education, location, internal equity, and other job‑related factors as permitted by law. For remote‑based positions, this range may vary based on your local market. Full‑time employment positions will also be eligible to receive pre‑IPO equity and annual bonus, in addition to competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits, PTO, 401(k) plan, life and accidental death and disability coverage, and parental leave benefits. Other perks include subsidized daily lunches and snacks at our on‑site locations. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and recognize that celebrating our differences creates stronger, lasting solutions that better serve our team, our patients and their healthcare providers. #J-18808-Ljbffr