Associate Director, Development Sourcing

The Associate Director, Development Sourcing is responsible for maximizing the value of the company’s partnerships with vendors that provide logistical, technical, operational, and/or project management support and services for Corcept’s clinical studies.  This role seeks to strategically balance the levers of value: cost, quality, and speed.  Specifically, the Associate Director, Development Sourcing ensures a) that the costs paid to vendors for their services are as low as possible, b) that the vendors meet Corcept’s high expectations for the quality of their services, and c) that the vendors deliver their services and work products on-time and per executed agreements.

This role reports to the head of Development Operations and works collaboratively with the Director of Development Finance, Corporate Finance, and stakeholders across the Development organization including Clinical Operations, Biometrics, and Clinical Research.

Typical vendors with whom this role interacts directly include but are not limited to Clinical Research Organizations (CROs), Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) vendors, Accelerated Enrollment Solutions (AES) vendors, various medical foundations, Electronic Data Capture (EDC) vendors, and Interactive Response Technology (IRT) vendorsChange management will be a focus of this newly created role. Transforming operational sourcing activities heretofore embedded in individual departments to a more centralized sourcing strategy and process will be a key initiative.

The Associate Director, Development Sourcing will understand the vendor sourcing needs of Development functions, work collaboratively with functional stakeholders to devise sourcing strategies, manage the vendor assessment and selection process, and lead the negotiation of agreements from a cost/finance perspective.  Ultimate responsibility for vendor selection will reside with the respective department leads.  However, this role provides unique and valuable perspectives and information that ensures sourcing decisions are sound and defensible, particularly from a spend perspective.  In addition, the Associate Director, Development Sourcing partners with Development functions to assess vendor performance and to intervene when necessary to reiterate expectations, course-correct performance, and/or reevaluate contractual terms, payment or otherwise.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Vendor Sourcing & Negotiation

• Interfaces with Development leaders to understand short, medium, and long-term vendor sourcing needs
• Participates in the protocol development process to understand and weigh-in on potential vendor needs and costs
• Works collaboratively with functional stakeholders to develop sourcing strategies, including the identification of potential vendors and the creation of competitive dynamics
• Coordinates and manages the request for proposal (RFP) and vendor assessment process
• Facilitates the vendor selection process by providing analysis, insights, and recommendations to Development leaders
• Partners with functional stakeholders to review detailed proposed costs of services, identifying areas of over-charging, padding, inconsistency, inefficiency, and/or waste
• Scrutinizes the assumptions underlying vendor proposals, most especially the duration of services and the resources required to provide them
• Serves as the financial point of contact in contract negotiations with Development vendors, ensuring Corcept’s financial interests are protected; negotiates rates, terms, and conditions in alignment with the strategic needs of the business
• Solicits the input of the Director of Development Finance and Corporate Finance in the proposal review process

Vendor Oversight

• Solicits input from functional leaders and stakeholders on whether vendors are providing the expected quality of services on-time and according to agreements
• Keeps tabs on changes-in-scope that may necessitate change orders and/or agreement re-negotiations
• Keeps general tabs on whether vendors are invoicing Corcept accurately and per agreement
• Proactively facilitates periodical vendor risk assessment meetings with internal stakeholders to raise and mitigate potential issues before they escalate to ‘fire-drills’
• Facilitates vendor-company meetings that drive adherence to contractual agreements and/or address any number of issues that may impact Corcept’s ability to pay vendors for services not rendered
• Works collaboratively to resolve complex and strategic contractual issues in creative and effective ways

Sourcing Processes & Best Practices

• Collaborates with Corcept functions such as Finance, Legal, Accounts Payable to streamline the end-to-end vendor sourcing process
• Develops, deploys, and refines end-to-end sourcing tools, systems, processes, and templates that facilitate the vendor sourcing experience
• Codifies and provides training-on the Develop vendor sourcing process

Sourcing Strategy, Planning, & Reporting

• Develops, implements, and maintains a 3–5-year strategic sourcing plan for Development, which may entail the consolidation of certain types of vendors (CROs, for example) over time
• Develops key performance indicators (KPIs) that elucidates the value the company is extracting from its Development vendors
• Reports status of various sourcing activities, as needed to leaders and stakeholders

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, MBA or advanced degree preferred
• Minimum of ten years of vendor sourcing experience in the pharmaceutical/contract research organization (CRO) industry
• Must have an expert and comprehensive understanding of Development sourcing and procurement principles and concepts, proficiency with industry standards and leading practice for evaluating and negotiating vendor and site agreements, contracts management, vendor oversight and governance, and relationship management
• In-depth experience in soliciting and critically evaluating CRO and service provider proposals, with a track record of securing cost savings
• Deep experience in complex contract negotiations on from both sponsor and vendor perspectives
• Experience working in a CRO on the business development or proposal development side is highly valued
• Applied knowledge of strategic sourcing tools and systems, such as e-sourcing platforms, contract life management systems, supplier risk assessments tools, etc
• Demonstrated excellence in vendor oversight and performance management
• Strong knowledge of development functions (e.g., clinical operations, clinical research, biometrics, medical writing)
• Applied understanding of the process and requirements for clinical trial agreements with investigative sites
• Working knowledge of applicable ICH/GCP guidelines
• Strong analytical capabilities (data analysis and benchmarking research) to support cost-savings initiatives
• Strong internal and external stakeholder management skills and conflict resolution
• Excellent communication (written and verbal), interpersonal, problem-solving, project management, and negotiation skills
• Comfortable speaking in front of large groups or leading meetings with senior-level personnel and able to clearly articulate opinions in a concise and persuasive manner
• Demonstrated ability to work in cross-functional and dynamic organizations, requiring strong collaboration, flexibility, and multi-tasking

The pay range that the Company reasonably expects to pay for this position is $175,500 - $206,500; the pay ultimately offered may vary based on legitimate considerations, including job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and education.  An annual cash bonus and equity grants may be provided as part of the overall compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other wellness benefits, dependent on the position offered. 

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

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