Regional Category Manager - R&D

This role is sitting in APAC Regional category team and responsible for

strategy delivery on R&D category in Japan and across the markets in APAC. Under the APAC procurement working model and as the business leader, this role needs to work closely with business in each market, understand the business needs, bring supply market insights and drive holistic solutions for meeting and event category to improve efficiency and mitigate risks.

Strategy Development:

• Accountable for designing, and implementation of category, region or market strategies to optimize business efficiency.
• Accountable for category management either regionally or locally including strategic sourcing, SC&I, contract and risk management.
• Accountable for developing and maintaining expert knowledge of respective regional supply markets, competitors and product innovations.
• Works with Procurement in understanding the regional spend and identifying opportunities to increase quality and improve value for money. Facilitate implementation of procurement change initiatives within category to improve business performance.

Leadership:

• Leads cross functional team to drive for business solutions in Japan and across the markets in APAC
• Leads, coaches and develops professional aspects of Procurement team members in Japan and across the markets in APAC
• R&D Category BP(Business Partner) Role of Japan team

Business & Supplier Engagement:

• Develop an extensive understanding of customer needs and the business environment. Build strong relationship with customers and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Work with the Strategic Intelligence team to perform procurement reporting and analysis of management information to identify potential improvement opportunities as well as identification of innovative procurement solutions that provide cashable savings and process efficiencies for the organization.
• Address Supplier issues to ensure the highest level of service delivery. Maintains contractual and business relationships with Suppliers to the highest standards.
• Fosters trusted relationships with vendors to achieve better pricing and quality of services
• Conduct annual peer reviews of category, region or market strategies
• Plans and reviews the performance of Procurement and other function teams within area of responsibility
• Directs new initiatives and improvement programs aimed at ensuring compliance, continuous improvement, technical excellence and improving cost-effectiveness
• Leads, defines and gains approval of business needs and the translation of these needs into specific resource requirements
• Develops senior level relationships in order to resolve issues, optimize business performance and develop future improvement opportunities
• Instill the highest standards of compliance and ethics consistently across AZ

Essential skills & knowledge

• Bachelor degree level or equivalent qualifications
• Significant experience in similar environment at a management level
• Fluent Japanese/English speaking
• Solid source to contract and purchase to payment experience and knowledge
• Sound understanding of Safety, Health and Environment
• Project management, change management and people management skills
• Good working knowledge of the pharmaceutical or related industry
• Technical expertise in at least one Procurement area, and competence in several others
• Communication skills and ability to influence others

Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity.  We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills.  We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.  We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics.  We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.