Associate Director, Specialty Laboratory Sourcing, Contracting, and Category Management

Gilead Sciences

. Develop, maintain, and execute the Specialty Laboratory category strategy for Biomarker, Bioanalytical, and Companion Diagnostic laboratory services .

Posted 10/21/2026full-timeUnited StatesSenior💰 $182,070 - $235,620 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading specialty laboratory category strategies, vendor management, and strategic sourcing within the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Proficient in contract negotiation, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement initiatives to optimize laboratory services.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Specialty Laboratory Category ManagementContract Negotiation and ManagementStakeholder Engagement and InfluenceFinancial and Commercial AcumenVendor Performance Monitoring

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Category Strategy DevelopmentMarketplace AnalysisVendor SegmentationBenchmarkingContracting ExpertiseCost-Containment StrategiesChange Order ManagementBudget ManagementData Privacy ComplianceRisk Management

Soft Skills

Problem SolvingCommunicationLeadershipInfluencing SkillsTeam Empowerment

Tools & Technologies

Benchmarking AnalyticsClinical Trial TechnologiesSourcing Solutions

Certifications & Qualifications

Professional Certification in Supply ManagementProcurement CertificationContracting CertificationProject Management Certification

Industry Keywords

Biomarker ServicesBioanalytical ServicesCompanion DiagnosticsTranslational MedicineClinical ResearchLaboratory ServicesBiopharmaceuticalBiotechnology

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop, maintain, and execute the Specialty Laboratory category strategy for Biomarker, Bioanalytical, and Companion Diagnostic laboratory services
Lead category reviews covering marketplace analysis, demand and spend assessment, vendor segmentation, capability mapping, benchmarking, and core-competency identification
Manage the portfolio of strategic core and niche laboratories based on scientific capability, quality, capacity, geographic reach, innovation, risk, performance, and total value
Develop and manage category-level standards across the laboratory portfolio
Monitor market practices, technologies, emerging vendors, and internal demand to recommend portfolio changes and fit-for-purpose sourcing approaches
Serve as the primary Vendor Outsourcing point of contact for specialty laboratory services
Provide strategic consultation on vendor strategy and market dynamics
Build relationships with Biomarker Operations, Clinical Pharmacology, Translational Medicine, research scientists, Clinical Operations, and other stakeholders
Translate scientific and business requirements into sourcing strategies, vendor recommendations, contracting approaches, and implementation plans
Influence internal stakeholders and external laboratory partners on contractual, commercial, operational, legal, and regulatory matters
Lead contract negotiations with functional leaders and Legal
Manage development, negotiation, execution, maintenance, and renewal of master laboratory and master service agreements
Lead master-agreement amendments and manage rate cards and pricing structures
Negotiate Companion Diagnostics agreements with commercialization terms, milestones, and royalty structures under Legal direction
Oversee scopes of work, change orders, budgets, and contracting documents
Execute cost-containment and cost-avoidance opportunities
Maintain contract records and support compliant execution, inspection readiness, and agreement closeout
Lead onboarding of new core and niche laboratories
Address vendor performance, capacity, quality, timeline, compliance, and business-continuity risks
Support inspection readiness, audit responses, regulatory and contractual compliance, data privacy, and intellectual-property protection
Monitor vendor performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives
Recommend innovative or alternative laboratory sourcing solutions
Use benchmarking analytics and industry best practices to improve sourcing, contracting, onboarding, governance, vendor performance, and cycle times
Support data sources and technologies enabling efficient clinical-trial and research execution
Create inclusion, develop talent, and empower teams as a people leader

Requirements

What you’ll need

Demonstrated experience leading a specialty laboratory category, laboratory vendor portfolio, strategic sourcing area, or related function in biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, clinical research, diagnostic, or laboratory services
Knowledge of Biomarker, Bioanalytical, Companion Diagnostic, translational medicine, and/or related specialty laboratory services
Strong category-management capabilities, including category strategy, marketplace analysis, vendor segmentation, capability mapping, category reviews, benchmarking, governance, and value delivery
Strong stakeholder-management and influencing skills across scientific, clinical, operational, legal, financial, quality, compliance, regulatory, and vendor organizations
Demonstrated contracting expertise, including negotiation and maintenance of master laboratory agreements or master service agreements, amendments, scopes of work, change orders, budgets, and rate cards
Experience onboarding new vendors and coordinating qualification, contracting, operational setup, and governance
Financial and commercial acumen, including fair-market-value assessment, cost-driver analysis, benchmarking, rate negotiation, cost avoidance, and spend optimization
Ability to solve complex problems, manage multiple priorities, communicate recommendations clearly, and maintain momentum in a matrixed global environment
Experience leading experienced professionals, cross-functional teams, and/or direct reports, as applicable
Bachelor's degree in a scientific, medical, business, finance, supply-chain, or related discipline with 10+ years of experience
Advanced degree in a scientific, medical, business, finance, supply-chain, or related discipline is preferred with 8+ years of experience
PhD/PharmD/JD with 5+ years of experience
Professional certification in supply management, procurement, contracting, project management, or a related discipline is preferred

Benefits

Comp & perks

Discretionary annual bonus eligibility
Discretionary stock-based long-term incentives eligibility
Paid time off
Company-sponsored medical insurance
Company-sponsored dental insurance
Company-sponsored vision insurance
Company-sponsored life insurance
Travel may be required