Associate Director, Vendor & Relationship Management

Please note that this position can be based in Princeton, NJ OR San Diego, CA. Acadia's hybrid model requires this role to work in our office three days per week on average.

Position Summary

Primary Responsibilities

Vendor & Relationship Management

• Support the development and execution of vendor and supplier relationship management strategies, including identification and management of critical partners (CROs, central and specialty labs, functional service providers, clinical technologies, patient recruitment and retention vendors).
• Serve as a primary point of contact for vendor related operational issues, coordinating resolution and escalating unresolved matters through established governance pathways.
• Coordinate and facilitate, when appropriate, vendor governance, including operational and steering committee meetings.
• Develop and maintain supplier scorecards, dashboards, and KPIs to monitor vendor performance and identify trends and risks.
• Conduct routine business reviews with vendors to ensure alignment on priorities and performance expectations, partnering with Sourcing and Legal as needed.

Operational Oversight & Excellence

• Oversee vendor performance supporting outsourced clinical trials, through partnership with the Clinica Operations team. Ensure alignment with program timelines, budgets, and quality expectations.
• Partner with Clinical Operations, Clinical Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and other cross functional teams to support timely and compliant delivery of services.
• Support inspection readiness activities, including audits, vendor oversight documentation, and CAPA development in collaboration with Quality.
• Contribute to process mapping, documentation, and implementation of standardized vendor oversight practices.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve vendor performance, efficiency, and collaboration through data driven insights and process improvements.
• Support innovation initiatives within vendor relationships, including new operating models, technologies, or ways of working.
• Contribute to the development and rollout of best practices, standards, and tools for R&D vendor management.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization, demand management, and improved vendor utilization.

Data, Reporting & Technology Enablement

• Support the development and maintenance of vendor performance reporting and dashboards.
• Analyze performance metrics to proactively identify risks, issues, and opportunities for improvement.
• Partner with internal teams to support implementation and optimization of vendor management tools and systems.
• Act as a mentor and subject matter resource for team members and matrixed stakeholders involved in vendor oversight.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners to enable transparent communication and proactive issue resolution.
• Effectively influence stakeholders across a matrixed organization without direct authority.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in life science or a related field; Advanced degree preferred.  Targeting 8 years of experience in clinical trial operations, vendor/CRO oversight, supplier relationship management, or related roles within the biopharmaceutical industry.
• Experience managing complex vendor relationships and supporting performance improvement initiatives required.  An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.
• Strong understanding of clinical trial operations and outsourced service models.
• Working knowledge of ICH GCP, regulatory requirements, and quality expectations for outsourced clinical activities.
• Strong analytical skills, including experience with supplier scorecards, KPIs, and performance dashboards.
• Experience in R&D outsourcing, vendor governance, or business operations functions.
• Exposure to financial management of outsourced services, including budgeting and accruals.
• Experience supporting audits, inspections, or inspection readiness activities.
• Familiarity with alliance or partnership management methodologies.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced, matrixed environment while managing multiple priorities and working cross-functionally.
• Willing and able to travel both domestically and internationally.

Physical Requirements

This role involves regular standing, walking, sitting, and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment. The employee may also need to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and maintain visual, verbal, and auditory communication in a standard office environment and while working independently from remote locations. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.  This position requires the ability to travel independently overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedules or business needs.

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