Associate Director, Materials – Direct Materials Planning & Procurement Medicine Foundry at Eli Lilly and Company

Lebanon, Indiana, United States

Eli Lilly and Company Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Pharmaceuticals, HealthcareIndustries

Requirements

  • Ability to lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of buyers and planners
  • Expertise in handling diverse modalities (small molecule, biologics, and peptides) and fast-paced development timelines
  • Proficiency in end-to-end material requirements planning (MRP) for direct materials across multiple manufacturing platforms
  • Capability to manage rapid changes in demand, including new product introductions, scale-ups, and technical transfers
  • Skills in ensuring accuracy of bill of materials (BOMs), routings, and master data for complex products
  • Experience collaborating with global procurement and technical experts to qualify suppliers and manage constrained supply chains
  • Knowledge of inventory management strategies balancing supply assurance, flexibility, cost, expiry, and clinical phase constraints
  • Ability to partner with suppliers for novel or custom materials in peptide or biologics manufacturing
  • Competence in implementing processes for short lead-time orders, small batch sizes, and unique clinical requirements
  • Experience driving ERP/MRP enhancements and using Lean/Six Sigma for planning accuracy and visibility
  • Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with global supply chain, procurement, manufacturing, process development, and quality teams
  • Ability to support tech transfer and scale-up projects with proactive material readiness plans
  • Expertise in aligning with Clinical Supply Operations on batch planning and shipment timelines
  • Proficiency in identifying and mitigating risks related to material availability, single-source suppliers, and regulatory changes
  • Knowledge of GMP, GDP, and site quality standards compliance
  • Ability to develop contingency strategies

Responsibilities

  • Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of buyers and planners to support all phases of clinical supply production
  • Build functional capability in handling diverse modalities (small molecule, biologics, and peptides) and fast-paced development timelines
  • Oversee end-to-end material requirements planning (MRP) for direct materials across multiple manufacturing platforms
  • Manage rapid changes in demand for clinical batches, including new product introductions, scale-ups, and technical transfers
  • Ensure accuracy of bill of materials (BOMs), routings, and master data for complex and evolving products
  • Collaborate with global procurement and technical subject matter experts to qualify suppliers and secure materials with constrained or variable supply chains
  • Develop strategies to manage inventory levels that balance supply assurance, flexibility, and cost, with attention to expiry and clinical phase constraints
  • Partner with suppliers to ensure readiness for novel or custom materials often required in peptide or biologics manufacturing
  • Implement and refine processes to handle short lead-time orders, small batch sizes, and unique clinical material requirements
  • Drive ERP/MRP enhancements to support the complexity of multiple modalities and accelerated production schedules
  • Use Lean/Six Sigma principles to improve planning accuracy, supplier performance, and end-to-end visibility
  • Serve as the primary site interface for global supply chain, procurement, manufacturing, process development, and quality teams for direct material readiness
  • Support tech transfer and scale-up projects with proactive material readiness plans
  • Work closely with Clinical Supply Operations to ensure alignment on batch planning and shipment timelines
  • Identify and mitigate risks related to material availability, single-source suppliers, and regulatory changes
  • Ensure all activities comply with GMP, GDP, and site quality standards
  • Develop contingency strategies

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

ProcurementMaterials PlanningSupply Chain ManagementGMP ComplianceClinical ManufacturingBiologicsSmall MoleculePeptidesLeadershipTeam Development

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the employment type for this position?

This is a full-time position.

Is this role remote or does it require on-site work?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What leadership skills are required for this role?

The role requires the ability to lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of buyers and planners, while building functional capability in handling diverse modalities and fast-paced timelines.

What does the company culture at Eli Lilly emphasize?

Eli Lilly unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world, putting people first and giving best effort to work while contributing to communities.

What makes a strong candidate for the Associate Director role?

Strong candidates will have experience navigating variable demand, short lead times, evolving product requirements, maintaining high service levels, GMP standards adherence, and expertise in clinical material planning, supplier management, and inventory strategies across small molecule, biologics, and peptides.

Eli Lilly and Company

Develops and delivers prescription medicines globally

About Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company that focuses on discovering, developing, and delivering medicines to improve health. The company has a long history of scientific achievements, including the creation of insulin, the first life-saving treatment for diabetes. Lilly's operations involve extensive research and development to create new medications and enhance existing ones, ensuring they are safe and effective. Their products are primarily prescription medicines sold to healthcare providers for various medical conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and pain management. What sets Lilly apart from its competitors is its strong commitment to ethical practices and the protection of its products from counterfeiting. The company's goal is to enhance lives through innovative medical solutions while maintaining high standards of quality and ethics.

Indianapolis, IndianaHeadquarters
1876Year Founded
$1,180.1MTotal Funding
IPOCompany Stage
Biotechnology, HealthcareIndustries
10,001+Employees

Risks

Competition from Novo Nordisk's Ozempic may impact tirzepatide's market share.
Potential construction delays in Indiana could affect GLP-1 drug production timelines.
Regulatory challenges may hinder Kisunla's expansion in new Alzheimer's markets.

Differentiation

Eli Lilly's rich history includes the first life-saving insulin treatment.
Lilly's strategic partnerships enhance its position in neurodegenerative disease treatments.
FDA approval of Zepbound opens new therapeutic markets for sleep disorder treatments.

Upsides

Lilly's $9 billion complex in Indiana boosts GLP-1 drug production capacity.
Kisunla's approval in China expands Lilly's Alzheimer's treatment market in Asia.
Collaboration with EVA Pharma enhances Lilly's reputation as socially responsible.

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