Associate Director, GMS Business Development and Contract Manufacturing Business

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Job ID R0003302
Date posted 07/31/2018
Location:Zurich, Switzerland

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Job Description

Job Overview

The key responsibility and accountability in this position with report to Head of GMS Business Development in SPINE is to;

• Drive evaluation and execute due diligence (DD) activities for certain areas of and/or assigned GMS-relevant business development (BD) deals, which shall include large or high complexity projects, from manufacturing and supply perspectives in global, regional and local in close alignment / collaboration with stakeholders within GMS/GQ and across Takeda. This includes providing both formal and informal leadership / coordination across GMS on these matters.


• Evaluate and manage contract manufacturing business (CMB) for certain areas of GMS network in close alignment / collaboration with all stakeholders within GMS/GQ and across Takeda.


• In addition, the position has a purpose to lead within area of expertise and/or contribute to continuous improvement in capabilities of the GMS functions to engage in evaluation activities for BD deals as well as CMB opportunities.

The main objectives of position are as follows;

• Achieving successful outcome of evaluations for certain areas of and/or assigned BD deals and CMB and to follow up on decided execution elements with staff being assigned to tasks by their line function within GMS organization.


• Adjusting processes and systems to ensure professional and effective business and patient centric output from GMS engagement in evaluation activities for BD deals and CMB.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage with key stakeholders within GMS and its relative functions for a certain area of and/or an assigned new BD deal* to ensure awareness of them and how the deal may impact GMS at an early stage.  (* BD deal in this “key responsibilities” section shall include large or high complexity projects)


• Ensure establishment of a cross organizational team in GMS for evaluation of a certain area of and/or an assigned BD deal in collaboration with GQ and other relative functions that can be engaged in the evaluation on short notice. Team member could be under direct management and/or placed in jobs in related functions.


• Be a key team player or participant in evaluation activities for a certain area of and/or an assigned BD deal relevant to GMS, and provide leadership / coordination / relation management (both for internal functions and external partner).


• Ensure efficiency and professionalism in evaluations of a BD deal and follow up activities to be executed as agreed.


• Ensure timely and appropriate reporting on progress and status of evaluation activities (and activities for closing, if needed) of a certain area of and/or an assigned BD deal.


• Ensure right capabilities are involved where needed also using external key competencies special for new innovative technologies / new type of assets if required.

• Ensure involvement of key stakeholders within GMS (e.g. GMS Region Head, Plant Manager) for evaluation of a new CMB opportunity and a contract renewal of existing CMB.


• Be a key player and/or participant in evaluating all new CMB opportunities and contract renewal of existing CMBs and provide leadership / coordination / relation management (both for internal functions and external partner).


• Ensure efficiency and professionalism in evaluation of a new CMO opportunities and an existing CMB.


• Keep overviewing CMB and ensure timely and appropriate reporting of status for a new CMO opportunities and existing CMB.


• Ensure right capabilities are involved where needed for evaluating a new CMB opportunity and a contract renewal of existing CMB.

• Lead within area of expertise or contribute to competency building and continuous improvement (learning) for evaluation of any type of BD deals and CMB opportunities for all staff involved in such activities across GMS.


• Lead within area of expertise or contribute to building on internal know how to establish a common standard and approach on coordination, execution and delivery of evaluation results when called upon for evaluating BD deals and CMB opportunities and ensuring continuous improvement in their processes and standards.


• Be a role model for Takeda-ism, the Leadership Behaviors and the 4 commitments (PTRB) in everything that is done.

Skills, knowledge and Abilities

• Scientific or engineering graduate (BSc, MSc, PhD), preferably complemented by supply chain management, design and development 


• Extensive pharmaceutical industry knowledge (> 10 years) preferably with job experience in pharmaceutical operations, supply chain management, Quality and project management from working in an international environment


• Understanding of and insight on financial evaluations in deal making


• Systematic approach, detailed when needed and with an ability to analyze in a systemic and holistic manner


• Experience in large and complex projects as well as both formal and informal leadership / coordination


• Strong focus on delivering results as well as services


• Experience with developing and managing contracts


• Ability to influence people and organization through informal leadership


• Fluent in written and spoken English

< Functional skills and competencies>

• Understanding of the pharmaceutical industry


• Experience in supply chain management, design and development


• Experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing and Quality


• Commercial knowledge and negotiation skills


• Experience in contract / agreement evaluation and development


• Structured in communication and presentation to senior management


• Global / enterprise outlook bringing in trends and developments for proper evaluation


• Focus on strategic findings and pinpointing potential deal breakers and how these can be eliminated


• Experience for financial input to the Business case, including COGS estimate, SC costs other as well as implementation costs

< Technical skills and competencies>

• Knowledge and experience from technical operations and supply chain management and development


• Knowledge and experience in pharmaceutical technology


• Knowledge and experience in contract / and agreement evaluation and development


• Knowledge and experience in cost accounting and cost management


• Knowledge and experience in project management


• Experiences with Quality Management and systems in a regulated industry

< Behavioral / Interpersonal skills and competencies>

• Patient and Customer centric with service-orientation


• Inspiring and building trust


• Strong drive and focus on results


• Successful in building relationships and teamwork


• Experienced in working in an intercultural / global teams


• Experience in dealing with business development projects, finding key critical items and suggesting solutions how to overcome them


• Experienced in negotiating and resolving conflicts / problems


• Cross cultural sensitivity


• Good communicator

Travel requirements

Regional and international business trips are required

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