Purpose of the function

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled External Supply Partner Manager (m/f/d) to join our dynamic Europe SCM team. This pivotal role is responsible for managing and overseeing all operational and tactical aspects of contract manufacturing activities with external Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs). You will ensure seamless coordination between Daiichi Sankyo and our manufacturing partners to deliver high-quality pharmaceutical products that meet regulatory standards and company policies.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Contract Manufacturing Oversight:

• Manage and oversee the execution of manufacturing contracts with external Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs), ensuring alignment with Daiichi Sankyo’s operational objectives.
• Ensure manufacturing activities comply strictly with agreed quality standards, timelines, regulatory requirements, and corporate policies.
• Coordinate with CMOs using SAP S/4HANA production planning modules and related interfaces to plan, schedule, and track production runs, ensuring alignment with demand forecasts and supply plans.
• Collaborate with IT and system integrators to maintain and optimize the seamless data exchange between CMOs and SAP S/4HANA, ensuring real-time visibility and accurate manufacturing data flow.

2. Supplier and CMO Relationship Management:

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative, and transparent relationships with CMOs to ensure reliability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Lead supplier selection processes, including Requests for Proposals (RfPs), evaluation, qualification, and onboarding of new CMOs.
• Negotiate and manage contracts, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and pricing with CMOs to secure favorable, compliant, and risk-mitigated terms.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, audits, and compliance assessments of CMOs, utilizing SAP analytics and reporting capabilities to monitor KPIs and adherence to commitments.

3. Quality and Compliance Management:

• Partner closely with Quality Assurance (QA) and Regulatory Affairs teams to ensure CMOs meet Daiichi Sankyo’s global GMP, quality, and compliance standards.
• Address and resolve quality issues or non-compliance findings promptly to prevent supply disruptions.
• Facilitate and monitor corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) with CMOs, ensuring documentation and follow-up within SAP workflows.

4. Production and Supply Coordination:

• Work collaboratively with internal production planning, supply chain, and global supply planners to align contract manufacturing schedules with overall supply plans.
• Leverage SAP S/4HANA Advanced Planning and Scheduling (IBP) capabilities to integrate contract manufacturing activities into global supply chain strategies.
• Facilitate effective and timely communication between internal stakeholders, IT teams, and CMOs to optimize manufacturing efficiency, inventory flow, and supply continuity.

5. Cost and Inventory Management:

• Monitor manufacturing costs and collaborate with Finance and Procurement teams to manage budgets, cost control initiatives, and financial reporting related to contract manufacturing.
• Use SAP Material Management (MM) and Inventory Management (IM) modules to optimize inventory levels of contract-manufactured products, balancing availability, lead times, and cost efficiency.
• Support financial reconciliation and invoice verification processes linked to contract manufacturing activities in SAP.

6. Process Improvement and Innovation:

• Identify areas for process enhancements and digital transformation opportunities within contract manufacturing operations to improve efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to implement best practices, automation, and innovative solutions in collaboration with CMOs and the IT department.
• Promote a continuous improvement culture with a focus on leveraging SAP and other digital tools to streamline manufacturing and supply chain operations.

Further Roles and Responsibilities

Risk Management:

• Conduct thorough risk assessments related to contract manufacturing capacity, quality, supply chain disruptions, and data integrity.
• Develop, implement, and maintain mitigation plans and contingency strategies to ensure business continuity and minimize operational impact.
• Collaborate with IT and data security teams to ensure secure and compliant data exchange between Daiichi Sankyo and CMOs.

Reporting and Communication:

• Generate and present regular, data-driven reports on contract manufacturing performance, including quality metrics, on-time delivery, cost analysis, and risk status, using SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) and other BI tools.
• Provide timely updates and insights to management and stakeholders on manufacturing status, risks, challenges, and improvement initiatives.
• Act as a liaison between CMOs, internal stakeholders, and IT to ensure alignment on system requirements, data accuracy, and issue resolution.

Education & Experience

Education:

• University degree: Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Life Sciences, Business Administration, or a related field.

Experience:

• Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Life Sciences, Business Administration, or a related field.
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in contract manufacturing management or related pharmaceutical supply chain roles.
• Proven experience managing CMOs, supplier relationships, and contract negotiations.
• Strong knowledge of GMP, quality standards, regulatory compliance, and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
• Hands-on experience with SAP S/4HANA modules relevant to manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, quality management, and analytics.
• Familiarity with integrating external manufacturing partners (CMOs) with SAP S/4HANA systems and working collaboratively with IT departments for interface management.
• Skilled in vendor performance management, contract negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience with production planning, inventory management, global supply coordination, and risk management.
• Demonstrated capability in process improvements and digital transformation initiatives.

Skills and additional Requirements

• Detail-oriented, highly organized, and a proactive problem solver.
• Excellent communication skills in English and German; additional languages are a plus.
• Proficient in supply chain tools, SAP modules, Microsoft Office, and data analytics platforms.
• Flexible to work across US and Japan time zones.
• Language skills: English and German.
• Strong team player with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Effective in collaborating with stakeholders and high-performing teams.
• Skilled in problem solving and driving process improvements.
• Able to manage conflicting priorities and present convincingly.
• Customer-focused with good negotiation abilities.
• Detail-oriented while maintaining a big-picture view.