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Job Description
About the Job
As an External Supply Operations Lead at Takeda, you will oversee strategic contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) to ensure reliable, compliant, and efficient product supply to patients worldwide. You will lead cross-functional external supply teams, driving performance, accountability, and optimization across the end-to-end supply chain. Your leadership will directly impact our ability to deliver on Takeda’s purpose and priorities.
How You Contribute
- Manage operations with Small Molecules & Oncology CMOs, establishing robust governance and stakeholder relationships.
- Lead an External Supply Team (Quality, Planning, Technical Ops, Regulatory, Artwork) to ensure coordinated execution.
- Handle high-complexity/strategic CMOs, navigating capacity constraints, pricing pressures, and complex product portfolios.
- Empowered to make operational decisions to ensure uninterrupted, compliant supply aligned with regulatory and economic targets.
- Support new product launches and design new supply chain flows for assigned products.
- Ensure full compliance with contractual obligations from both Takeda and CMOs.
- Act as the key liaison between Global/Regional Supply Chain, Legal, Procurement, and Product Teams.
- Lead or contribute to cross-functional initiatives and global projects across Manufacturing & Supply.
- Own and drive KPIs including On Time In Full (OTIF), inventory targets, and supply responsiveness, initiating corrective actions as needed.
- Oversee transportation lane assessments and supervise change controls and deviation resolution processes.
What You Bring to Takeda
- Master’s degree in Life Sciences, Business, or Industrial Engineering (MBA preferred).
- Minimum 10-15 years in Manufacturing or Supply Chain in the Biotech/Pharma industry.
- Production site or CMO management experience is preferred a plus.
- Proven success leading international teams / cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
- Strong negotiation and influencing skills with a win-win mindset across internal and external stakeholders.
- Excellent organizational abilities and attention to detail.
- Solid project management capabilities; Lean Six Sigma certification (Green/Black Belt) is a plus.
- Deep cultural awareness and adept at building strong global relationships.
- Effective communicator across all levels, including external CMO leaders and internal executives.
- Sound understanding of GMP and pharmaceutical regulatory environments.
- ERP proficiency, especially with SAP-APO; APICS or similar supply chain certification preferred.
- Embody Takeda’s values by prioritizing Patient, Trust, Reputation, and Business in every decision.
More about us:
At Takeda, we are transforming patient care through the development of novel specialty pharmaceuticals and best in class patient support programs. Takeda is a patient-focused company that will inspire and empower you to grow through life-changing work.
Certified as a Global Top Employer, Takeda offers stimulating careers, encourages innovation, and strives for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.
Empowering our people to shine:
Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Locations
Zurich, Switzerland
Worker Type
Employee
Worker Sub-Type
Regular
Time Type
Full time
