Director of Vendor Oversight

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About Ipsen

• Patient‑Focused: The patient is at the heart of everything we do, and improving their outcomes is the deliverable of every strategy.
• Employee Care: We care for our employees, who are the ambassadors making a real difference.
• Bold Leadership: We attract and develop bold, agile, entrepreneurial individuals who take full ownership of their decisions.
• Growth Opportunities: We offer a wealth of fulfilling challenges and growth opportunities in a fast‑moving, game‑changing organization.

About the Role

Director of Vendor Oversight is a strategic and operational leader responsible for the governance, oversight of contracting, and performance management of all vendors supporting Global Medical Clinical Operations, and for building, managing and optimizing collaborative relationships with external vendors.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a liaison between Global Medical Clinical Operations and external vendors to ensure seamless compliance and achievement of shared goals.
• Strategic Oversight & Governance
  • Develop and implement a differentiated vendor oversight model tailored to outsourcing strategies and operational needs.
  • Lead and implement governance frameworks to ensure vendor accountability, transparency, and alignment with Global Medical Clinical Operations strategic objectives.
• Contracting & Compliance
  • Partner with procurement to ensure contract negotiation, renewal, and monitoring for compliance with all regulatory, legal, and institutional requirements.
• Performance Management
  • Define and monitor KPIs, quality indicators, and service‑level agreements to evaluate vendor performance.
  • Lead regular performance reviews, driving corrective actions and continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build collaborative relationships with internal teams (Medical Affairs, R&D, GPS, Quality) and external vendors to foster trust and shared goals.
• Operational Excellence
  • Support internal teams in executing vendor oversight strategies effectively and consistently.
  • Ensure aligned and agreed operational frameworks/ways of working with external vendors, including appropriate governance and escalation routes.
• Financial Stewardship
  • Support business owner to maintain effective financial controls, oversee and monitor vendor‑related budgets, resource allocation, and financial analysis, to ensure cost‑effectiveness and value generation.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Drive process optimization, innovation and change management in vendor oversight practices, leveraging best practices and emerging industry trends in collaboration, including consideration where local outsourcing could be improved.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Life Sciences, or a related field.
• 5 years experience in Clinical Operations.
• Extensive experience in vendor selection and management in R&D and/or Global Medical Affairs / Real‑World environment.
• Strong understanding of the differences between R&D and Global Medical Affairs vendor management.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Experience in leading projects, including change management.
• Comprehensive understanding of GxP environment, including the nuances around non‑GCP clinical studies.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and lead cross‑functional teams and external stakeholders.
• Financial acumen, including budgeting and cost analysis.
• Awareness of outsourcing industry best practices and trends to drive improvement and future outsourcing strategy.
• Fluency in English.

Ipsen is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and empowered. If you feel that this could be the right next step for you, we would be delighted to engage with your application.