**Introduction** Seeking an experienced procurement sourcing professional for direct material along with research sourcing experience within healthcare and life sciences industry domain. This role focuses on helping clients with strategic and tactical sourcing, supplier management, cost optimization, and compliance with regulatory standards (FDA, GMP, ISO). **Your role and responsibilities** * Strategic Sourcing: Develop and implement sourcing strategies for APIs, excipients, medical-grade materials, and packaging components. * Market Analysis & Cost Optimization: Perform market research and drive cost-reduction initiatives through competitive bidding and supplier consolidation. * Supplier & Contract Management: Manage global supplier relationships, negotiate agreements, and ensure compliance with healthcare regulations. * Procurement Leadership: Oversee R&D procurement, commodity and category management, contract administration, and should-cost analysis. * Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure adherence to FDA, GMP, and ISO standards while mitigating supply chain risks. * Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with R&D, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory teams to support product launches and lifecycle management. * Technology & Analytics: Leverage ERP systems (SAP, Ariba) and procurement analytics for spend analysis, forecasting, and supplier performance monitoring. * Reporting & Insights: Prepare dashboards and reports for leadership review; deliver market intelligence and actionable insights for client sourcing strategies. * End-to-End Sourcing Execution: Manage sourcing projects from requirement gathering through supplier selection, negotiation, and contract finalization. * Operational Support: Provide analytical and operational support for sourcing initiatives, including RFx processes and supplier evaluations. * Contract Lifecycle Management: Administer contracts from drafting and redlining to compliance checks and renewals. * Soft Skills * Strong communication and stakeholder management * Excellent global client engagement experience . * Problem-solving and adaptability in fast-paced research environments. Additional Job Description for Research based Sourcing * Scientific & Technical Understanding * Familiarity with APIs, excipients, medical-grade materials, and packaging specifications. * Ability to interpret technical data sheets, formulation requirements, and regulatory documentation. * Regulatory & Compliance Expertise * Knowledge of FDA, GMP, ISO standards. * Understanding of clinical trial material sourcing and documentation requirements. * Strategic Sourcing & Procurement * End-to-end sourcing experience (RFx, supplier selection, negotiation, contract execution). * Should-cost analysis and cost modelling for research materials. * Market Intelligence & Analytics * Ability to analyse global supply markets for niche research materials. * Skills in deriving insights from procurement analytics and forecasting demand. * Supplier Relationship Management * Experience in managing specialized suppliers for R&D. * Capability to assess supplier innovation potential and technical capabilities. * Risk Management * Identifying supply chain risks for rare or specialized materials. * Developing contingency plans for critical research components. * Cross-Functional Collaboration * Working closely with R&D scientists, formulation teams, and regulatory affairs. * Translating research requirements into sourcing strategies. * Technology Proficiency * ERP systems (SAP, Ariba) for procurement workflows. * Advanced Excel and data visualization tools for spend analysis and reporting. * Contract & IP Management * Handling confidentiality agreements, IP clauses, and compliance checks. * Negotiating research-specific contracts with complex terms. **Required technical and professional expertise** * Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Life Sciences, Engineering * 10-15 years of direct procurement experience in healthcare, pharmaceutical, or life sciences sectors. * Understanding of sourcing medicine, vaccines and consumer healthcare products * Strong knowledge of FDA, GMP, ISO compliance requirements. **Preferred technical and professional experience** * Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Life Sciences, Engineering * 10-15 years of direct procurement experience in healthcare, pharmaceutical, or life sciences sectors. * Understanding of sourcing medicine, vaccines and consumer healthcare products * Strong knowledge of FDA, GMP, ISO compliance requirements. IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.