Associate Director, External Engagement

Does it excite you to work with high-impact external engagements and complex logistics ecosystems, and do you have experience leading third-party vendors in a regulated environment? If this sounds like you, and you are ready to take on a broad area of responsibilities, then you could be our new colleague.
Your new position
As Associate Director, External Engagement Logistics Management, this role leads the strategy, governance, and performance of third-party logistics vendors supporting external engagements across the organization. The position drives operational excellence, strengthens end-to-end compliance, and optimizes vendor delivery across engagement types (e.g., advisory boards, healthcare professional (HCP) and key opinion leader (KOL) engagements, and congresses).
Acting as a strategic partner to cross-functional stakeholders, the role shapes scalable solutions that enhance stakeholder experience while aligning with business objectives and regulatory requirements.
We offer exciting responsibilities:
•    Lead vendor strategy and governance, including RFP support, vendor selection, contract negotiation input, and ongoing relationship management in partnership with Procurement
•    Own end-to-end planning and oversight of vendor-delivered logistics across external engagement types (advisory boards, HCP/KOL engagements, congresses, and partner meetings)
•    Ensure compliant, timely contracting, honoraria processing, expense payments, and accurate reporting for external expert interactions in collaboration with Medical Affairs Operations
•    Drive clear cross-functional communication before and after major engagements to ensure alignment, readiness, and continuous improvement
•    Own vendor-related budget planning, forecasting, tracking, invoice review/approvals, and financial governance aligned with contractual terms
•    Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities, operational efficiencies, and value realization from vendor partnerships, with a strong risk and compliance mindset
Your profile
This role is suited to a strategic, execution-focused leader who builds trust across diverse stakeholders and brings structure to complex operational environments. Success requires strong judgment, a customer-oriented mindset, and the ability to influence across teams while maintaining high standards for quality, compliance, and consistency.
•    An enterprise mindset and continuous improvement approach are important to scale sustainable, compliant solutions.
•    Bachelor’s degree required
•    7+ years of experience in vendor management, outsourcing, or operations leadership within pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare environments
•    Demonstrated experience with external engagement logistics, events operations, and/or HCP interaction support
•    Strong vendor management capabilities, including negotiation and performance management
•    Strong knowledge of global compliance and regulatory requirements relevant to external expert engagements, including fair market value (FMV) and aggregate spend reporting principles
•    Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, forecasting, and invoice/contractual governance
Let's bond and be bold
We have a unique culture, characterized by excellent teamwork and strong engagement across the organization. And we want you to help us strengthen this culture.
Making bonds is at the core of everything we do. From discovering and developing the best new peptide drugs for patients, to engaging with our partners or connecting with each other. We bond through curiosity and playfulness as a team, allowing ourselves to challenge common thinking and drive future innovation. Join us and let's bond and be bold.
Interested in bonding with us? Then please apply no later than May 15, 2026, or as soon as possible. The applications will be reviewed as they come in. While a cover letter is not required, please include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.
We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and welcome applications from all job applicants. The expected salary range for this position is: $190,000 - $240,000.

About Zealand Pharma A/S
Zealand Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ZEAL) is a biotechnology company focused on advancing medicines for obesity and metabolic health. Combining more than 25 years of peptide R&D expertise with a proprietary data platform that leverages advanced data-driven and AI/ML approaches, Zealand Pharma aims to lead a new era in obesity and metabolic health. To date, more than ten Zealand Pharma-invented drug candidates have entered clinical development, of which two products have reached the market and three candidates are in late-stage development. The Company has collaborations with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners for research, development, and commercialization. Founded in 1998, Zealand Pharma is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a U.S. presence in Boston, Massachusetts. Learn more at www.zealandpharma.com.