Ultragenyx

Director, Supply Chain, Japan

Reposted 12 Days Ago

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Tokyo, JPN

In-Office

Senior level

Biotech

The Role

The Director of Supply Chain for Japan leads regional strategy, manages supply chain operations, and ensures compliance and product launches while liaising with various functions.

Summary Generated by Built In

Why Join Us?

Be a hero for our rare disease patients

At Ultragenyx, we fundamentally believe that taking real impactful action to care for the needs of patients and our people is always the right thing to do. To achieve this goal, our vision is to lead the future of rare disease medicine. For us, this means going where other biopharma companies won’t go – challenging the status quo and creating a new model that advances our field so more patients and caregivers can benefit from life-changing treatments. We do this by following the science, applying a novel rapid development approach, making innovative medicines at fair and reasonable prices, and creating a collaborative ecosystem to reach patients in ways that are most meaningful for them.

Our commitment and care for patients extends to our people, so culture is an essential cornerstone for Ultragenyx. We remain continuously focused on creating a supportive and inclusive environment of profound learning and growth – so employees can thrive in all areas of their lives, in and outside of work. Ultimately, we want to be an organization where we would be proud for our family, friends and children to work.

If you want to have a meaningful impact, do the best work of your career, and grow a lot, both professionally and personally, come join our team.

Position Summary:

ultrafocused – Work together to fearlessly uncover new possibilities

The Director, Regional Supply Chain Management for Japan acts as the representative for Global Supply Chain Management for all matters relating to the Japan region. This position focusses on building, implementing and executing the regional supply planning and distribution strategy in alignment with overall regional business strategy. The role oversees the distribution network and operations, regional demand, supply, operations and inventory planning, as well as ensuring successful product in-market product launches.

This highly matrixed role closely liaises with many global and regional functions (Sales & Commercial, Packaging, Supply Planning, Medical Affairs, Clinical Operations, Quality, Finance and Tax), and represents the global supply chain in all Japan regional matters. This position also ensures compliance of the supply operations with local / regional regulations and global standards.

The role may also act as a liaison between the local Japan management team and the wider Technical Operations group in the Japan region – including Global Packaging Operations and Global Product Supply.  

This position is a member of the Global Supply Chain leadership team and is located in Tokyo, Japan. 

Work Model:

Flex: This role will typically require onsite work 2-3 days each week, or more depending on business needs. In many locations, the business will set certain days each week that Flex employees are required to be onsite.

Responsibilities:

As the Japan region grows, support all supply related activities in the region. Represent supply chain on the regional commercial management team. 
Build and oversee a reliable supply network in Japan for commercial distribution and support local clinical distribution activities including new product launch readiness as needed.
Manage all local supply chain related activities including, but not limited to, order management, transportation, warehousing, inventory management and reporting, logistics and trade (import / export), and ERP transactions for Japanese product.
Own the business relationship with all in country third party logistics providers.
Alongside the local commercial team, oversee the regional Sales Inventory and Operations Planning (SIOP) for commercial launches, marketed products, early access programs and investigator sponsored trials.
Develop annual budget plans and ensure supply chain costs in the region align with financial goals. Identify opportunities for supply chain related cost savings and implement solutions.
Ensure compliance with regional regulations, GDP guidance, trade compliance and tax compliance in all areas of the regional supply chains
Support for order processing operations from and to the wholesaler.

Requirements:

Language: Fluency in both Japanese and English is required, both written and spoken, as well as understanding of local business norms in both countries.
Education: A bachelor’s degree or local equivalent in a related field (Supply Chain, Business, Engineering). A master’s degree in business administration (MBA) is strongly preferred.
Management experience: 8 or more years of experience in Supply Chain / Technical Operations in the pharmaceutical or biotech industries. Strong preference for project management and pharmaceutical launch experience as well as a certificate in Lean / Six-sigma training (green belt or higher).
Pharmaceutical and regulatory experience: Understanding of pharmaceutical industry procedures and regulations including GxP and other regulatory requirements – particularly as it pertains to the local Japan market. Experience with new product introductions as it pertains to supply chain is preferred.
Quality acumen: Familiarity with local and harmonized quality standards as they pertain to finished products and distribution. Experience operating in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology quality system and its related components (deviation, change control, etc…)   
Financial acumen and compliance: Understanding of regional and global commercial implications including SOX, tax regulations, international trade rules and trade compliance.
Information technology: Hands on experience with the implementation and / or operation of a scalable enterprise resource system (ERP) such as Oracle, SAP or similar system.
Travel: Ability and willingness to travel throughout Japan as needed as well as internationally (estimated four times per year), including travel to California.

#LI-CK1 #LI-Hybrid

Full Time employees across the globe enjoy a range of benefits, including, but not limited to:

· Generous vacation time and public holidays observed by the company

· Volunteer days

· Long term incentive and Employee stock purchase plans or equivalent offerings

· Employee wellbeing benefits

· Fitness reimbursement

· Tuition sponsoring

· Professional development plans

* Benefits vary by region and country

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin/ancestry, age, disability, marital and veteran status, and any other status or classification protected by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. Reasonable accommodation will be provided for all protected statuses or classifications protected by applicable law, including individuals with disabilities, disabled veterans, for pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, and based on sincerely held religious beliefs. Applicants can request an accommodation prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, you may contact Talent Acquisition by emailing us at [email protected].

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It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Note to External Recruiters: All candidate activity and open positions are managed strictly through our Human Resources Department. Our Human Resources Department kindly requests that recruiters not contact employees/hiring managers directly in an attempt to solicit business and present candidates. Please note that failure to comply with this request will be a factor in determining a professional relationship with our organization. Submission of unsolicited resumes prior to an agreement set in place between the Human Resources Department and the recruiting agency will not create any implied obligation. Inquiries on developing a recruiting relationship with us, may be directed to: [email protected].

Skills Required

Fluency in Japanese and English, both written and spoken
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, or Engineering; MBA preferred
8+ years in Supply Chain/Technical Operations in pharma/biotech
Understanding of pharmaceutical regulations in the local market
Experience with quality standards in pharmaceuticals and biotech
Understanding of commercial implications including SOX and trade compliance
Experience with ERP systems like Oracle or SAP
Willingness to travel internationally and within Japan

Ultragenyx Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Ultragenyx and has not been reviewed or approved by Ultragenyx.

Healthcare Strength — Benefits begin on the first day with multiple medical plan options alongside dental and vision coverage. Employer-funded HSA contributions and employer-paid mental health support via Spring Health add notable depth to healthcare support.
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off is broadened by two fully paid company shutdown weeks in August and December in addition to holidays and baseline vacation. Paid sick time, paid volunteer time, and a substantial paid leave program further expand time-off support.
Retirement Support — Retirement support includes a 401(k) program with a match on employee contributions and immediate vesting. An employee stock purchase plan discount also strengthens the overall financial rewards package.