Celltrion Group provides biosimilar and innovative biopharmaceutical medications to help increase patient access to advanced therapies around the world.
Celltrion Group offers biologics to about 110 countries, along with more than 30 global partners around the world. With hands-on experience and knowledge accumulated through years of working in the advanced pharmaceutical markets around the world, Celltrion Group has been securing distribution channels and providing patients with biosimilars at affordable prices.
Overall Purpose of the Role:
Lead UK & Ireland procurement and end-to-end supply chain to ensure uninterrupted product availability (wholesalers, hospitals, patients), including homecare.
Ensure full compliance with GDP and applicable regulatory/quality requirements (incl. cold chain), maintaining audit readiness with QA, Responsible Person and Regulatory Affairs.
Continuously improve supply chain and procurement processes and lead key supplier/partner negotiations and performance management.
Accountability:
Operations, Performance & Improvement
Overall accountability for UK & Ireland procurement and end-to-end supply chain performance (availability, service, cost and compliance).
KPI definition/reporting and driving corrective actions across procurement and supply chain.
Compliance, Risk & Continuity
GDP-compliant supply operations and audit/inspection readiness, partnering with QA, Responsible Person, QP and Regulatory Affairs.
Proactive risk management and supply continuity, including business continuity, contingency stock, alternative lanes/suppliers, and effective escalation/issue management.
Supplier & Partner Management
Selection, governance and performance of suppliers and service providers (e.g., 3PLs, carriers, wholesalers, homecare), including quality agreements/SLAs where applicable.
Budget & Cost Control
Procurement budgets and total cost-to-serve, delivering value through sourcing, negotiation and contract governance.
Key Responsibilities:
Planning, Forecasting & Procurement Strategy
Develop and execute the annual procurement and operations plan (category plans, sourcing timelines, inventory targets and resourcing) to meet service, compliance and cost objectives.
Lead S&OP/IBP processes (demand, supply and inventory planning) and ensure effective ERP/master data governance to support compliant ordering, batch/expiry control, and traceability.
Partner with Commercial, Medical, Finance and Quality to forecast demand and build supply plans that ensure availability to wholesalers, hospitals and homecare patients, managing allocations and constraints when required.
Cold Chain, Logistics & Distribution
Define, implement and monitor temperature-controlled (cold chain) transport and storage lanes, including risk assessments, lane qualification, packaging solutions, excursion management, and data review in line with GDP.
Oversee GDP-compliant logistics operations with partners, including inbound importation, warehousing, order-to-cash distribution, reverse logistics, recalls and destruction, ensuring traceability, batch/expiry control and temperature monitoring in conjunction with QA/Responsible Person and Regulatory Affairs governance.
Quality, Compliance & Audit Readiness
Maintain and improve supply chain documentation and controls (e.g., SOPs/work instructions, lane qualification evidence, temperature monitoring records, change controls) in line with the company Quality Management System and GDP requirements, working with QA/Responsible Person to ensure inspection readiness and effective training.
Work in conjunction with QA/QP/Responsible Person and external partners to support quality control and batch release processes (e.g., data provision, logistics coordination, status visibility); ensure supply chain impacts from deviations/complaints are managed, and support GDP/quality audits and inspections as required.
Cross-Functional & Partner Management
Coordinate with HQ and local cross-functional teams (Quality/QA, Responsible Person, QP, Regulatory, Pharmacovigilance, Finance and Commercial) to support compliant supply, timely release and effective issue management.
Manage wholesaler and key distribution partner relationships, including onboarding, contract administration, service reviews, dispute resolution and continuous improvement, ensuring alignment to agreed GDP/service requirements with QA/Responsible Person input.
Manage homecare operations and partners to deliver patient service levels, compliant delivery/returns, incident management and information governance (e.g., patient confidentiality and data protection), with QA/Responsible Person and Regulatory Affairs input as required.
Team Leadership & Projects
Line-manage and develop the local team and deliver cross-functional projects (e.g., new product launches, new logistics lanes/3PLs, homecare service expansion, and system/process improvements).
Work Experience Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Procurement, Pharmacy or a related discipline.
Significant procurement/category management experience within the pharmaceutical (including biologics/biosimilars) environment, covering sourcing, tendering, negotiation and contract governance.
10+ years’ experience in end-to-end pharmaceutical supply chain (planning, inventory, logistics and distribution), including temperature-controlled (cold chain) products.
Strong working knowledge of UK/EU GDP and Quality Management System requirements; experienced supporting audit/inspection readiness and managing supply chain inputs to deviations, CAPA and change control with internal and external partners (MHRA/HPRA exposure desirable).
Demonstrated experience managing key external relationships (wholesalers/distributors, 3PLs, carriers and/or homecare providers), including SLAs/KPIs, quality agreements and performance reviews.
Experience working in conjunction with Quality/QA, Responsible Person, QP and Regulatory Affairs teams, with good understanding of batch/expiry traceability, data integrity and temperature excursion management as they impact product release and distribution.
Proven leadership and cross-functional stakeholder management; able to manage multiple projects, prioritise effectively, and drive compliant process improvement in a fast-paced, regulated environment.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Procurement, Pharmacy, or a related discipline
- Significant procurement or category management experience in the pharmaceutical environment, including sourcing, tendering, negotiation, and contract governance
- 10+ years of end-to-end pharmaceutical supply chain experience covering planning, inventory, logistics, and distribution
- Experience managing temperature-controlled or cold-chain products
- Strong knowledge of UK/EU GDP and Quality Management System requirements
- Experience supporting audit and inspection readiness and managing supply chain inputs to deviations, CAPA, and change control
- Experience managing wholesalers, distributors, 3PLs, carriers, or homecare providers, including SLAs, KPIs, quality agreements, and performance reviews
- Experience working with Quality/QA, Responsible Person, QP, and Regulatory Affairs teams
- Understanding of batch and expiry traceability, data integrity, and temperature excursion management
- Proven leadership and cross-functional stakeholder management experience
- Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize effectively, and drive compliant process improvement in a regulated environment
- Exposure to MHRA or HPRA requirements
What We Do
Celltrion is a leading global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Incheon, South Korea. It specializes in the research, development, manufacturing, marketing, and sales of biosimilars and innovative therapeutics. The company is dedicated to improving patient access to advanced medications through its fully integrated model, which encompasses the entire process from research and development to clinical trials, regulatory affairs, production, and global distribution.
