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Assoc Dir/Director, Outsourcing Manager

Boston, Massachutsetts

Are you ready to join a team committed to making a meaningful impact on cancer treatment through the discovery and development of precision medicines? At Kura Oncology, you have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger, with a lasting impact that you can be proud of.

At Kura Oncology, we are working to change the paradigm and improve the science of cancer treatment. As an organization, we strive to cultivate a diverse and talented professional culture driven to develop precision medicine therapeutics.

As we continue to build a leading biotech organization with a strong culture, a patient-focused mindset and a team focused on relentless execution, we are looking for innovative, passionate professionals to join us and make our vision a reality.

To succeed at Kura, you will need to have a demonstrated ability for excellence in drug discovery and development and a roll-up your sleeves attitude. The ideal candidate will possess a values-driven work style where integrity and grit drive all behaviors, decisions, and actions.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

  • Responsible for the RFx process, vendor selection, negotiation of pricing, key business terms and contracts, measuring and managing vendor performance, and collaborating effectively with relevant department business partners.  The ideal candidate must have strong business acumen, excellent negotiation skills, experience in pharmaceutical clinical development procurement, and be able to work independently.
  • Develop and implement outsourcing strategies that drive value, optimize costs, and ensure high-quality products and services for relevant stakeholders.
  • Responsible for implementing tools and templates for the maintenance of a consistent outsourcing and contracting process across projects.
  • Establish strong working relationships with internal business partners to align on and support key business initiatives by gaining an understanding of business needs and developing sourcing plans that meet those needs.
  • Manage the competitive bidding process and lead sourcing related efforts on all RFx’s a from vendor identification to contract execution.
  • Measure and manage vendor performance to ensure quality, performance, and cost-effectiveness
  • Identify and develop relationships with suppliers that can deliver innovative solutions that meet business needs
  • Manage supplier relationships to ensure that suppliers deliver value to the organization
  • Identify key process improvement opportunities, assist in choosing and / or designing solutions and lead implementation efforts while coordinating efforts with key stakeholders
  • Conduct spend analytics to identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements to drive value and operational efficiencies
  • Negotiate contracts and manage supplier performance to ensure adherence to contractual obligations
  • Stay up to date on industry trends, regulatory requirements, and best practices in the industry
  • Collaborate with the Legal team in the negotiation of key commercial terms in various types of contracts
  • Serve as an advisor to internal business partners to drive compliance with company policies and procedures, regulatory requirements, and ethical standards as they relate to vendor identification, selection, and onboarding processes.
  • Facilitate and support contract management tasks with internal and external legal, finance, as well as other departments, including communicating and explaining contract and budgetary issues
  • In consultation with Legal, propose alternative contract and/or budget terms acceptable to the Company when vendor and Company terms and conditions differ
  • Anticipate risk/benefit issues, assist with remedial action plans, and troubleshoot to resolve any concerns.
  • Serve as communication liaison between vendor and internal and external customers.
  • Provide functional guidance and keep internal and external teams aware of all contract statuses or pending issues.
  • Perform other work-related duties as assigned, including support to other functions as required.
  • Travel may be required (up to 25%).

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

  • BA/BS degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience
  • Minimum of 8 years in clinical research and clinical outsourcing, contracts, budgets or related experience that includes working in a team-oriented environment.
  • Strong business and financial acumen with strong analytical ability is required
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to support staff from various functions, departments and management levels
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to critically read documents and interpret/draw conclusions from the documents.
  • Must have attention to detail and strong negotiation, project management, communication, organizational, documentation, and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to identify risk and propose solutions.
  • Ability to lead cross-functional teams and work collaboratively with internal stakeholders and vendors
  • Strong analytical ability and problem-solving skills
  • Strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite with a strong knowledge of PowerPoint and Excel
  • Ability to work independently, actively prioritize multiple tasks to meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.

 

The base range for this role at the Associate Director level is $176,183 - $199,000 and Director level is $215,867 - $249,178 per year. Individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including, and without limitation, job-related skills, experience, work location, and relevant education or training. Kura's compensation package also includes generous benefits, equity, and participation in an annual target bonus.

#LI-RM1

Kura’s Values that are used for candidate selection and performance assessments:

  • We work as one for patients
  • We are goal-focused and deliver with excellence
  • We are science-driven courageous innovators
  • We strive to bring out the best in each other and ourselves

The Kura Package

  • Career advancement/ development opportunities
  • Competitive comp package
  • Bonus
  • 401K + Employer contributions
  • Generous stock options
  • ESPP Plan
  • 20 days of PTO to start
  • 18 Holidays  (Including Summer & Winter Break)
  • Generous Benefits Package with a variety of plans available with a substantial employer match
  • Paid Paternity/Maternity Leave
  • In-Office Catered lunches
  • Home Office Setup
  • Lifestyle Spending Stipend
  • Commuter Stipend (Boston Office)
  • Regular employee social activities, including happy hours, monthly birthday celebrations, Kura Koffee Talks, and much more!

Kura Oncology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing the promise of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer. The Company’s pipeline consists of small molecule drug candidates designed to target cancer signaling pathways. Ziftomenib, a once-daily, oral menin inhibitor, is the first and only investigational therapy to receive Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (“R/R”) NPM1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (“AML”). In November 2024, Kura Oncology entered into a global strategic collaboration agreement with Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. to develop and commercialize ziftomenib for AML and other hematologic malignancies. Enrollment in a Phase 2 registration-directed trial of ziftomenib in R/R NPM1-mutant AML has been completed, and in the second quarter of 2025, the companies announced the FDA’s acceptance of a New Drug Application for ziftomenib for the treatment of adult patients with R/R NPM1-mutant AML and assignment of a Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date of November 30, 2025. Kura Oncology and Kyowa Kirin are also conducting a series of clinical trials to evaluate ziftomenib in combination with current standards of care in newly diagnosed and R/R NPM1-mutant and KMT2A-rearranged AML. KO-2806, a next-generation farnesyl transferase inhibitor, is being evaluated in a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial as a monotherapy and in combination with targeted therapies for patients with various solid tumors. Tipifarnib, a potent and selective farnesyl transferase inhibitor, is currently in a Phase 1/2 trial in combination with alpelisib for patients with PIK3CA-dependent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. For additional information, please visit Kura’s website at www.kuraoncology.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.

Kura Oncology 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, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. 

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