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Procurement Manager

South San Francisco, California, United States

About Xaira Therapeutics

Xaira is an innovative biotech startup focused on leveraging AI to transform drug discovery and development. The company is leading the development of generative AI models to design protein and antibody therapeutics, enabling the creation of medicines against historically hard-to-drug molecular targets. It is also developing foundation models for biology and disease to enable better target elucidation and patient stratification. Collectively, these technologies aim to continually enable the identification of novel therapies and to improve success in drug development. Xaira is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and London.

About the Role

The successful candidate will enable Xaira’s growth through the development and management of our supplier relationships that optimize Xaira’s bottom line and fuel product development through on-time availability of quality raw material and services.  This position reports into the Business Operations team, and works closely with Finance, Scientists, Researchers and Administrative personnel. This candidate will advance Xaira’s growth through the day to day administration of procurement, the development and execution of a broader, long term strategic supplier effort.   

Key Responsibilities

  • Strategic sourcing:
    Identify and evaluate potential suppliers, developing sourcing strategies, and negotiate contracts to secure the best price and quality for goods and services.  Seek and evaluate sources of supply for new products/services, alternate sources for existing products to optimize for cost, speed, quality and risk mitigation. 

  • Supplier relationship management:
    Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers, monitor their performance, and address any issues. Establish supplier programs such as VMI, Kanban, JIT.  Develop forums to connect preferred supplier capabilities with the needs of the company. 

  • Contract management:
    Negotiate and manage contracts with suppliers, ensuring compliance with terms and conditions. 

  • Cost analysis:
    Identify cost-saving opportunities, analyze market trends, and implement cost-reduction strategies. Develop, execute and analyze results from RFQs and RFPs, performing price, cost, and value analyses, prepare and present recommendations.   

  • Procurement Process & Technology Optimization:
  • Manage and execute the entire procurement process while driving system and process improvements.
  • Tactically: Process purchase requisitions and orders efficiently, ensuring alignment with preferred suppliers and procurement policies. Perform weekly reviews of open POs, communicate delays, manage defective materials, and oversee vendor credits. Continuously identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency.
  • Strategically: Evaluate current procurement systems and tools, identifying opportunities to optimize workflows and enhance automation. Partner with Finance, IT, and Business Operations to assess and enhance Procure-to-Pay (P2P) technology, develop a business case for improvements, and oversee implementation of new solutions as needed.

  • Risk management:
    Identify and mitigate potential risks associated with the supply chain, including price fluctuations, quality issues, and supplier disruptions. 

  • Performance monitoring:
    Develop and track key procurement metrics such as spend analysis, OTD, and supplier performance to identify areas for improvement. 

Qualifications

  • Strong analytical and negotiation skills
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders
  • Financial acumen to understand cost drivers and budget management
  • Knowledge of procurement best practices and industry trends
  • Project management skills to manage complex procurement initiatives
  • Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business or Science
  • 4+ years experience in Purchasing or Supply Chain
  • Relevant experience in the Life Science, Data Science or Medical Device industry, including experience with ISO and FDA regulations preferred.
  • Experience with indirect Procurement software.

Skills

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders
  • Knowledge of procurement best practices and industry trends
  • Strong negotiation skills. Ability to influence supplier terms internally and with suppliers.   
  • Financial acumen to understand cost drivers and budget management
  • Project management skills to manage complex procurement initiatives
  • Ability to critically think, problem solve, and work efficiently under pressure.
  • Experience developing, reporting and managing P2P KPIs. 
  • Strong data analytical and problem solving skills with attention to detail 

Physical Demands

  • OnSite:  Four days a week in the office, 1 remote working day. This position is an office job and will require sitting at a desk and computer work. 
  • Ability to lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.

Compensation

We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, seeking to provide an open, flexible, and friendly work environment to empower employees and provide them with a platform to develop their long-term careers. A Summary of Benefits is available for all applicants. The base pay range for this position is expected to be $124,000 - $155,000 annually; however, the base pay offered may vary depending on the market, job-related knowledge, skills and capabilities, and experience.

Xaira Therapeutics an equal-opportunity employer. We believe that our strength is in our differences. Our goal to build a diverse and inclusive team began on day one, and it will never end.

TO ALL RECRUITMENT AGENCIES: Xaira Therapeutics does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias or employees. XairaTherapeutics is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

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