Associate Director, Supply Chain

Zug
Manufacturing and Supply Chain /
Full-time /
Hybrid
Join our Mission to Protect Humankind!

Vaxcyte is a clinical-stage vaccine innovation company engineering high-fidelity vaccines to protect humankind from the consequences of bacterial diseases, which have serious and costly health consequences when left unchecked. Working to eradicate or treat bacterial infections such as invasive pneumococcal disease, Group A Strep, periodontitis and Shigella is just the beginning. Our path to success is clear and well-defined, and Vaxcyte is set up to go the distance. 

WHAT we do is every bit as important as HOW we do it! Our work together is guided by four enduring core values:

*RETHINK CONVENTION: We bring creative and intellectual diversity to every facet of the work we do in order to innovate and re-innovate the way vaccines are delivered.

*AIM HIGH: We embody our collectively audacious goal to courageously make the most complex biologics ever attempted to protect humankind.

*LEAD WITH HEART: Everyone leads at Vaxcyte with a kindness-first, inclusive approach to collaboration and vigorous debate that advances our business objectives.

*MODEL EXCELLENCE:  The magnitude of our challenge requires our shared commitment to demonstrating integrity, accountability, equality and clarity across communications and decision making.
 
Summary:
 
The successful candidate will be responsible for leading and optimizing various aspects of the supply chain, ensuring the seamless delivery of raw materials, supporting manufacturing processes, and maintaining optimal inventory levels across the organization. This role requires a strategic leader with strong organizational skills, advanced expertise in supply chain management, and the ability to effectively collaborate across a cross-functional, highly matrixed organizational environment. Additionally, the Associate Director will be expected to drive process improvements, lead high-impact projects, and inform strategic decisions at both operational and executive levels.

Essential functions:

    • Act as the primary liaison for the Supply Chain function on the relevant Commercial Product Team (CPT), ensuring that supply chain perspectives and requirements are integrated into all commercial product strategies and decisions. Influence strategic direction and present supply chain strategies to senior leadership.
    • Oversee and ensure that the Global Supply Plan is accurately translated into a detailed site production schedule by the CMO.
    • Develop and maintain a robust inventory and safety stock strategy for raw materials and consumables at CMO sites. Implement proactive tracking and replenishment systems to mitigate risks of stockouts and production delays.
    • Ensure the timely delivery of customer-supplied Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) to support the CMO site's manufacturing schedule. Proactively manage supplier relationships to prevent bottlenecks.
    • Lead capacity planning and optimization initiatives to ensure sufficient storage capacity at CMO sites, supporting overall manufacturing goals.
    • Lead planning efforts for customer-supplied single-use and reusable storage and shipping containers, ensuring alignment with manufacturing needs and overall efficiency.
    • Assess CMO site capabilities, identify potential risks, and lead improvement and expansion projects as needed, including strategic initiatives for increased capacity and efficiency.
    • Work closely with Manufacturing & MSAT colleagues to model and drive improvements in cycle times and yield rates.
    • Oversee the site-specific Bill of Materials (BOM), address discrepancies, and support waste reduction initiatives. Ensure the BOM reflects the accurate materials required for production.
    • Lead ERP Transaction Management, ensuring effective management of work orders, purchase orders, and goods receipts.
    • Define, monitor, and report KPIs including delivery performance, yield, cycle time, reject rate, and consumption rate. Utilize data-driven insights to drive continuous improvement.
    • Lead cross-functional supply chain planning activities involving CMO, Global Supply Chain, MSAT, Strategic Sourcing, and QA. Facilitate effective communication across teams to ensure alignment with global supply chain strategies.
    • Proactively identify potential supply risks and lead cross-functional initiatives to mitigate them. Drive risk assessment processes and contribute to the development of robust contingency plans.

Requirements:

    • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Biotechnology, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred.
    • 10+years of experience in supply chain management within the Pharmaceutical, Biotech, or other regulated industry. Demonstrated leadership experience in managing supply chain operations and initiatives.
    • In-depth understanding of Supply Chain, Procurement, Manufacturing, Quality, and Regulatory processes.
    • Strong knowledge of cGMP and a demonstrated ability to ensure compliance across all supply chain activities.
    • Proven track record in leading cross-functional and cross-organizational teams, including experience managing CMOs, material suppliers, and outsourced service providers.
    • Strong project management skills, with a demonstrated ability to lead complex projects to successful completion.
    • Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to leverage data to drive decision-making and strategic improvements.
    • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence stakeholders at all levels, including executive leadership.
    • Fluent in English. Fluency in German preferred; Italian or other European languages an advantage.
Reports to: Director, Supply Chain Europe
 
Location: Zug or Visp, Switzerland
 
Compensation:
The compensation package will be competitive and includes an equity component.
 
 
Vaxcyte Switzerland GmbH
Rottenstrasse 5
3930 Visp, Valais
Switzerland
 
We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.