Manager - Discovery Operations, Early-Stage Oncology

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

Position Summary:

We are looking for a Manager in Discovery Operations (Operational Project Manager) experienced in external contract enablement, licensed biological material procurement/transfer, vendor relationship management, and domestic and international supply chain coordination, with some knowledge of third-party qualification processes. The Manager, Discovery Operations is expected to demonstrate a can-do attitude in executing and driving diverse and complex contractual and procurement enablement in support of complex modalities within the broader Oncology discovery portfolio — while applying sound judgment to prioritize competing requests aligned with Oncology portfolio objectives and proactively identifying operational risks to ensure timely, compliant delivery of resources that advance Discovery Operations (Oncology) goals.

Responsibilities:

The position is required to support Discovery Operations’ key operational needs in the following areas.

• Facilitate ideation to planning and lead execution of external contractual enablement requests for Oncology, partnering with Oncology Business Operations and scientific stakeholders identifying streamlined contracting approaches to timely completion.
• Establish and operate as a critical liaison (manage communications) between scientific teams, (key contacts and respective leadership) and key cross-functional partners (Business Operations, and broader Lilly as needed).
• Review contracts and agreements to ensure alignment with scientific request requirements, proactively monitor renewal timelines, and identify and resolve discrepancies in collaboration with cross-functional partners including Business Operations and scientific stakeholders.
• Manage and execute diverse contractual requests tied to complex modalities within the broader Oncology discovery portfolio, navigating unique requirements and cross-functional dependencies to ensure timely and compliant completion.
• Develop comprehensive knowledge and expertise of the ARAVO third-party (TP) qualification and other Lilly TP systems to manage and drive vendor qualification processes, anticipating and resolving platform issues to ensure timely and compliant vendor onboarding.
• Proactively identify operational risks and propose practical, long-term solutions that account for team dynamics and cross-functional dependencies.
• Contribute to building connections and forging partnerships and alliances within Oncology, Lilly’s external partners for smooth operations for Discovery.
• Manage licensed biological material requests (MLRs) end-to-end, including evaluating vendor license terms and MTAs; maintaining procurement records across multi-vendor sources; and coordinating with business operations, and scientific stakeholders to ensure compliant acquisition and use of restricted materials.
• Review and prioritize incoming licensed biological material requests (MLRs) by combining critical thinking and knowledge of Discovery Operations portfolio projects, and align the requests with scientific, business objectives, and timelines.
• Execute procurement transactions in Ariba, including managing purchase requisitions for licensed biological materials (e.g., cell lines), supporting vendor reactivation and supplier setup coordination with the appropriate teams, and ensuring compliant and timely purchase order generation.
• Provide indirect and on-demand consultancy support to international shipments of biological materials, including managing country-specific import/export permit requirements, preparing shipping documentation, and serving as a liaison between internal teams and receiving sites to ensure compliance and timely delivery.

Basic Requirements:

• BS/MS in a scientific discipline and a minimum of 5-7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with demonstrated experience in project and/or operational management, cross-functional collaboration, ideally with exposure across areas of early-stage R&D functions in Oncology.

Additional Preferences:

• Experience managing domestic and international shipments of biological or pharmaceutical materials, including coordination with logistics providers and receiving sites.
• Demonstrated ability to manage vendor relationships and execute contracts, work orders, or agreements (MSAs, CDAs, SOWs) in collaboration with legal and business operations teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable interacting with senior leaders.
• Able to work within a fast-paced environment, adept at juggling multiple tasks and priorities and prioritizing independently.
• Enthusiastic, self-motivated, and keen to improve processes and overcome inefficiencies.
• Conscientious, detail-oriented, well-organized and takes initiative to anticipate and address needs.
• Able to bring a “can do” proactive and creative approach to problem solving.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite, Smartsheet and procurement platforms such as Ariba as well as other operational applications.

Additional Information/Travel:

The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

The position will require on demand traveling to different Lilly locations for effective team management and cross-functional collaboration.

Work Environment:

This position’s work environment is remote based.  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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