Manager – Discovery Operations, Early-Stage Oncology

Responsibilities

• facilitate ideation to planning and lead execution of external contractual enablement requests for Oncology
• establish and operate as a critical liaison (manage communications) between scientific teams and key cross-functional partners
• 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
• manage and execute diverse contractual requests tied to complex modalities within the broader Oncology discovery portfolio
• develop comprehensive knowledge and expertise of the ARAVO third-party (TP) qualification and other Lilly TP systems
• 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 and Lilly’s external partners for smooth operations
• manage licensed biological material requests (MLRs) end-to-end, including evaluating vendor license terms and MTAs; maintaining procurement records across multi-vendor sources
• execute procurement transactions in Ariba, including managing purchase requisitions for licensed biological materials
• provide indirect and on-demand consultancy support to international shipments of biological materials, including managing country-specific import/export permit requirements

Requirements

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