Manager, Manufacturing Materials Logistics - Cell Therapy

In AstraZeneca's Cell Therapy division, we follow the science to explore & innovate. We are working towards treating, preventing, modifying & even curing some of the world's most complex diseases. We have the potential to grow our pipeline & positively impact the lives of patients around the world. We are committed to making a difference & have built our business around our passion for science. Now we are fusing data & technology with the latest scientific innovations to achieve the next wave of breakthroughs. This role is part of the Operations team tasked with supporting Clinical/Commercial production across multiple sites. 

We are looking for a Manager, Manufacturing Materials Logistics reporting directly to the Associate Director of Clinical Logistics. You will oversee the end-to-end logistics of critical manufacturing materials—including viral vectors, plasmids, cell banks & gene editing components—for cell therapy trials. You will also support financial forecasting, budgeting processes & metrics development. You will have a background in biopharma logistics, complemented by analytical skills to develop dashboards, track expenses & contribute to strategic planning. Collaboration with cross-functional teams is necessary for achieving departmental goals.  

Key Responsibilities: 

Logistics & Cold Chain Management (Primary Focus) 

• Oversee logistics & track high-value global shipments of clinical & commercial trial manufacturing materials (e.g., viral vectors, plasmids, cell banks).  

• Ensure compliance with international trade regulations (GxP, IATA, DOT, Customs).  

• Manage temperature-sensitive logistics, including risk assessments, contingency planning & deviation management.  

• Collaborate with internal & external manufacturing teams to guarantee accurate shipping documentation.  

• Identify & lead initiatives to enhance logistics workflows, reduce costs & ensure compliance.  

• Create & update SOPs related to shipping, documentation & analytics processes.  

• Support internal/external audits.  

Vendor & Courier Management 

• Cultivate relationships with third-party logistics providers, raw material suppliers, specialty couriers & depots used for efficient transportation & storage.  

• Oversee lane mapping & courier performance while implementing contingency plans to mitigate potential delays.  

• Monitor key courier performance metrics, including temperature excursions & customs clearance efficiencies.  

Financial Forecasting and Budgeting 

• Support annual budgeting & financial forecasting for global logistics operations.  

• Analyze & track logistics expenditures to identify cost-saving opportunities.  

• Provide regular reports on shipping costs, vendor performance & budget adherence.  

• Collaborate with manufacturing, clinical operations & finance to align logistics capacity with trial demand (S&OP & S&OE Support) 

KPI Development & Data Visualization 

• Design & implement KPIs to measure logistics performance (on-time delivery, cost per shipment, temperature excursion rates).  

• Create dashboards & reports (PowerPoint, Excel, Power BI/Tableau) for senior leadership.  

Additional Responsibilities 

• Help establish new manufacturing lanes related to cell therapy logistics of critical manufacturing materials.  

• Be a backup for clinical logistics specialists in overseeing vein-to-vein activities.  

• Lead cross-functional meetings to align objectives across departments.  

• Identify potential risks & recommend process improvements.  

Education: 

• BS/BA or equivalent in Supply Chain, Life Sciences, Business, or Data Analytics, with minimum 5 years of experience in Cell Therapy Logistics or Clinical Supply Chain within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry. 

Skills:

• Certifications (e.g., CSCP, CPIM, Lean, Six Sigma) are a plus. 

• Background in cold chain logistics, 3PL management, clinical and commercial logistics, and cell & gene therapies. 

• Proficiency in SAP/Oracle, Power BI/Tableau, Smartsheet, and advanced Excel (pivot