Director of Strategic Sourcing & Operational Excellence

Lief Labs is a premier formulation and product development innovator and manufacturer of dietary supplements. Our in-house Product Development and R&D team create the best-tasting and most cutting-edge formulations of supplements. Lief also houses a state-of-the-art, full-service Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) manufacturing facility, which offers custom solutions for a multitude of supplement categories. Lief collaborates with entrepreneurial firms to help them build premier brands. Our turnkey solutions allow us to engage in seamless partnerships that help brands with scalability and sustainable growth. Lief Labs is located in the Santa Clarita Valley (Valencia, CA.) All roles are on-site Monday - Friday.
Summary
The Director ofStrategic Sourcing & Operational Excellence will build and manage a robust strategic souring capability for Lief. He/ she will be responsible for the development and implementation of supply risk mitigation strategies and vendor relationship management. In addition, this role will work cross-functionally, with internal and external key stakeholders to drive improvements in processes and technologies that enable the achievement of Lief's business objectives.
Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing:

• In collaboration with Supply Chain leadership, develop and execute a robust sourcing and procurement strategy, considering factors like cost, quality, working capital, and risk management.
• Identify and assess potential suppliers, engage in contract / pricing negotiations, and establish and foster valuable partnerships to secure a consistent and dependable supply of raw materials, packaging, and other materials.
• Oversee supplier selection processes, including the development and execution of RFI's, RFP's, and other sourcing tools that will ensure Lief Labs is buying materials at optimal cost with the highest quality and service standards.
• Study market intelligence and conduct market analysis and benchmarking to anticipate price fluctuations while mitigating Lief's financial exposure.
• Lead sourcing engagements across various raw material and packaging categories driving significant COGS savings and cost avoidance.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal stakeholders, including R&D, Product Development, Technical Operations, Quality Assurance, and Finance, to align sourcing strategies with business needs and timelines.
• Stay abreast of regulatory requirements and industry standards related to sourcing and procurement in the nutraceutical industry and ensure compliance.
• Manage trademark agreements and collaborate with product development and regulatory team to ensure compliance with trademark usage guidelines.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Support and/ or lead the on-boarding and qualification of new and potential vendors
• Nurture robust partnerships with suppliers, establishing transparent channels of communication and efficient problem solving to reduce interruptions in the supply chain.
• Regularly assess supplier performance, manage & monitor key metrics, and maintain consistent product quality and availability.
• Fulfill any other duties and responsibilities as assigned by senior management, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability to support the evolving needs of Lief Labs and its strategic objectives.

Operational Excellence

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive transformational changes, ensuring efficient and effective implementation.
• Utilize data-driven methodologies to develop and own operations and supply chain business performance metrics and process improvements.
• Develops and maintains reporting and tools to communicate strategic plans and concepts to leadership.
• Oversee the development and execution of cross-functional strategic initiatives, monitoring progress and making necessary adjustments as required.
• Provide guidance and support to the team in developing business cases, financial models, and action plans to support strategic initiatives.
• Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, driving the company's growth and competitiveness.
• Perform complex data-driven analysis to identify potential risks and opportunities across the operation.

Supervisory Responsibilities
In accordance with applicable policies/procedures and Federal/State laws, may perform the following supervisory responsibilities: Interviewing, hiring, orienting, coaching and developing employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising, managing and rewarding performance; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
Minimum Qualifications
Knowledge
Education:
Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, business administration, or related field.
(Master's degree preferred)
Skills/ Abilities

• Professional maturity
• Communication
• Change management
• Accountability
• Critical thinking
• Problem Solving
• Conflict Management
• Trustworthiness
• Self-Discipline

Experience

• Proven track record of at least 8-10 years of experience in pharmaceutical Research and Development, with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership.
• Demonstrated success in bringing pharmaceutical products from concept to commercialization.
• Strong knowledge of drug development processes, including pre-clinical studies, clinical trials, and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building and motivating high-performing teams.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans and results.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Experience working in a regulated environment (e.g., FDA, cGMP) is essential.
• Demonstrated ability to drive innovation and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

Work Environment
The office is clean, orderly, properly lighted, and ventilated. Noise levels are considered low to moderate. Field conditions vary.
Exposed to various raw materials, including allergens (i.e. milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nut, peanuts, wheat, soy).
Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this job, the employee may regularly require to talk,, hear and grasp items. This position is active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing all day.
The employee must frequently grasp, lift and/or move items over 10 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus
Additional Information
The Salary Range for this position at Lief Labs is $140k -155k (USD). Starting pay for the successful applicant depends on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to market demands, experience, training, skills, and education. The benefits available for this position include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) plan, life insurance coverage, wellness benefits, education reimbursement program, and PTO. This position is bonus eligible.
Lief is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request an accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career center as a result of your disability. To request accommodation, contact the Lief Human Resources department.
Lief will consider employment-qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.
Lief uses E-Verify to confirm work eligibility in the United States. E-Verify compares the information on your Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to official government records.