Pharmathen

Develops generic drugs and delivery technologies

Senior Category Manager - CMO and External Manufacturing Procurement

Procurement & SourcingConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeMarousi, GreeceNo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in Engineering, Pharmacy, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field is required.
At least 5 years of experience in Procurement, Supply Chain, External Manufacturing, or CMO/CDMO management is required.
Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, or another regulated industry is required.
Proven experience managing suppliers and negotiating commercial agreements is required.
Experience working with cross-functional teams including Quality, Supply Chain, R&D, Finance, and Regulatory is required.
A good understanding of pharmaceutical external manufacturing and CMO/CDMO operations is required.
Knowledge of GMP-regulated environments is required.
Experience with supplier selection, RFx processes, and contract negotiation is required.
Understanding of tech transfer, manufacturing, packaging, or outsourced services is required.
Strong commercial and financial acumen, including cost analysis, payment terms, and total cost management, is required.
Proficiency in SAP/ERP systems and Excel is required.
Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills are required.
Excellent negotiation and communication skills are required.
Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities is required.
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills are required.
Resilience and ability to perform under pressure are required.
High integrity, ownership, and sound judgment are required.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of external manufacturing partners supporting commercial and pipeline products.
Source, select, negotiate with, and manage CMO and CDMO partners across drug product manufacturing, packaging, analytical services, and related outsourced activities.
Develop CMO and CDMO sourcing strategies.
Manage contracting and negotiations.
Support technology transfers and product launches.
Deliver cost, cash, and value outcomes.
Provide cross-functional leadership.
Ensure supply continuity, cost competitiveness, compliant partnerships, timely launches, and robust contractual governance across the external manufacturing network.

Desired Qualifications

An MBA or relevant professional certification is a plus.
Experience with pharmaceutical CMOs/CDMOs is preferred.
Exposure to technology transfers and product launches is preferred.
Experience in international supplier networks is preferred.
Project management experience is preferred.
Fluent English is preferred; Greek is an advantage.

Senior Category Manager - CMO and External Manufacturing Procurement

Pharmathen · Marousi, Greece (Hybrid) · — · Posted 2026-09-08

Workplace: hybrid

Department: Strategy Performance & NPI

Description

For almost six decades, Pharmathen has remained committed to its vision of improving patients’ lives through innovation and expanding access to complex pharmaceutical therapies.

Today, Pharmathen's capabilities extend across a broad range of specialized dosage forms, including sustained-release products, long-acting injectables, and oral solid dosage forms, while its portfolio includes more than 100 commercial products available internationally through a strong network of partners.

These activities are supported by a robust Research & Development and Manufacturing ecosystem, with three facilities in Greece.

The driving force behind Pharmathen is its people. With more than 1,600 employees representing 27 nationalities, the company fosters a multicultural workplace where women account for 53% of the workforce and 40% of the Senior Leadership Team.

Grounded in its shared values of integrity, quality, innovation, leadership and performance, and guided by strong business ethics and a commitment to its vision, Pharmathen remains dedicated to its founding mission: improving patients' lives.

Pharmathen offers a great opportunity for career development and is seeking to recruit a Senior Category Manager - CMO and External Manufacturing Procurement to join our Strategy Performance & NPI team at our Marousi premises.

The Senior Category Manager - CMO and External Manufacturing Procurement will manage a portfolio of external manufacturing partners supporting Pharmathen’s commercial and pipeline products.

The role will be responsible for sourcing, selecting, negotiating and managing CMO and CDMO partners across drug product manufacturing, packaging, analytical services and related outsourced activities.

The objective is to ensure supply continuity, cost competitiveness, compliant partnerships, timely launches and robust contractual governance across the external manufacturing network.

It is a business-facing role requiring strong judgement, solid pharma understanding, commercial discipline and the ability to manage complex partner relationships under pressure.

More particularly:

What you’ll do:

1. CMO and CDMO sourcing strategy

2. Contracting and negotiations

3. Tech transfer and launch support

4. Cost, cash and value delivery

5. Cross-functional leadership

Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Pharmacy, Supply Chain, Business, or related field
MBA or relevant professional certification is a plus

Experience

5+ years of experience in Procurement, Supply Chain, External Manufacturing, or CMO/ CDMO management
Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, or other regulated industries
Proven experience managing suppliers and negotiating commercial agreements
Experience working with cross-functional teams (Quality, Supply Chain, R&D, Finance, Regulatory)

Technical Skills

Good understanding of pharmaceutical external manufacturing and CMO/CDMO operations
Knowledge of GMP-regulated environments
Experience with supplier selection, RFx processes, and contract negotiation
Understanding of tech transfer, manufacturing, packaging, or outsourced services
Strong commercial and financial acumen (cost analysis, payment terms, total cost management)
Proficiency in SAP/ERP systems and Excel

Leadership & Behavioral Skills

Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
Excellent negotiation and communication skills
Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
Resilience and ability to perform under pressure
High integrity, ownership, and sound judgment

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with pharmaceutical CMOs/CDMOs
Exposure to technology transfers and product launches
Experience in international supplier networks
Project management experience
Fluent English; Greek is an advantage

Benefits

What you will gain:

Involvement in a high-caliber, team-oriented and dynamic atmosphere
Exposure to challenging business issues and practices
Great opportunity to leverage and develop your business/ scientific knowledge and skills

Join our team and experience the unique Pharmathen’s culture that gives you the opportunity to innovate, to make decisions, to achieve your own potential and to chart your own career.

Pharmathen is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications regardless of gender, race, age, religion, sexual orientation, and national origin.

Apply

Apply at Pharmathen

About the Company

Pharmathen

Develops generic drugs and delivery technologies

Pharmathen develops generic medicines and advanced drug-delivery technologies from its Greece-based manufacturing sites, exporting to branded pharmaceutical companies and patients worldwide. Its products include long-acting injectables, sustained-release formulations, and ophthalmic drugs, built on a strategy of Life Cycle Management and new technology platforms. The company operates with full vertical integration, handling research, development, manufacturing, and export, under facilities approved by the US FDA and EU. This enables it to deliver high-quality generic solutions and optimized dosage forms at scale. Pharmathen differentiates itself through a focused emphasis on drug-delivery platforms, continuous pipeline development, and end-to-end control over development and manufacturing. Its goal is to provide high-quality, affordable medicines while expanding its capabilities in innovative generic products and advanced delivery technologies for global markets.

Company size: 501-1,000
Company stage: Acquired
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Athens, Greece
Founded: 1969

Recently Posted Jobs

Explore more opportunities at Pharmathen

See more jobs