Director – Patient Cell Supply Chain

Director – Patient Cell Supply Chain

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, life sciences, logistics, or related field; advanced degree is a plus.
• 8–10 years of experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or cell and gene therapy with focus on logistics, site operations, or clinical supply chain execution.
• Direct experience supporting autologous cell therapy programs highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of cold chain management, chain of custody/identity, and GxP-compliant transport.
• Hands-on experience training and supporting clinical sites on cell handling procedures.
• Experience managing vendors, coordinating shipments, and resolving day-to-day supply chain issues.
• Proficiency with orchestration platforms or logistics management systems a strong plus.
• Operationally focused and detail-oriented with strong project coordination skills.
• Able to lead in a high-paced, cross-functional environment while managing complex logistics workflows.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; clear and calm under pressure.
• Team-oriented mindset with a commitment to patient-first decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Manage the coordination of patient scheduling, apheresis material collection, manufacturing slot assignment, and drug product return to clinical sites.
• Oversee end-to-end cold chain logistics operations, ensuring COI/COC integrity and compliance with GxP and temperature control requirements.
• Serve as the operational lead for daily supply chain activity—triaging delays, managing escalations, and ensuring patient shipments stay on track.
• Own day-to-day relationships with specialty couriers and packaging providers; ensure compliance with SOPs and quality expectations.
• Support vendor qualification, audit preparation, and issue resolution in collaboration with Quality and Compliance.
• Coordinate courier availability and performance to meet clinical trial and manufacturing timelines.
• Lead the oversight and execution of training for clinical and apheresis sites on the Apheresis Manual and Drug Product Administration Manual, ensuring full procedural compliance and operational excellence.
• Develop, deliver, and update training programs to reflect evolving practices, regulatory changes, and feedback from sites.
• Support clinical site onboarding and requalification through training, documentation, mock runs, and readiness assessments.
• Serve as the business owner for Lyell’s Cell Orchestration platform and other supply chain execution tools.
• Implement and refine digital workflows for real-time tracking, data collection, and performance monitoring.
• Leverage digital tools to improve coordination across scheduling, manufacturing, logistics, and clinical teams.
• Act as the primary operational interface with Clinical Operations, Manufacturing, Scheduling, Quality, and Regulatory teams.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings to support patient slot planning, escalation management, and clinical site support.
• Communicate supply chain risks, operational metrics, and mitigation plans to senior management and internal stakeholders.
• Lead and grow a high-performing team including direct reports and matrixed contributors across logistics, planning, and site operations.
• Provide strategic direction, coaching, and professional development opportunities to support team success and organizational growth.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience supporting autologous cell therapy programs highly preferred.
• Proficiency with orchestration platforms or logistics management systems a strong plus.