Associate Director, Vendor Governance

The Associate Director, Vendor Governance is responsible for establishing and leading a new CoE focused on external service provider/vendor operational governance, standardization, and compliance across global R&D functions. This role drives the design and consistent execution of governance frameworks, decision-making processes, and operational excellence initiatives that enable transparency, accountability, and alignment with enterprise strategy and regulatory expectations.

Main Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

Governance Framework Development

• Design and implement a centralized governance model for R&D operations, including policies, procedures, and decision rights that promote consistent and effective operations.
• Develop and deploy governance frameworks for resource management, portfolio oversight, and cross-functional alignment to optimize R&D performance.

Leadership & Partnership

• Partner with R&D and enterprise leadership to align governance practices with strategic objectives and compliance requirements.
• Establish and manage governance forums, steering committees, and escalation pathways to ensure informed, timely decision-making.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to functional heads on governance best practices and operational risk management.

Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

• Define, track, and report key performance indicators (KPIs) and dashboards to assess governance effectiveness, operational health, and alignment with business goals.
• Lead continuous improvement and change management initiatives to evolve governance frameworks in response to emerging business needs and industry standards.
• Ensure processes and forums enable efficient issue resolution, knowledge sharing, and compliance across R&D.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as a primary liaison between R&D, Quality, Compliance, and Corporate Governance to ensure consistent standards and practices across global operations.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and operational excellence through structured communication and alignment mechanisms.

Qualification and Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Life Sciences, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in R&D operations, governance, or enterprise program management within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Proven experience establishing or leading CoEs or governance functions in complex, global organizations.
• Deep understanding of R&D processes, regulatory environments, and operational risk management.
• Demonstrated leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization.
• Strong analytical and organizational capabilities, including experience developing KPIs or performance dashboards.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with digital governance tools or enterprise data visualization systems.
• Familiarity with enterprise risk management and business continuity frameworks.

Our Benefits

CSL employees that work at least 30 hours per week are eligible for benefits effective day 1. We are committed to the wellbeing of our employees and their loved ones. CSL offers resources and benefits, from health care to financial protection, so you can focus on doing work that matters. Our benefits are designed to support the needs of our employees at every stage of their life. Whether you are considering starting a family, need help paying for emergency back up care or summer camp, looking for mental health resources, planning for your financial future, or supporting your favorite charity with a matching contribution, CSL has many benefits to help achieve your goals.

Please take the time to review our benefits site to see what’s available to you as a CSL employee.

About CSL Behring

CSL Behring is a global biotherapeutics leader driven by our promise to save lives. Focused on serving patients’ needs by using the latest technologies, we discover, develop and deliver innovative therapies for people living with conditions in the immunology, hematology, cardiovascular and metabolic, respiratory, and transplant therapeutic areas. We use three strategic scientific platforms of plasma fractionation, recombinant protein technology, and cell and gene therapy to support continued innovation and continually refine ways in which products can address unmet medical needs and help patients lead full lives.

CSL Behring operates one of the world’s largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma. Our parent company, CSL, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, employs 32,000 people, and delivers its lifesaving therapies to people in more than 100 countries.

We want CSL to reflect the world around us

At CSL, Inclusion and Belonging is at the core of our mission and who we are. It fuels our innovation day in and day out. By celebrating our differences and creating a culture of curiosity and empathy, we are able to better understand and connect with our patients and donors, foster strong relationships with our stakeholders, and sustain a diverse workforce that will move our company and industry into the future. Learn more Inclusion and Belonging | CSL.

Do work that matters at CSL Behring!