Vendor Relationship Manager – Regulatory Affairs

About Life Scientific

Life Scientific is a global crop science company delivering high-quality, differentiated crop protection products to farmers worldwide. Through scientific expertise, disciplined regulatory execution, and a scalable external partner model, we bring products to market efficiently and at pace.

As our dossier portfolio expands globally, building a robust and strategic CRO ecosystem is critical to sustaining growth.

The Role

The Vendor Relationship Manager will design, build, and optimise Life Scientific’s global CRO and regulatory services ecosystem.

This role sits at the intersection of regulatory strategy, commercial oversight, and operational execution. You will develop a tiered outsourcing model that balances specialised expertise with cost-efficient delivery capacity, ensuring quality, scalability, and regulatory success as submission volumes grow.

Key Responsibilities

CRO Strategy & Operating Model

• Design and implement a tiered CRO partnership model

• Segment work appropriately across specialised and low-cost providers

• Continuously refine the operating model based on performance and portfolio needs

Vendor Portfolio Management

• Manage relationships across CROs, legal counsel, and regulatory science specialists

• Maintain vendor capability and performance oversight

• Qualify new partners to address emerging needs or capacity gaps

Commercial & Contract Oversight

• Negotiate MSAs, SOWs, and pricing frameworks

• Structure agreements that incentivise performance and enable scale

• Monitor spend and optimise cost efficiency

Performance & Governance

• Establish KPIs and vendor scorecards

• Lead quarterly business reviews and corrective actions

• Benchmark performance across tiers

Strategic Development

• Forecast external resource needs aligned with portfolio growth

• Model scale scenarios and optimise vendor footprint

• Monitor CRO market dynamics and geographic arbitrage opportunities

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in science, business, supply chain or related field

• 7+ years’ experience in vendor management or outsourcing within a regulated industry

• Experience designing multi-tier outsourcing strategies

• Strong contract negotiation and commercial acumen

• Ability to manage complex global vendor ecosystems

Leadership Profile

You bring:

• Strategic mindset and enterprise thinking

• Strong accountability and data-driven decision making

• Sound judgement balancing cost, quality, and regulatory risk

• Comfort operating in ambiguity

• Collaborative influence across functions and geographies

Travel: Approximately 20–30%.