Procurement Manager - Direct Operations, Kaiseraugst

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections,  where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position

The healthcare landscape is evolving, and Global Procurement responds by continuously striving for peak performance, pursuing innovative and strategic approaches to business and supplier partnerships. Global Procurement Management proactively nurtures the entire supplier ecosystem, making a vital contribution to improving healthcare outcomes, reducing costs for patients and global healthcare systems, and ensuring Roche continues to deliver what patients need next.

This role is part of the Materials, Manufacturing, and CAPEX Delivery group, which covers core procurement activities ranging from category management to strategic and operational sourcing, supplier management, contracting, content strategy, and execution. The Materials, Manufacturing, and CAPEX Delivery group comprises multiple communities that group categories from the same value chain or shared commonalities, including raw materials, external manufacturing services, logistics, research and lab supplies, as well as engineering (CAPEX). These communities are crucial enablers for building strong category expertise while providing the flexibility required to adapt our procurement responses to the evolving needs of our customers.

The Opportunity

As a Procurement Manager in Direct Operations, you will leverage your strong analytical, planning, and execution skills to strengthen our direct procurement capabilities. Drawing on both your broad procurement knowledge and specialized expertise in a specific raw material category used in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) or drug product manufacturing, you will deliver effective and efficient procurement services while continuously driving automation, data quality, and content accessibility—including the exploration and deployment of AI-driven tools.

You will work closely with business stakeholders, particularly within Pharma Technical Operations, to translate their needs into sound procurement decisions and effective ways of working with global and local suppliers. At the same time, you will leverage synergies with internal procurement teams, including chapters and capability areas such as Customer Excellence, Contracting, Solutions, and Analytics. Together with our team members, you will support direct materials requests, enhance the end-to-end procurement experience, manage daily operational activities, and apply your expertise to deliver productivity improvements and customer-centric procurement solutions.

Depending on your experience, knowledge, and general business needs, you will play a variety of roles as a Procurement Manager in Direct Operations, including, but not limited to:

• Category & Sourcing Specialist: Conduct market and internal analyses to develop strategies and tactical plans on how Roche should source and negotiate third-party goods and services to meet stakeholder requirements.

• Procurement Delivery Practitioner: Implement and execute procurement strategies by leveraging spend, category knowledge, robust sourcing, negotiation, contracting, and supplier management methodologies, alongside project management skills.

• Content & Automation Developer: Translate procurement outcomes and opportunities into content and automated purchasing channels that enhance business adoption, user satisfaction, and overall efficiency.

• Process Optimizer: Support or lead the development of procurement-related processes to improve our overall service level, helping the team and stakeholders reduce operational and systemic risks.

Who you are:

• A university degree, preferably in Business, Engineering, or a related discipline.

• A minimum of 5 years of experience working with direct materials in a regulated industry, preferably in Direct Procurement roles. This includes experience in strategic sourcing, developing category strategies, and executing strategic projects, backed by a solid general understanding of contracting.

• Preferred: Experience in designing, implementing, or leveraging AI solutions to solve complex procurement challenges (e.g., predictive sourcing, automated contract analysis, or AI-driven spend analytics).

• Hands-on experience with the SAP Materials Management (MM) module.

• Strong knowledge and experience within the direct materials environment, with an awareness of various raw material categories.

• A curious mindset, active listening skills, and a willingness to experiment and test new ideas, with a sharp focus on continuous learning and improvement.

• An open and inclusive approach—generously sharing ideas and knowledge while remaining receptive to feedback and insights from others.

• Proven project management skills.

• Fluency in business-level English and proficiency in German (minimum B2 level).

Join our Procurement team in Kaiseraugst and help us meet the evolving needs of our customers !

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life-changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact.

Let’s build a healthier future, together.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.