ICON plc

Manager, R&D Business Operations

ICON plc$100K — $120K *
US-Anywhere
+ 3 other locationsRemote
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
  • Minimum 5 years in pharmaceutical/biotech operations or procurement.
  • Experience with enterprise systems like SAP or Ariba.
  • Strong understanding of procure-to-pay processes.
  • Cross-functional collaboration experience with multiple departments.
  • Analytical skills for interpreting financial terms and system requirements.
  • Knowledge of compliance and regulatory considerations in the biotech field.
  • Strong attention to detail and organizational abilities.

Responsibilities

  • Create and manage purchase orders in Ariba/SAP post-contract execution.
  • Translate payment terms and milestones into compliant purchase order structures.
  • Review agreements for proper financial setup and budget tracking.
  • Process change orders and amendments in line with contract modifications.
  • Collaborate with R&D and Finance for timely PO issuance and issue resolution.
  • Monitor PO lifecycle activities and manage invoice matching and reconciliations.
  • Generate reports to track PO metrics and support financial activities.

Benefits

  • Competitive base salary and performance-related incentives.
  • Health and wellbeing programmes including medical and dental coverage.
  • Retirement and pension plans offered.
  • Life assurance and disability coverage included.
  • Employee assistance programmes for wellbeing resources.
  • Learning and development opportunities available.
Full Job Description
Manager, Business Operations (Purchase Order Management)



What You Will Do:

  • Create, generate, and manage purchase orders in Ariba/SAP following full contract execution, ensuring alignment with contract terms, budgets, and approved scopes of work in compliance with company policies and service level standard turnaround times.

  • Translate contractual payment terms, milestones, and fee structures into accurate and compliant purchase order structures.

  • Review executed agreements to ensure proper financial setup, including funding allocations, payment schedules, and budget tracking.

  • Process and manage change orders, PO amendments, closures, and funding adjustments in accordance with contract modifications.

  • Partner with R&D, Finance, and Strategic Sourcing to ensure timely PO issuance and resolution of system or budget discrepancies.

  • Monitor purchase order lifecycle activities, including invoice matching, goods receipt confirmations, accrual support, and PO reconciliation.

  • Ensure compliance with internal financial controls, delegation of authority policies, and procurement procedures prior to PO release.

  • Serve as system subject matter expert (SME) for Ariba/SAP purchase order workflows and provide guidance to internal stakeholders.

  • Train business partners on purchase requisition and PO processes, including proper documentation and system requirements.

  • Facilitate weekly or monthly operational status meetings related to PO issuance, budget tracking, and financial metrics as appropriate.

  • Generate reports and dashboards to track PO cycle times, open commitments, spend against budget, and operational KPIs.

  • Support month-end and year-end close activities, including accrual validation and financial reconciliation.

  • Identify and implement process improvements to enhance PO accuracy, system efficiency, and compliance with internal policies and external regulations.

  • Support audit requests and compliance reviews related to procurement and purchase order activities.

Your Profile:

  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

  • Minimum 5 years of experience in pharmaceutical/biotech business operations, procurement operations, finance operations, or contract-to-PO management.

  • Demonstrated experience creating and managing purchase orders within enterprise systems (e.g., SAP, Ariba).

  • Strong understanding of procure-to-pay (P2P) processes, including requisitioning, PO generation, invoice matching, and accruals.

  • Experience working cross-functionally with R&D, Finance, Strategic Sourcing, Legal, and Accounts Payable.

  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret contract financial terms and translate them into operational system requirements.

  • Working knowledge of pharmaceutical/biotech regulatory and compliance considerations impacting vendor payments and financial controls.

  • Ability to identify financial discrepancies or operational risks and escalate appropriately.

  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple purchase orders, vendors, and deadlines simultaneously.

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), with strong Excel skills for financial tracking and reporting.

  • Experience supporting internal or external audits related to procurement or financial operations.

  • Strong attention to detail and ability to interpret and apply company financial policies, procedures, and internal controls.



Rewards & Benefits

ICON offers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and career development.


Benefits may include:

  • Competitive base salary and performance related incentives
  • Health and wellbeing programmes including medical, dental, and vision coverage where applicable
  • Retirement and pension plans
  • Life assurance and disability coverage
  • Employee assistance programmes and wellbeing resources
  • Learning and development opportunities through structured training and career pathways

Benefits may vary depending on role and location.


Visit our to read more about the benefits ICON offers.


Inclusion and Accessibility


About ICON plc

ICON plc is a global provider of drug development and commercialisation services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. The company specialises in the strategic development, management and analysis of programs that support clinical development. ICON has approximately 15700 employees in 40 countries. The company was founded in Dublin, Ireland in 1990 and is headquartered in Leopardstown, Dublin. ICON has been publicly traded on the NASDAQ since 1998.
Learn more about ICON plc
Size
39,300 employees
Market Cap
$16.2 billion
Industry
Net Income
$332.3 million
Founded
2017
5 Year Trend
+26.9%
Revenue
$2.7 billion
NASDAQ

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