The Challenge

A specialty pharmaceutical manufacturer was preparing for the commercial launch of a critical product. With a lean internal structure, they needed an experienced leader to manage commercial supply chain operations, control costs, and ensure production readiness, all while navigating highly variable demand during the first years in market.

Our Approach

I was engaged as a fractional supply chain and operations leader, reporting directly to the President/General Manager, embedding within the organization to manage the full post-commercialization supply chain and serve as the operational bridge across vendors, partners, and internal functions.

Key responsibilities included:

• Managing purchase orders, supplier relationships, and inbound material flow
• Acting as day-to-day liaison with the 3PL for warehousing and fulfillment
• Collaborating closely with the CMO to align production plans with forecasted needs
• Tracking planned vs. actual costs and identifying areas for savings
• Building Excel-based models for forecasting, inventory visibility, and cost tracking

The Solution

Delivered comprehensive support across all post-launch operational pillars:

• Production Planning & CMO Coordination: Partnered with CMO teams to ensure production schedules matched commercial demand and replenishment timelines
• Vendor & Inventory Management: Maintained stable supply of raw materials and components through proactive procurement
• 3PL & Logistics Oversight: Managed day-to-day distribution operations and issue resolution with external partners
• Cost Management & Forecasting: Built tools to track actuals vs. budget and informed decisions to reduce costs
• Scalability & Agility: Designed processes that could flex as demand accelerated

Results

• Maintained uninterrupted commercial supply despite lack of initial demand visibility
• Supported nearly 2X growth in Year 2 without any major disruptions
• Delivered measurable cost savings through proactive sourcing and logistics optimization
• Ensured full alignment with CMO production timelines, preventing stockouts and delays
• Developed scalable systems and dashboards to support long-term commercial success
• Enabled lean operations without adding full-time internal supply chain headcount