[Hiring] Manager, R&D Business Operations @ICON plc

Role Description

At ICON Strategic Solutions, you will work in a sponsor-dedicated model, supported by ICON’s global expertise. As the world’s largest FSP organisation, with over 90 sponsor partnerships, we offer stability, career development, and a collaborative environment where your work contributes to the development of treatments that benefit patients worldwide.

The Manager, R&D Business Operations provides operational and analytical support to R&D business functions, with primary responsibility for the creation, generation, and management of purchase orders following contract execution.

What You Will Do:

• Manage purchase order workflows and system processes with moderate autonomy.
• Create, generate, and manage purchase orders in Ariba/SAP following full contract execution.
• 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.
• Partner with R&D, Finance, and Strategic Sourcing to ensure timely PO issuance and resolution of discrepancies.
• Monitor purchase order lifecycle activities, including invoice matching and PO reconciliation.
• Ensure compliance with internal financial controls and procurement procedures prior to PO release.
• Serve as system subject matter expert (SME) for Ariba/SAP purchase order workflows.
• Train business partners on purchase requisition and PO processes.
• Facilitate operational status meetings related to PO issuance and budget tracking.
• Generate reports and dashboards to track PO cycle times and operational KPIs.
• Support month-end and year-end close activities, including accrual validation.

Qualifications

• 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.
• 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.
• Working knowledge of pharmaceutical/biotech regulatory and compliance considerations.
• Ability to identify financial discrepancies or operational risks.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple purchase orders, vendors, and deadlines simultaneously.

Benefits

• 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.

Inclusion and Accessibility

ICON is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. If you require reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know or submit a request.