Alex Gratop, MBA

Experience

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  Miami University

  Dec 2013 - Nov 2014

  Student Manager - Harris Dining Hall

  - Managed up to 15 employees at a time and delegated tasks to ensure that service was provided both effectively and efficiently to customers- Educated new hires on Miami University and Harris Dinning Hall policies and procedures- Ensured prospective employees are eligible for employment and have completed the necessary training to perform tasks effectively

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  Masco Cabinetry

  May 2014 - Aug 2014

  Supply Chain Intern

  - Managed a product harmonization project that impacted three cabinet lines. Identified, analyzed and presented opportunities which resulted in part number rationalization, inventory reduction, and cost savings.- Took lead role in conducting an electronic RFQ with Corporate procurement. Analyzed competitive bids and recommended sourcing changes that reduce product cost.- Established relationships with key accessory supplier partners to identify product standardization opportunities across different cabinet brands.- Supported corporate procurement with the development of commodity strategies. Show less

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  Takeda

  Jun 2015 - Aug 2019

  Inventory & Planning Manager

   Responsible for the management of demand forecasts, production, and inventory strategies for products with annual revenues exceeding $2B. Manage planning relationship with contract manufacturers. Collaborate to balance priorities and set appropriate production schedules. Negotiated pricing and service terms to lower Takeda spend. Established appropriate metrics for measuring CMO performance and present results to senior leadership at quarterly business reviews.  Recruited, hired, and trained three interns. Trained interns to perform the responsibilities of a full-time inventory and planning manager. Provided regular feedback and coaching via weekly performance dialogues and conducted formal end of term performance reviews. Developed new forecasting methodologies and implemented them across Takeda’s top 7 product lines. These new forecasting methods improved forecast accuracy by 8.5%.  Collaborated within the Takeda planning team to lower Takeda’s inventory investment by 18% over a 3-year period.  Led monthly S&OP meetings with cross-functional teams and senior leadership to discuss demand actuals and forecast, production plans, inventory and marketing strategies, product launches, and resulting financial implications. Planned supply for three product launches. Developed multiple supply launch and risk mitigation strategies and presented options to cross-functional leadership teams. Utilize SAP and APO daily to monitor inventory levels, create purchase orders, allocate components, receive goods, update contracts, and maintain/create master data. Show less

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  Novartis Gene Therapies

  Sept 2019 - Oct 2021

   Oversee purchasing department and raw material supply for the two sites in the Novartis Gene Therapies network, including the sole FDA approved manufacturer of Zolgensma, a life-saving therapy for the treatment of SMA type 1.  Establish raw material purchasing strategies to ensure production requirements and inventory targets are met. Manage team of four buyers, driving purchasing strategies, supporting day-to-day activities, and setting buyer goals. Identify, evaluate, and implement continuous improvements to purchasing and inventory management processes, improving supply availability to manufacturing and communication of requirements to suppliers. Partner with site planning to ensure the production schedule is accurately reflected in QAD system. Continually audit MRP outputs to approve purchases orders, manage planning data, and drive corrective actions. Generate supply forecasts and inventory projections, detailing plans to reduce inventory investment. Established release prioritization process with quality and science teams. Created new processes including weekly touch-points to capture material testing requirements and priorities in order to use constrained resources efficiently. Present critical supply risks to senior leadership. Determine root cause, categorize risks, and present path forward as well as corrective and preventative actions. Improved agility of purchasing team by creating new data analysis tools. These dashboards enable buyers to quickly interpret supply data and make decisions more efficiently. Show less

  • Manager, Centralized Procurement

    Apr 2021 - Oct 2021

  • Purchasing Supervisor

    Sept 2019 - Apr 2021
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  Astellas Pharma US

  Oct 2021 - Apr 2024

  Manager, Supply Chain
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  Cour Pharmaceuticals Development Co., Inc.

  Apr 2024 - now

  Associate Director, Supply Chain