Q:What do you do in your current job/what are your responsibilities?
A:I am currently a Global Category Manager within the Global Procurement organization of a biopharmaceutical company based in Massachusetts. I support the company's R&D business units. My responsibilities are to develop and implement, long-term, global strategic sourcing strategies, which provide efficiencies and deliver value to my assigned categories: Pharmacovigilance & Risk Management (PVRM) and Diagnostics, and the organization as a whole. I am also responsible for supporting the sourcing and contracting for our Phase 2-4 clinical trials.
Q:What skills did you build in the D'Amore-McKim Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management program that you are currently using on the job?
A:The Supply Chain Management program provided me a much greater understanding of the global supply chain and its impact on trade world-wide. In my current role, I need to understand the movement of clinical supplies and drug product for our clinical trials, within the supply chain. The Supply Chain Management certificate program enabled me to understand the world of logistics so that I can work effectively with my business partners in the logistics space.
Q:What would you say to a colleague considering enrolling in the Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management program?
A:I would tell anyone that is considering enrolling the program that is it well worth it. If you work in supply chain it's a no brainer. The skills and concepts you will learn will be immediately applicable to your job. Even if your job is not directly involved with supply chain, you will learn that almost everything we do involves at least a portion of it. With ever increasing global trade, you realize how critical supply chain management is to the global economy.
Q:Why did you choose the D'Amore-McKim School of Business Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management program?
A:I chose D'Amore-McKim School of Business's Supply Chain Management certificate program because of its reputation. I had attended many conferences and training seminars for Procurement and Supply Chain and I would hear people mention Northeastern's Supply Chain program. Like many people, I did not major in Supply Chain Management for my undergrad, but it became the career I chose. The program enabled me to broaden my knowledge and increase my skill set to be more successful. After looking into the program and its curriculum, it was a no brainer. I was also impressed by the large and diverse list of companies that the students in the program came from. I realized that in addition to benefiting from the educational content, I would have an opportunity to learn from lots of other supply chain professionals from varying industries; which I did.
Q:What was your biggest take-away from earning your Certificate in Supply Chain Management at Northeastern?
A:My biggest take-away from the program was that I left with a much greater knowledge of supply chain than I started with. Towards the end of the program I decided I wanted to obtain my Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) certification, which is issued by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). It is recognized globally as a standard of excellence for procurement and supply chain management professionals. I was able to leverage all of the content I was learning in the program to help me prepare for and pass the required exams.
More Student Voices
“The hours and time commitment are very reasonable and the professors are extremely helpful, flexible and engaged.” — William Odom, GCSCM'14