Associate Director of Drug Development, Program Management

Role Summary

Associate Director of Drug Development, Program Management at Recursion. Lead in developing and driving the execution of late preclinical to clinical phase assets, contributing to the clinical development portfolio and strategic planning by planning, organizing, and risk-mitigating preclinical and clinical programs to ensure on-time execution of asset milestones in alignment with corporate goals. This role reports to the Director of Drug Development, Program Management and is a key member of the Drug Development Program Management team.

Responsibilities

• Drive development planning for assigned assets in partnership with the program lead and cross-functional SMEs from preclinical to late-stage clinical development.
• Facilitate program team meetings and governance, driving agenda and deck development, tracking outcomes and ensuring deliverables.
• Develop and maintain program-level plans, timelines, base case/upside scenarios, accounting for critical path activities and interdependencies.
• Prepare and maintain program dashboards, updates, and presentations for leadership and governance committees.
• Proactively identify, communicate, and risk-manage program-level risks.
• Work with SMEs to define key deliverables and success metrics.
• Maintain alignment among team members and stakeholders by fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
• Ensure accountability across teams and timely delivery of high-quality work aligned with corporate strategy.
• Identify opportunities to streamline program management processes and drive efficiencies.
• Champion best practices for program management and leverage AI-based and other approaches to ensure continuous improvement of tools, templates, and methodologies within the program management function.

Qualifications

• Required: 8+ years of experience in drug development within the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, including 3+ years in program management.
• Preferred: BS in life sciences, pharmacy, or a related field.
• Required: Proven ability to manage complex projects in a matrix environment with expertise in managing clinical development programs, including pre-IND stage assets.
• Required: Strong knowledge of regulatory and clinical development pathways, including IND/CTA and NDA/BLA/MAA submissions.
• Required: Exceptional organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Required: Experience managing global drug development programs across multiple therapeutic areas or modalities.
• Preferred: Familiarity with drug development finance and portfolio management.

Skills

• Strategic thinker with exceptional problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a dynamic environment.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused approach to managing challenges.
• Outstanding interpersonal and influencing skills to build relationships at all levels of the organization.

Education