Clinical Digital acceleration and innovation Lead

Role Summary

The Clinical Digital Acceleration & Innovation Lead is a strategic partner who shapes the digital transformation roadmap for clinical development and champions the integration of AI and digital solutions. Reporting to the Head of Clinical Digital & AI Acceleration, the role ensures strong connectivity across CSO and broader Sanofi functions, leveraging competitive intelligence to identify trends and support strategic decisions. It requires deep expertise in digital and AI within clinical development, strong program management, and the ability to engage and influence diverse stakeholders to drive modernization and transformative clinical innovation.

Responsibilities

• Digital transformation roadmap: Shape the roadmap by translating evolving vision and priorities into actionable initiatives that accelerate innovation and improve clinical development outcomes.
• Partner with Digital and operational teams to implement AI technologies and identify opportunities for strategic scale-up (CSO 2030 initiative).
• Identify innovation opportunities and prototyping initiatives and orchestrate them with BICC & Digital as appropriate.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of the Initiative Portfolio Management Office (iPMO) framework by developing guidelines, coaching project teams, and ensuring governance and decision-making.
• Transformation Project Leadership: Lead high-impact transformation projects or programs with a focus on business value, cost optimization, and tangible KPIs; define strategies and roadmaps, ensuring timely delivery.
• Oversee project performance, manage risks, report to senior leadership, and implement mitigation plans.
• CSO Digital & AI Capability Building: Collaborate to lead upskilling efforts in Digital and AI, identify skill gaps, track trends, and influence product strategy across CSO and Vaccines; drive adoption and change management activities.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration: Co-lead innovation workshops, develop strategic partnerships beyond CSO, act as a bridge between technical and business teams, and ensure visibility of Digital Acceleration and AI initiatives.

Qualifications

• Expertise in Digital and AI technologies and applications with deep understanding of their potential in clinical development, demonstrated through programming experience or leadership of digital projects/digital transformation initiatives.
• Strategic thinking and leadership: experience in strategic planning, aligning projects with organizational goals through actionable plans, and leading innovation-driven projects.
• Ability to balance strategic insights with practical follow-through and accountability.
• Strong program management capabilities with experience in agile methodologies.
• GenAI advanced prompting experience; familiarity with Jira and Canva is a plus.

Skills

• Visionary and innovation mindset with the ability to anticipate future trends in clinical development.
• Collaborative leadership that fosters innovation and cross-functional teamwork.
• Results-oriented with focus on delivering measurable business impact.
• Adaptability to navigate complex, evolving technological and regulatory landscapes.
• Entrepreneurial 'Can Do' mentality and curiosity; ability to design and implement disruptive, innovative approaches.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Education

• Master's degree or PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Data Science/Analytics, Engineering with AI/ML focus); MBA a plus.
• 10 years of relevant experience, including:
  • At least 5+ years working with digital transformation initiatives
  • Demonstrated experience leading AI/digital projects in healthcare/pharma
  • Strategic thinking capability; program management experience with measurable business impact
  • Experience building strategic partnerships across functions
• Languages: Fluent in English