Director, Data Science Strategy & Operations

Role Summary

The Director, Data Science Strategy & Operations will lead portfolio and project management for the Data Science & Digital Health (DSDH) organization and coordinate IT and Data investments for R&D governance. This role oversees a matrixed team of project managers, ensuring strategic alignment and operational excellence across the Data Science portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Execution: Support the Chief Data Science Officer and Senior Director in executing near- and long-term data science strategies.
• Design and implement governance for the Integrated IT roadmap for R&D.
• Partner across the DSDH Strategy and Operations team to ensure flawless execution of Portfolio and Project Management tasks, initiatives and strategies.
• Lead cross-functional teams to deliver on key initiatives, ensuring collaboration and alignment with internal and external partners.
• Provide strategic input and operational expertise, including use business case quantification and value articulation.

• Portfolio & Project Management: Oversee the Data Science project portfolio, ensuring prioritization, resource allocation, and timely delivery of projects.
• Implement and optimize project management processes and best practices, including using Wrike.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting tools to track project status, risks, and outcomes.

• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of matrixed project managers, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Drive change management and continuous improvement initiatives within the team and across the organization.

• Financial & Business Planning: Partner with Finance and HR to manage budgets, headcount, and resource planning for the Data Science organization and Integrated IT Roadmap.
• Consolidate input from therapeutic and functional areas to ensure consistent financial planning and governance.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as a key liaison between Data Science, Therapeutic Areas, IT and other enabling functions.
• Communicate DSDH and Integrated R&D IT project and/or portfolio progress to senior leadership and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Required: Advanced degree (PhD or Master’s) in Computer Science, Statistics, Data Science, or a related field, or equivalent work experience in a multinational pharmaceutical company.
• Required: 7+ years’ experience in data science, digital health, or related fields, including significant portfolio and project management experience.
• Required: Experience leading and developing teams of project managers.
• Required: Expertise with project management tools (Wrike preferred) and methodologies.
• Required: Proven ability to drive strategic initiatives and manage complex, cross-functional projects.
• Required: Strong financial acumen and experience with budget management.
• Required: Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.

• Preferred: Experience with healthcare datasets (EHR, claims, registries).
• Preferred: Familiarity with AI tools to improve productivity.
• Preferred: Familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., R, Tableau, Spotfire).
• Preferred: Experience in large matrixed organizations or consulting environments.
• Preferred: Change management certification or training.

Skills

• Agility
• Jumps, Business Alignment
• Continuous Improvement
• Mentorship
• Performance Measurement
• Process Control
• Program Management
• Project Management Methodology (PMM)
• Project Management Office (PMO)
• Project Reporting
• Project Schedule
• Quality Control (QC)
• Research and Development
• Risk Management
• Tactical Planning
• Technical Credibility