Director, Program Managment

Role Summary

Director, Program Management is a highly visible role responsible for leading program management across molecule development teams. You will partner with Project Team Leads and Project Team PMs on development programs, providing exceptional program management to ensure alignment with strategic objectives. This position reports to the Head of Program and Portfolio Management (PPM).

Responsibilities

• Actively partner with Project Team Leads (PTLs) and Project Team PMs, providing leadership and guidance for the team and its members.
• Provide project management support by coordinating and aligning teams and workstreams, managing activities, facilitating meetings, tracking action items and deliverables to execute the program’s strategic plan.
• Partner with other PMs (e.g., Molecule PMs, CMC PM, Medical Affairs PM, Launch PM) to ensure seamless PPM support across molecules.
• Ensure effective communication within the functional team and with stakeholders to support sound decision-making in a fast-paced, small-company environment.
• Proactively identify, analyze, and communicate decision points and project risks, including trade-offs and scenario analyses (timelines, costs, risks), framing options within broader molecule or portfolio context.
• Identify needs and propose solutions to project and portfolio tools, systems and practices to support the growth and evolution of PPM’s capabilities.
• Provide Business Manager support when needed, including driving annual business process execution (e.g., goals, budget, performance reviews), maintaining strong functional dynamics, acting as function lead for enterprise-wide initiatives, and facilitating transparency and alignment with other functions.
• Act as a vendor liaison when needed, handling contracts, requisitions, and invoice management, and following up with vendors on project updates and status reports to ensure timely, quality deliverables.
• Support other business priorities within PPM, including potential assignments in research, development, clinical, launch, medical affairs, or CMC project management.
• As needed, manage others.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of industry experience, with at least 5 years in drug development project management (e.g., research, clinical, CMC, commercial, medical affairs), including clinical development project management experience.
• Experience with filing and launch for small molecules.
• Highly skilled in communication, stakeholder management, and influencing without authority; able to interact with and facilitate complex conversations across the organization.
• Excellent critical thinking, verbal and written communication skills, with ability to simplify and integrate multiple cross-functional perspectives and inputs for the team.
• Agile and flexible: able to assess situations and help teams make sound decisions aligned with program strategy.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and ability to manage numerous deliverables.
• Broad scientific and business acumen in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, with a strong understanding of cross-functional dependencies.

Skills

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, as well as project management software such as MS Project and Smartsheets.

Education

• A. or BSc., with MSc., MBA or Ph.D. a plus.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or other PM certification a plus.