Senior Director, Design & Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences (Cambridge, MA)

Role Summary

The Senior Director, Design & Delivery, PharmSci based in Cambridge, MA, will lead the global digital product strategy across Takeda’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Digital Data & Technology (DDT) portfolio, driving innovation and operational excellence across the CMC lifecycle.

This leadership role is accountable for shaping and delivering innovative, compliant, and business-aligned digital solutions. You will manage a global team of product managers and work cross-functionally to ensure Takeda’s technology platforms are innovative, modern, scalable, and enable faster delivery of medicines to patients.

Responsibilities

• Drive the delivery strategy for multi-year enterprise impacting programs and products including critical digital transformation initiatives such as Aedificus Fortis (AF), In Silico First and digitization of internal clinical manufacturing projects
• Elevate the product management teams to be seen as strategic partners ensuring delivery of fit for purpose digital solutions that meet the evolving needs of PharmSci and beyond
• Define and execute the strategic product roadmap across PharmSci products including but not limited Scientific Data products (Tetrascience, ECM, SDMS). GMP Clinical Manufacturing products (MES, ERP, MODA, LIMS). Knowledge management product (PLM, R&D Search). Drug and Device Management Lab Validation.
• Structure and resource product teams based on demand planning to support strategic roadmaps
• Ensure platforms are integrated, compliant, and user-centric across all business areas.
• Build, upskill, and lead a high-performing global product management team. Foster a product-driven agile culture to support delivery excellence
• Collaborate with senior leaders across PharmSci, Research and RDDT including Business Partners, Tech Services, Data and AI delivery to align technology strategies with evolving business needs.
• Identify and integrate emerging technologies (e.g., automation, AI/ML, NLP) into the product portfolio to drive operational excellence and innovation in CMC and device design
• Ensure all products are developed and maintained in compliance with global regulations (e.g., GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, FDA) and Takeda’s quality and risk management standards.
• Work closely with architecture, engineering, quality, and data teams to ensure scalable and interoperable solutions across R&D.
• Represent PharmSci product leadership in strategic governance forums, investment planning committees, and external regulatory or industry working groups as needed.
• Ensures alignment of product solutions to Takeda’s short and long-term goals, both tactical and strategic.
• Leads and mentors Product Oriented Delivery (POD) Leads, Technical Leads, Business Analysts, and Quality Engineers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Provides guidance and coaching to team members and teams, reviewing and assessing team performance and identifying areas for improvement.
• Drive alignment between POD capacity and evolving business needs ensuring agility in responding to high impact initiatives
• Responsible for stakeholder management, driving cross-functional collaboration, cross enterprise influence and communication to ensure smooth project/product delivery and alignment with stakeholder expectations.
• Handles risk management, identifying potential project/product risks and implementing mitigation strategies.
• Oversees project budgets, resource allocation, and timelines to ensure timely delivery of projects within budget and in adherence to quality standards.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree (e.g., MBA, MS) strongly preferred.
• Required: 12+ years of experience in pharmaceutical R&D technology or digital product leadership roles, with deep expertise across Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Required: Strong understanding of CMC processes, GxP, regulatory compliance and global quality standards
• Required: Demonstrated ability to lead product teams through complex, regulated environments using modern product management and agile delivery frameworks.
• Required: Strategic thinker with outstanding leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Required: Proven success managing global teams, product portfolios, and vendor ecosystems.
• Required: Minimum 8 years of people leadership experience within a technology or product development environment and influencing senior-level management and key stakeholders.
• Preferred: Master’s degree in Information Technology, Life Sciences or a related field.

Skills

• Experience with technology platforms such as Tetracience, PLM, OpenLabs, MES, SAP ERP, and/or both regulated and non-regulated lab informatics and automation tools.
• Knowledge of current industry trends and emerging technologies in the R&D and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Ability to propose and prioritize future technical investments, assessing trade-offs between technical risks and potential benefits/rewards.
• Knowledge of product management and key trends associated with them.
• Knowledge of project management principles and methodologies with a proven track record in delivering complex technology projects.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment.
• Experience with prototyping tools and techniques.
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to manage and influence a variety of stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to make highly complex decisions that impact the enterprise
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively under pressure and adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to manage financial and people resources across multiple business functions, portfolios, and projects.
• Ability to understand and collaborate with customer and/or business partner needs through dialogue to resolve conflict in a constructive manner, before recommending solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to work across functions, regions and cultures
• Enterprise level leadership with the ability to inspire, motivate and drive results
• Ability to present complex information clearly and with confidence
• Proven skills as an effective team player who can engender credibility and confidence within and outside the company
• Foster solutions-oriented thinking by fostering a culture of performance, accountability, simplicity, empowerment, external orientation and curiosity.
• Effectively navigates the changing external and internal environment and leads others through change by creating and inspiring and engaging workplace

Education

• Master’s degree in Information Technology, Life Sciences or a related field.