Senior Director, Portfolio Management

Role Summary

The Senior Director of Portfolio Management will shape and execute the strategic direction of the company’s development and commercialization portfolio. In a dynamic, matrixed environment, you will drive enterprise-wide portfolio prioritization, facilitate cross-functional alignment, and enable efficient decision-making to maximize value creation. This role requires deep collaboration with Finance, R&D, and Commercial to ensure portfolio investments are strategically sound, financially viable, and aligned with market opportunities and scientific innovation. Location: Princeton, NJ; San Diego, CA; or South San Francisco, CA. The hybrid model requires in-office presence about 3 days per week.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of portfolio prioritization frameworks that balance scientific innovation, commercial potential, and financial impact.
• Partner closely with Finance to assess investment scenarios, optimize resource allocation, and ensure portfolio decisions are grounded in financial rigor.
• Collaborate with R&D leadership to align pipeline strategy with portfolio goals, ensuring scientific feasibility and milestone-driven execution.
• Engage with Commercial teams to incorporate market insights, competitive intelligence, and launch readiness into portfolio planning.
• Facilitate governance processes that promote transparency, agility, and accountability across the portfolio lifecycle.
• Drive continuous improvement in portfolio operations, leveraging data and analytics to inform strategic decisions and enhance execution efficiency.
• Lead focused initiatives supporting continuous improvement of Acadia’s Portfolio Governance and Operating Model.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Portfolio Governance (PG), providing clear, actionable insights on portfolio performance, trade-offs, and strategic risks.
• Champion a culture of accountability, collaboration, and innovation across teams and functions.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's degree in life science or related field; 12+ years of progressively responsible, relevant experience focusing on program management, including 8+ years in a leadership role with cross-functional project teams; strong understanding of the drug development process from preclinical pharmacology through regulatory approval and the principles, concepts, practices, and standards of pharmaceutical program management; an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.
• Preferred: Advanced degree.

Skills

• Significant amount of experience required in portfolio management, strategic planning, or program leadership within the biotech or life sciences industry.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders in a matrixed environment.
• Strong understanding of drug development processes, commercialization strategies, and financial modeling.
• Executive presence and exceptional communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with governance frameworks and enterprise operating models is highly desirable.
• Advanced meeting facilitation skills and ability to lead cross-functional teams that include executive and senior management without direct authority.
• Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources and to be persuasive, encouraging and motivating.
• In-depth knowledge and skill with Microsoft (MS) suite including MS PowerPoint, MS Project, MS Word, MS Excel.
• Must be able and willing to travel on occasion.

Additional Requirements

• Physical requirements: Regular standing, walking, sitting, and use of hands for handling or operating equipment. Reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and maintain visual, verbal, and auditory communication in an office environment and when working remotely. May be required to travel overnight; occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds; may require after-hours work to meet travel schedules or business needs.