Senior Director, Program Management
(Los Altos, CA)
The Role
Reporting to the Chief Business Officer the Director Program Management will act as the driver, integrator and single point of accountability for the Company’s pre-launch programs. Working closely with Clinical Operations, Pre-Clinical Development, Regulatory and CMC functions, the Director Program Management will drive development strategy and tactical execution of the assigned programs throughout their life cycle (discovery/acquisition though development and commercialization). They will ensure alignment with the overall business strategy and drive achievement of key Company and core team goals by playing a pivotal integrative role. The Director of Program Management will be responsible for leading day-to-day activities with the goal of driving cross-functional coordination and communication and support the development of comprehensive proactive risk identification/mitigation strategies to ensure the program goals are successfully executed within agreed budgets and timelines. The role is based in our Los Altos, CA location.
Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Lead ongoing development and maintenance of integrated cross-functional project plans including Target Product Profiles to enable accurate financial and program analysis and planning
- Lead program management activities including planning, tracking, reporting, global risk assessment and mitigation, and lessons-learned
- Identify and champion best practices in Program Management, including the use of agendas, minutes, dashboards, maintain document repository, establish and implement templates, tools, and processes to drive efficiency, alignment, communication, and effective planning
- Report program information and support development of program presentations to the Executive Leadership Team, functional heads, and other key stakeholders
- Contribute to long-range planning (LRP) and budgetary planning at the program level
- Facilitate decision-making, collaboration, and problem-solving with people at all levels of the organization to accomplish shared program goals
- Effectively manage multiple projects and responsibilities concurrently
- Drive day-to-day program activities to meet milestones; monitoring critical path activities to ensure delivery of program objectives
- Create and maintain integrated program timeline
- Define and implement the program operating model for the program: define program team forums, interfaces between program team and functions, program meetings cadence and governance, systems to track, monitor and report progress
- Identify and develop risk mitigations strategies by effective cross-functional responses to changing circumstances/unforeseen events
- Lead the primary program meetings, facilitate decision making, collaboration and problem solving with people at all levels of the organization to accomplish shared program goals
- Report and present program information to executive leadership team as requested
- Influence and work with all related players so that they provide key data, and where required work with them to troubleshoot and problem solve issues in meeting
Required Education, Skills and Experience
- MS degree in applicable discipline
- 7+ years Biotech/Pharmaceutical industry Program Leadership/Management experience including 2-4 years as a Sr. Manager or Manager leading cross functional program management teams
- Prior experience working in all phases of drug development (pre-IND to commercialization)
- Demonstrated success supporting complex programs involving dozens of stakeholders to goal achievement including development of complex drug development project strategy
- Experience leading and motivating cross-functional teams
- Track record of delivering in a fast-paced, innovative, dynamic environment while remaining flexible, proactive, resourceful and efficient
- Outstanding influencing skills up, down and across the organization including executive/senior management
- Excellent verbal and written communication and facilitation skills; history of communicating/presenting clearly and concisely; bringing issues to closure in cross-functional group settings
- Record of building trust and maintaining partnerships with team members to collaborate on progress toward program goals
- Anticipates and supports development of multiple, creative strategic solutions which incorporate in-depth overview of current / future view of overall portfolio and
- Reputation for seamless execution and cultivating excellent collaborations and accountability across functions
- A strong external network to tap in to and share learnings.
Preferred Skills and Experience
PhD, in applicable discipline or MBA if prior degree is in appropriate scientific areas
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.