Sr. Director, Program Mgt
Description
This is a great opportunity to join an attractive and well-funded clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing first-in-class game-changing therapies. You would be joining at an exciting time within the company, as they are starting to scale up and build out organizationally (i.e. high-growth mode, multiple departmental buildouts, multiple anticipated drug launches). Our client is seeking an experienced strategic-minded Program Management leader who will serve as the operational and strategic integrator driving strategy and execution for their global development programs, and help to shape product and franchise strategy. Given the smaller company environment, our client needs someone who is flexible, agile/able to effectively toggle current-state needs/priorities with big picture/future-state implications and truly embraces the controlled chaos startup biotech culture.
Location
NJ Area
Features
ATTRACTIVE FEATURES ABOUT THIS COMPANY & OPPORTUNITY:
- Impact & Visibility: Being a small company at the doorstep of fast-and-furious growth lends itself to more visibility/exposure and opportunity to truly impact from day one and play an important role in the company’s success journey.
- Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds: Join a successful and financially stable company, while also getting all the pluses of working for a small fast-growing organization that is very much in scale-up/building mode.
- Highly Accomplished Executive Leadership: Work closely with an industry experienced and accomplished Senior Leadership team with a proven track record of success in this space.
- Tremendous Upside Potential: Leveraged by its unique technology and robust R&D pipeline (including multiple potentially transformative late-stage assets), this company is well-positioned for tremendous success.
Responsibilities
RESPONSIBILITIES IN A NUTSHELL:
- Acting as the “COO” of the Global Program Team, this leader will partner closely with the Global Program Head to connect strategy to execution, ensuring alignment across functions, timelines, and outcomes.
- This role operates primarily through influence—driving alignment, decision-making, and execution excellence across the full drug development lifecycle, from IND-enabling studies through approval and lifecycle management.
- Holds the integrated view of the program at all times: scientific, operational, financial, and interpersonal — ensuring the organization can execute at every inflection point.
- Help to shape product and franchise strategy; anticipates inflection points before they arise.
- Drive the strategy and execution of development plans while adapting to shifting priorities and ensuring alignment with corporate objectives.
- Partner with executive leadership and cross-functional teams to align portfolio priorities, program strategy, and operational delivery at critical development inflection points; and drive portfolio governance and resource allocation.
- Deliver executive-ready portfolio insights, including risk assessments, scenario planning, and tradeoffs, enabling data-driven decision-making, governance, and resource allocation.
- Translate program strategy into clear, actionable operating plans.
- Integrated development planning and execution - integrating complex development plans, and ensuring that strategy translates into measurable progress and patient impact.
- Own integrated program timelines, budgets, and resource forecasts.
- Lead scenario planning, contingency strategies, and cross-functional risk management.
Qualifications / Requirements
DESIRED EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree is required.
- 10+ years of relevant program leadership experience in the biotech industry (ideally having worked in small, startup biotech organizations).
- Proven track record of optimizing project portfolios, aligning R&D strategies with overarching business goals, and ensuring successful outcomes.
- Deep expertise from IND to approval: clinical, regulatory, CMC, and commercial.
- Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, startup/entrepreneurial type of environment, to be self-motivated, and to communicate effectively with leadership on-site and internally.
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