Director, R&D IT - Cell Therapy Project Management

Introduction to role

The R&D IT Cell Therapy Project Management Director is responsible for leading a series of interrelated global projects and programs with a total value of up to $10M. This role ensures project accountability from initiation through to closure, delivering effective IT solutions that meet the prioritized needs of the cell therapy R&D sector.

Accountabilities

1. Oversee the determination and delivery of solutions within approved budget and schedule constraints, ensuring compliance with required quality standards.
2. Focus on stakeholder management, risk management, and the realization of business benefits.
3. Adhere to established project management standards and contribute to the continuous development of project/program management capabilities.
4. Build and nurture relationships with business and IT leaders to support strategic planning and project prioritization, ensuring alignment with the organization's strategic goals.
5. Apply robust knowledge of portfolio management to enhance practices, standards, reporting, and tools.
6. Act as a leader and advocate, working collaboratively within a business-facing R&D IT cell therapy team.
7. Oversee, drive, and approve plans for projects/programs, including activities, resources, costs, roles, responsibilities, and quality as defined in the IT Project Management Methodology (ADF).
8. Manage and coordinate project/program budgets, forecasts, tasks, schedules, risks, change management, and status to support effective decisions and project reporting to stakeholders and review boards.
9. Manage and coordinate interdependencies between projects and program workstreams (both intra-program and across the portfolio).
10. Manage relationships with senior business stakeholders to ensure effective capturing of business requirements and commitment to project/program objectives. Responsible for steering/stakeholder meetings and communication of status, issues, and risks.
11. Drive effective risk and issue management, ensuring processes are in place and effectively used. Ensure problems are resolved and escalate as appropriate.
12. Build a cohesive project/program team and provide the leadership necessary to maximize the team's success.
13. Own project/program improvement plans and oversee the execution of remediation plans.
14. Manage changes to project/program scope, ensuring that all impacts and changes are approved and appropriately communicated to stakeholders and review boards.
15. Assure/develop service transition plans to ensure project-delivered solutions are sustainable within a BAU operations environment, including controlled hand-over into operational support.
16. Ensure the project team adheres to all standards, including ADF, quality, and compliance, as well as processes, defined technical capabilities, and best practices. Establish program governance and lead Decision Point reviews; attend Steering Committee meetings.
17. Ensure expected benefits realization is consistent with project deliverables and clearly understood by stakeholders and the project team.
18. Support/lead the development of a world-class center of excellence for project management capabilities and ensure that best practices are adopted and reinforced.

Essential Skills/Experience

1. College / University Degree - Science, Technical or Business
2. 8+ years of proven relevant experience as a project / programme manager, or equivalent role
3. Proven skills and experience managing and controlling large project, programme and portfolio budgets
4. Experience managing and leading global project teams
5. Evidence of shaping innovative solutions that have a major impact within the business area and organization
6. Experience working in a global organization where stakeholders and project team members are geographically dispersed
7. Experience at the associate director or equivalent level in a major biopharmaceutical company, or manager-level experience in a major consulting firm
8. Project/Program Management certifications (APM/PMI)
9. Portfolio Management certification
10. Experience with JIRA
11. Experience with SNOW PPM (project and portfolio budget and resource management)
12. Strong understanding of the biopharmaceutical R&D process and data
13. Strong Project and Programme Management Skills
14. A capable knowledge of Financial Management and Benefits Delivery practices
15. Agile and Waterfall project management methodology experience
16. Broad understanding of IT systems and technology implemented within a business context.
17. Excellent communication and relationship management skills
18. Strong knowledge and experience with internal and external suppliers and solutions
19. Excellent business acumen with sensitivity to environment
20. Knowledge of GxP and SaMD standards

Desirable Skills/Experience

1. PhD in a scientific or technical field, or an MBA
2. Strong Portfolio Management Skills
3. Business Case Development
4. Demonstrated leadership skills interacting with senior leaders
5. Lean & Six Sigma Skills