Associate Director - Portfolio & Project Management

Takeda • Thousand Oaks, CA

1d

About The Position

The Head of PMO provides strategic business and technical leadership for a high ‑ priority, complex, and cross ‑ functional project portfolio in support of site ‑ level strategic initiatives. This role is accountable for overall project portfolio performance, including milestone adherence, resource optimization, and financial outcomes, and serves as a key liaison between site leadership, functional partners, and internal and external stakeholders. The Head of PMO embeds project management as a core capability across the organization, driving disciplined execution, transparency, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Degree in Engineering or a Science‑related discipline preferred.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive project management experience.
• PMP, IPMA, or equivalent project management certification.
• Strong knowledge of cGMP manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and drive organizational change.
• Proven decision‑making, technical problem‑solving, and analytical skills.
• Agile mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work cross‑functionally and optimize resource utilization.

Responsibilities

• Project & Portfolio Management
• Lead the Project Management Office (PMO) and directly manage PMO staff.
• Drive site‑level strategic planning for capital and non‑capital projects.
• Partner with site and enterprise leadership to align portfolio priorities, resource allocation, and communications.
• Own facility‑level milestone hit rate and overall portfolio performance.
• Champion and lead cultural transformation in project management maturity.
• Establish and maintain critical business processes to ensure excellence in project execution.
• Participate in project evaluation and feasibility assessments.
• Provide clear direction on project requirements to meet external customer and internal stakeholder expectations.
• Establish and maintain robust project governance, including portfolio reviews and executive updates.
• Ensure consistent application of Takeda’s Project Management Methodology across all projects.
• Approve key project deliverables and confirm readiness for project close‑out.
• Integrate Capital Projects teams with PMO methodologies, ensuring alignment and consistent execution standards.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for SPOT (Single Point of Truth), Takeda’s internal project information system.
• Risk Management & Issue Resolution
• Lead the organization’s approach to project and program risk management.
• Make informed decisions on acceptable risk in situations with significant project or program impact.
• Proactively identify, remove, or mitigate barriers to execution.
• Anticipate potential conflicts and implement proactive resolution strategies.
• Financial Management
• Provide financial analysis and business justification for new projects and programs.
• Manage the project OPEX budget, including forecasting and monthly reporting.
• Administration & Governance
• Act as a champion of PMO processes, recognizing the critical impact of project outcomes on overall business success.
• Define, implement, and manage project and program structures and performance metrics from initiation through scale‑up.
• Ensure effective linkage between portfolio data, project prioritization, and governance processes.
• Drive continuous improvement in the organization’s ability to execute projects from concept through commercial production.
• Communication & Leadership
• Communicate effectively and influence key stakeholders, including site leadership, capital project teams, and finance partners.
• Navigate ambiguity by bringing clarity, structure, and disciplined execution.
• Inspire confidence and lead change through a combination of technical expertise, strong leadership presence, and change management capability.

Benefits

• U.S. based employees may be eligible to participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays, and well-being benefits, among others.
• U.S. based employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director