(Associate) Director, Project Management

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company•Boston, MA

1d•$115,000 - $210,000•Onsite

About The Position

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical-stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep-wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) – is being developed for narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa's OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical-stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work® in 2026. Centessa is seeking a (Associate) Director, Program Management – Orexin Development Programs. This individual will leverage both project management and drug development experience to manage one or more early-stage global Orexin development programs. This position will report to the Executive Director, Global Team Leader.

Requirements

BS plus 8+ years’ experience in pharmaceutical/biotech R&D environment, or MS/MBA plus 6+ years in pharmaceutical/biotech R&D environment, including 4+ years as PM or equivalent
Experience managing project teams through IND-enabling activities, pre-IND mtgs, IND submissions, and Phase 1 development.
Proven expertise in drug development and registration, including early and late-stage clinical, nonclinical, CMC development, and regulatory interactions, submissions/reviews globally
Highly motivated, proactive, detail-oriented and organized self-starter with strong communication, collaboration, interpersonal skills, and influence to accomplish work without formal authority and to ensure optimal team performance
Excellent analytical skills and expert in facilitating team decision making; competent in the application of decision analysis methodologies and related tools
Expert knowledge of project management principles and practices with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced dynamic environment (PMP certification is highly desired), and expert in project management software, e.g., Smartsheet

Nice To Haves

PMP certification is highly desired

Responsibilities

Partner with the GTL (Global Team Leader) to project manage a cross-functional matrix development team, and select sub-teams
Lead the development of and continuously maintain detailed and fully cross-functionally integrated program Gantt chart, incorporating all relevant dependencies, and provide fit-for-purpose summary views for team use and executive management reviews
Identify and manage interdependencies, critical path and at-risk activities to support program level scenario planning and risk management strategies
Develop and maintain relevant dashboards to communicate status and track progress
Manage cross-functional team meetings including scheduling, preparing agendas, presentation materials, and minutes that ensure proper follow up of action items
Develop and maintain issue logs and risks registers, and ensure team proactively resolve issues in a timely manner and that risks are mitigated as appropriate
Work with cross-functional team and Finance to develop and update budgets, and manage program spend within approved budget
Manage select external vendors (timelines, budgets, MSA/SOW documents, etc.) and integrate deliverables into program Gantt
Support development of Governance and Executive presentations
Provide support for the planning and preparation of documents to a quality standard required for Regulatory/Health Authority submissions
Contribute to establishment and refinement of best practices, processes and procedures