Director, Global Program Management

Pfizer • San Diego, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Global Program Manager (GPM), Director provides program management leadership for Pfizer product teams, ensuring alignment and execution of research, development, medical, and commercial strategic and operational objectives. As a key leader on the Global Product Team (GPT), the GPM oversees asset strategy execution, integrated planning, team effectiveness, resource management, risk management, and communication management to deliver cross-functional commitments on or ahead of schedule, within budget, and with high quality. The GPM must also be proficient in applying AI-enabled tools and ways of working to strengthen decision-making, accelerate delivery, improve execution quality, and support more efficient use of resources. This role requires a strong understanding of governance processes, strategic and tactical planning, and the foundational tools that support planning, communication, and continuous improvement in operational delivery.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in one of the disciplines related to drug development or business required with at least 8 years of experience or advanced degree (PhD, PharmD, MBA, MS) with at least 7 years of experience.
• Mastery of program management skills and significant expertise in drug development
• Knowledge of end-to-end drug development (pre-clinical through LOE).
• Strong track record of performance, delivery and team effectiveness in a complex matrix team environment.
• Proven ability to drive results through effective implementation and expertise of project management methodology, tools, and techniques (e.g. developing integrated project plans, critical path management, project change control, project risk management, and decision analysis).
• Extensive knowledge and experience in drug development, medical, and/or commercial disciplines with proven ability to think strategically and operationally around the application of science and investment to optimize business benefit.
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into effective operational goals and tactical plans.
• Demonstrates AI fluency by strategically leveraging AI technologies to drive innovation, improve decision-making, and deliver measurable business outcomes while promoting responsible adoption across teams.
• Strong leadership, negotiation, interpersonal, communication, and meeting facilitation skills.
• Experience with stakeholder management, governance management, and communicating key messages to senior-level stakeholders.
• Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.
• This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Professional PM Certification (Project Management Professional [PMP] or equivalent) desirable.
• Knowledge and experience in clinical operations/clinical trial execution, (e.g. contract research organizations, budget management, and related areas) highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Working with team leadership, leads cross functional development of integrated program plans (e.g., Development, Lifecycle, and Operating plans) and ensures alignment with the overall strategic plan and operational and Partner Line plans for the program scope. Spans from Pre-clinical to Loss of Exclusivity.
• Drives decision point planning and the associated deliverables across all functions of the team and contributes to the strategic planning process for the project.
• Offers leadership in asset-level planning, including development and assessment of scenarios and options, robust decision criteria, risk management, and internal/external communication and stakeholder management strategies.
• In partnership with the Global Development Product Lead (GDPL), Finance Lead, and Partner Line representatives, accountable for developing and maintaining an integrated program level budget and accurate updated annual forecasts.
• Designs, recommends, and implements new processes, approaches, or tools to manage the program/team.
• Provides timeline and budget inputs for asset valuation.
• Able to serve as PM lead for top priority assets with multiple indications, providing leadership to other PMs and all functional line representatives
• Drives creation/maintenance of asset-level integrated development plans in partnership with the GDPL, recognizing and driving delivery of key interdependencies across functional lines.
• Leads development of the program critical path, decision criteria, and milestones/stage gates.
• Ensures all lines understand asset strategy, key milestones and interdependencies.
• Lead the oversight of the program level plan (schedule) in collaboration with the Project Planner and proactively identifies and manages opportunities to optimize delivery of the asset-level plan.
• Partner with the Project Planner to ensure that project schedule, resource management, and product controls are established and maintained.
• Facilitate scenario planning including the development and assessment of options.
• Provides cross-functional operational leadership to the team.
• Leads the development and coordination of program level goals in partnership with the GDPL and closely monitors progress against these goals for operational efficiency ensuring the program delivers on time, within scope, and on budget.
• Monitors activities across all team members and line functions involved in the program to ensure achievement of key decision points and milestones according to time, cost, and quality parameters of the endorsed plan.
• Influences leadership across functional lines to ensure efficient delivery of projects.
• Proactively identifies and manages emerging changes and opportunities; drives iterations of the plans collaboratively with the Project Planner to make updates in the project schedule; works with the team to optimize resource utilization and maximize return on investment.
• Reviews and/or approves operational activities and costs; monitors and manages program activities against the approved budget; leads the team to manage exposures through internal tradeoffs or seek approval through appropriate processes for additional budget as necessary.
• Negotiates the allocation of Partner Line resources to support the endorsed strategy & development plan.
• Facilitates the identification of operation and project/program issues and risks and drives resolution through a matrix environment, effectively documenting decisions/rationale.
• Partners with the GDPL prioritize asset level deliverables and align across functions.
• Drives process and accountabilities matrix for key cross functional deliverables.
• Drives team process for preparation of governance presentations.
• Leads the team in the preparation, implementation, maintenance, communication, and management of integrated risk management plans, including risk assessment and risk mitigation strategies.
• Proactively identifies operational and program issues, facilitates development of team recommendations and action options, and ensures appropriate escalation to senior leadership and Partner Lines.
• Partners with team and department leadership to identify options to de-risk project plans and capitalize on opportunities.
• Facilitates team discussion and documentation of alternative development options, including pros, cons, and risks.
• Provides assessment of timing of investment triggers and go/no go decision points.
• Responsible for the development and management of the communication plan for the program, including stakeholder management plan.
• Ensure effective, accurate, and timely communication of program information to meet the needs of the product team and stakeholders.
• Participates in representing the product team in governance presentations, Operating Plan reviews, stakeholder discussions, and other venues.
• Provides complete, accurate and timely timeline, budget and resource information in appropriate Pfizer systems to enable effective portfolio management and decision making.
• Drives development of project level goals that contribute to the overall goals of the business and monitors progress against these goals, working in close association with the Portfolio Directors to ensure alignment.
• Provides project information necessary to support portfolio-level decision making and prioritization.
• For Proof of Concept or pivotal study readouts (and as appropriate data monitoring committees and interim analyses), coordinates internal and external communication plans.
• Conduct lessons learned and after-action reviews.
• Utilizes negotiation, facilitation, meeting management, and conflict resolution skills to enhance cross-functional team performance.
• Understands and communicates team roles/responsibilities; helps new team members get up to speed on the program and ensures all team members have access to product information necessary to be successful.
• Ensures all appropriate team member views have been raised and incorporated into team decisions as appropriate.
• Identifies team performance issues and partners with team leadership to recommend and develop appropriate actions.
• Ensures cross-functional process efficiencies are identified & maximized in accordance with team project goals.
• Leads team chartering process.
• Leads implementation of team health survey.
• Models optimal team member and meeting etiquette behaviors, encourages straight talk.
• Clarifies project deliverables/workload to enable Partner Lines to assess resource needs, raise gaps, and partner with team leadership to resolve.
• Seen as key leader on the GPT with ability to influence across all line functions

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions
• additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution
• paid vacation
• holiday and personal days
• paid caregiver/parental and medical leave
• health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage.
• Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

What This Job Offers

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