Director, Head of Program Management

Tessera Therapeutics•Somerville, MA

13h•$186,000 - $239,000

About The Position

This role is for an experienced program management leader who brings strategic thinking, operational discipline, and a collaborative leadership style to complex drug development programs. The individual will understand how to translate scientific and development strategy into clear, executable plans, and will be energized by helping teams make progress through structure, transparency, and effective decision-making. The role requires comfort working with senior leaders while also staying close enough to the details to understand risks, dependencies, tradeoffs, and the critical path. The ability to influence without authority, build trust across functions, and create alignment in a matrixed environment is essential. The ideal candidate is an active listener and clear communicator who can synthesize complex information into practical recommendations that help teams and leaders make timely decisions. This position is motivated by the opportunity to build and lead a Program Management function that enables innovation, accountability, and high-quality execution in service of bringing meaningful therapies to patients. Tessera leaders are empathetic and transparent coaches with a strong sense of integrity, committed to the growth and development of their teams, the organization, and themselves.

Requirements

Bachelor’s in life sciences, engineering, business, or a related field with 15 years related experience or Masters with 13 years related experience or PhD with 10 years of related experience
Significant experience in program management, program operations, or cross-functional development teams in a dynamic biotech or pharmaceutical environment
Strong understanding of drug development from research through preclinical development, IND-enabling activities, regulatory submissions, and clinical development
Demonstrated ability to bridge science and business interests
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Being well-versed in program management principles, practices, and tools (including Office Timeline, Think-Cell, and Smartsheet/Microsoft Project)
Thriving in a dynamic and rigorous work environment, coaching and mentoring

Nice To Haves

Commercial experience
Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification
Experience in genetic medicines

Responsibilities

Building and leading a fit-for-purpose Program Management function that enables strong execution, transparent communication, and effective decision-making across the organization
Guiding and empowering Program Managers to drive the development and management of integrated program plans (including timelines, assumptions, scenarios, risks, critical path, decision maps, goals, and budget drivers)
Establishing and continuously improving program management capabilities, tools, and practices
Partnering with Finance and Corporate Development to prepare for Portfolio Reviews
Facilitating and contributing to the Programs/Portfolio goal setting & tracking, in line with enterprise goals
Systematically monitoring program risks and trends across the portfolio. Ensuring timely escalation of issues and proposed mitigation strategies as appropriate
Fostering an enriching and positive work environment, maximizing impact
Promoting crisp, transparent, and timely communication, clear decision-making in accordance with Tessera’s decision-making model, and high‑performing program/alliance teams
Evolving your role over time to meet Tessera’s business needs