Director, Innovation PMO and R&D Operations

Danaher Corporation•Sunnyvale, CA

3d•$170,000 - $255,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director, Innovation PMO and R&D Operations provides leadership and direction through managers and is accountable for the performance and results of IDT’s Innovation Project Management Office (PMO) and R&D Operations function. This role contributes to the development of company and functional strategy, applying broad industry knowledge and commercial awareness to drive portfolio execution and operational excellence across IDT’s R&D organization. Decisions are guided by functional strategy and major organizational priorities. This position reports to the Vice President, Research & Development, and is part of the Research & Development organization. There is a preference for candidates who can work on-site in Sunnyvale, CA; Coralville, IA; or Waltham, MA. While this req is posted as on-site in the US, applications from qualified candidates in other US locations will be considered equally. This role will require periodic travel to team sites to attend meetings, training, and reviews, and to conduct Gemba walks in support of a geographically distributed team.

Requirements

Advanced degree (MS, PhD) in Life Sciences, Engineering, or a related field with 12+ years of program management experience in R&D or technical product development in the life sciences industry (genomics, biotech, diagnostics, or related); or 15+ years with a Bachelor’s degree.
7+ years of leadership experience managing teams of managers and influencing senior executive stakeholders with demonstrated ability to lead through subordinate managers across multiple functions.
Demonstrated track record of contributing to and executing functional strategy, with broad impact on divisional or functional results through successful portfolio management and commercial programs.
Strong expertise in portfolio governance, project management methodologies (PMI, Lean, Agile, hybrid), and execution systems.
Experience applying DBS tools (leader standard work, visual management, Kaizen, structured problem solving) in a continuous improvement culture.
Exceptional interpersonal and negotiation skills; demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and shape opinions within and outside the organization, with strong sensitivity to the audience.

Nice To Haves

Experience establishing a new R&D PMO function from the ground up—including setting strategy, building teams, and developing standard processes—within a genomics, molecular biology, or life sciences product development organization.
Familiarity with IDT’s product portfolio ar,eas including genomics tools, oligonucleotide synthesis, CRISPR reagents, or NGS applications.
PMP/PgMP or similar project management certification.

Responsibilities

Lead through direct-report managers to provide direction and oversight to a high-performing PMO and R&D Operations organization, with accountability for project delivery, portfolio visibility, execution rigor, and safe, compliant operations.
Develop and execute the PMO strategy aligned with IDT’s corporate product portfolio strategy and annual business plans, applying broad industry knowledge and commercial awareness to drive financial and operating performance.
Manage prioritization and execution across the innovation portfolio, ensuring decisions are based on strategic value, risk, resources, and financial impact in partnership with Product Management and R&D leadership.
Establish, deploy, and continuously improve portfolio governance structures, toll-gate processes, project templates, reporting frameworks, and portfolio-level KPIs to enable transparent, data-driven decision making and corrective action.
Lead cross-functional program reviews, executive steering committees, and decision forums, applying advanced critical thinking to resolve highly complex portfolio challenges that span within and beyond the function.
Drive PMO maturity and continuous improvement through adoption of best-in-class project management methodologies and Danaher Business System tools, including leader standard work, visual management, Kaizen, and structured problem solving.
Influence and align senior leaders and external partners by collaborating closely with Finance, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, IT, Marketing, and Product Management on priorities, resource trade-offs, and deliverables.