Director, R&D IT – Cell Therapy Project Management

AstraZeneca • Gaithersburg, MD

101d • $142,740 - $214,111

About The Position

The R&D IT Cell Therapy Project Management Director is responsible for leading a series of interrelated global projects and programs with a total value of up to $10M. This role ensures project accountability from initiation through to closure, delivering effective IT solutions that meet the prioritized needs of the cell therapy R&D sector.

Requirements

• College / University Degree – Science, Technical or Business
• 8+ years of proven relevant experience as a project / programme manager, or equivalent role
• Experience in cell or gene therapy
• Proven skills and experience managing and controlling large project, programme and portfolio budgets
• Experience managing and leading global project teams
• Evidence of shaping innovative solutions that have a major impact within the business area and organization
• Experience working in a global organization where stakeholders and project team members are geographically dispersed
• Experience at the associate director or equivalent level in a major biopharmaceutical company, or manager-level experience in a major consulting firm
• Project/Program Management certifications (APM/PMI)
• Portfolio Management certification
• Experience with JIRA
• Experience with SNOW PPM (project and portfolio budget and resource management)
• Strong understanding of the biopharmaceutical R&D process and data
• Strong Project and Programme Management Skills
• A capable knowledge of Financial Management and Benefits Delivery practices
• Agile and Waterfall project management methodology experience
• Broad understanding of IT systems and technology implemented within a business context.
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills
• Strong knowledge and experience with internal and external suppliers and solutions
• Excellent business acumen with sensitivity to environment
• Knowledge of GxP and SaMD standards

Nice To Haves

• PhD in a scientific or technical field, or an MBA
• Strong Portfolio Management Skills
• Business Case Development
• Demonstrated leadership skills interacting with senior leaders
• Lean & Six Sigma Skills

Responsibilities

• Oversee the determination and delivery of solutions within approved budget and schedule constraints, ensuring compliance with required quality standards.
• Focus on stakeholder management, risk management, and the realization of business benefits.
• Adhere to established project management standards and contribute to the continuous development of project/program management capabilities.
• Build and nurture relationships with business and IT leaders to support strategic planning and project prioritization, ensuring alignment with the organization's strategic goals.
• Apply robust knowledge of portfolio management to enhance practices, standards, reporting, and tools.
• Act as a leader and advocate, working collaboratively within a business-facing R&D IT cell therapy team.
• Oversee, drive, and approve plans for projects/programs, including activities, resources, costs, roles, responsibilities, and quality as defined in the IT Project Management Methodology (ADF).
• Manage and coordinate project/program budgets, forecasts, tasks, schedules, risks, change management, and status to support effective decisions and project reporting to stakeholders and review boards.
• Manage and coordinate interdependencies between projects and program workstreams (both intra-program and across the portfolio).
• Manage relationships with senior business stakeholders to ensure effective capturing of business requirements and commitment to project/program objectives.
• Drive effective risk and issue management, ensuring processes are in place and effectively used.
• Build a cohesive project/program team and provide the leadership necessary to maximize the team’s success.
• Own project/program improvement plans and oversee the execution of remediation plans.
• Manage changes to project/program scope, ensuring that all impacts and changes are approved and appropriately communicated to stakeholders and review boards.
• Assure/develop service transition plans to ensure project-delivered solutions are sustainable within a BAU operations environment.
• Ensure the project team adheres to all standards, including ADF, quality, and compliance, as well as processes, defined technical capabilities, and best practices.
• Establish program governance and lead Decision Point reviews; attend Steering Committee meetings.
• Ensure expected benefits realization is consistent with project deliverables and clearly understood by stakeholders and the project team.
• Support/lead the development of a world-class center of excellence for project management capabilities and ensure that best practices are adopted and reinforced.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan
• paid vacation and holidays
• paid leaves
• health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees