Group Lead, Director of Program Management

Lonza • Portsmouth, NH

32d • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an executive leader to join us as the Group Lead, Director of Program Management in Portsmouth, NH. In this role, you will manage a direct team of PMs, driving a culture of accountability, teamwork, and program ownership. Operating with strategic autonomy, you will oversee risk profiles across our portfolios and champion effective mitigation plans. Serving as a vital cross-functional anchor, you will act as a primary interface between clients and Lonza to ensure project delivery matches expectations while upholding Global Program and Project Center of Excellence (PPM CoE) standards.

Requirements

• 10+ years of professional experience within the Life Sciences, Pharmaceuticals, Biotech, or Medical Device industries is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus between external clients and internal teams; exceptional capacity to "influence without authority" across a matrixed environment to achieve organizational goals.
• Prior experience working within a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) or a fast-paced contract manufacturing environment is highly preferred.
• Deep operational experience in Project or Program Management, utilizing structured PM Standard Work processes to lead complex project lifecycles.
• Proven experience supervising direct reports, managing performance metrics, and building team capabilities is preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree is required, preferably in a related Life Sciences or technical discipline.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or a relevant, verified PM certification is highly preferred.

Nice To Haves

• A technical understanding of mammalian cell culture manufacturing is ideal, though not explicitly required.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate, and develop a direct team of Project Managers; establish clear performance expectations, champion career development initiatives, and cultivate a healthy life-work balance.
• Maintain a comprehensive, holistic view of the direct team's program portfolio, guiding PMs through risk assessments, issue profiles, tactical mitigation plans, and financial success.
• Serve as a core link between the customer and Lonza to drive execution; deeply understand customer requirements and represent their interests as an authoritative on-site advocate.
• Oversee the operational execution of multi-disciplinary, cross-functional project teams to deliver complex scopes with the highest level of quality.
• Enforce strict adherence to Global Program and Project Center of Excellence (PPM CoE) standards, ensuring data integrity excellence and rigorous project tracking inside Planview.
• Champion the implementation of standardized PM tools, workflows, and best practices across the team to optimize delivery timelines.
• Act as a strategic mentor for individuals across other site functions and coordinate with Account Management/Sales to maximize client satisfaction throughout the program lifecycle.

Benefits

• Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates and their families, if needed.
• An agile career and dynamic working culture
• An inclusive and ethical workplace
• Compensation programs that recognize high performance
• Medical, dental and vision insurance, as well as PTO and more

What This Job Offers

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