Head of Clinical Data Science

3316 Takeda Development Center Americas•Boston, MA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Head of Clinical Data Science is a senior enterprise leader responsible for transforming Takeda’s global Clinical Data Science capabilities across Drug Development. Reporting to the Head of DQS, this role will move the function beyond biostatistics and statistical programming to a more integrated, innovation-led model. The leader will set the vision, strategy, and operating model to modernize study design, accelerate data-driven decision-making, improve regulatory readiness, and strengthen lifecycle evidence delivery, with a strong focus on execution of Takeda’s late-stage portfolio. In parallel, the role will help build the capabilities and ways of working to enable Takeda’s early-stage portfolio, ensuring the organization is ready to apply modern clinical data science approaches earlier in development. Through bold people leadership, enterprise mindset, and strategic collaboration across DQS, R&D, Global Medical, and external partners, the role will strengthen Takeda’s long-term competitive advantage and position the company at the forefront of clinical data science innovation.

Requirements

Advanced degree in Biostatistics, Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science, or another relevant quantitative discipline; PhD preferred.
15+ years of significant leadership experience in clinical data science, including biostatistics, data engineering and programming within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
Demonstrated success leading global, matrixed organizations with both business-facing and enterprise platform responsibilities.
Deep experience across drug development, including clinical trial methodology, regulatory submissions, and health authority interactions.
Strong knowledge of global regulatory expectations, data standards, analytical methods, and quantitative approaches used in development decision-making.
Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and translate complex quantitative topics into clear, strategic recommendations.
Exceptional communication, influencing, and leadership skills, with the ability to operate credibly at executive and board levels.
Proven track record of leading and driving business process transformation and organizational culture change as well as delivering projects with complex business deliverables.
Track record of successful leadership, management, and development of large, multi-disciplinary globally dispersed teams.
Strong judge of talent with the ability to make tough talent decisions.

Responsibilities

Serve as a member of the DQS Leadership Team, influencing future strategy and implementation of a new operation model to deliver sustainable value to Takeda R&D.
Build and lead a high-performing global organization, including talent development, succession planning, organizational design, and capability building across both TA-facing and platform teams.
Define and lead the strategy for clinical data science, including biostatistics and programming, in alignment with R&D and portfolio priorities.
Lead a matrixed organization comprising Therapeutic Area Heads responsible for embedded quantitative support to development programs, and cross-TA platform leaders responsible for enterprise standards and innovation, automation, and shared capabilities.
Ensure high-quality statistical leadership across development, including study design, analysis strategy, interpretation of results, evidence planning and generation, and regulatory support from early development through registration and lifecycle management with a strong link to Global Medical priorities.
Oversee a global modern programming capability that delivers timely, compliant, and inspection-ready outputs for studies, submissions, pooled analyses, and integrated summaries.
Establish and scale enterprise platforms for data science, including advanced analytics, simulation, visualization, predictive methods, and decision support frameworks that improve trial, program, asset, and portfolio decisions.
Drive consistency, quality, and efficiency across Therapeutic Areas through common governance, processes, data standards, reusable assets, and fit-for-purpose analytical tools.
Ensure all clinical data science activities are conducted in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, internal quality expectations, and industry standards.
Serve as a strategic partner within DQS and across senior leaders within R&D and beyond (Global Medical).
Represent the function in governance forums and provide quantitative leadership to major development, submission, and portfolio decisions.
Enables team to perform at their highest level by setting ambitious goals and direction and providing timely feedback.
Provides leadership, expertise, and guidance to management and other departments regarding clinical drug development, and specifically clinical data science.
Responsible for managing the operational budget globally.