Head of R&D IT

Alcon•Fort Worth, TX

16h

About The Position

The Sr. Director, Business Technology Partner (R&D) is the senior technology leader accountable for shaping and delivering the R&D Digital and Information Technology strategy that enables Alcon’s shift to a full‑spectrum innovation model—sustaining incremental excellence while accelerating breakthrough and disruptive innovation across MedTech and Pharma. This leader partners with R&D executives to build a faster, digitally enabled development engine driving and accelerating the R&D lifecycle from Concept through launch. As the leader of the IT/Digital teams that power R&D, you will translate the strategic pillars of R&D into a sequenced technology roadmap and measurable outcomes—learning velocity, cycle-time reduction, decision clarity, cost productivity, and risk reduction—while ensuring strong governance, cybersecurity, compliance, and partner enablement.

Requirements

12+ years in technology leadership roles, including strategic business partnering in complex, global environments; R&D/MedTech/Pharma experience strongly preferred
Proven track record delivering digital and technology transformation with measurable outcomes in cycle time, productivity, and portfolio throughput
Strong experience in the application of AI/GenAI, data platforms, modeling/simulation enablement, digital workflow automation, and product/platform operating models to drive R&D value.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and vendors, manage budgets, and drive executive alignment
Deep understanding of risk/compliance requirements in regulated development environments (validation, data integrity, privacy, cybersecurity)

Responsibilities

Strategic Technology Leadership for R&D Transformation: Partner with R&D leadership to define and evolve the R&D digital and Information Technology strategy aligned to the operating model and the 2026–2028 journey (alignment → scale → transformation). Co-develop the Information Technology capability roadmap for next-generation R&D (e.g., AI/GenAI, modeling & simulation, computational design, connected data ecosystem, software-enabled product features, evidence automation). Establish a clear technology investment thesis across incremental enhancements vs. breakthrough/disruptive enablers, tied to portfolio goals and measurable business impact. Be the thought leader for the R&D leadership on how technology ( from traditional SaaS implementations, to custom built software, to partnering with startups) can drive R&D transformation and acceleration.
Value creation through delivery on the Information Technology investment portfolio: Lead delivery of an integrated, end-to-end Information technology backbone that accelerates the entire R&D Value Chain including key focus areas such as generative design, opto‑mechanical stacks, modeling & simulation, protocol design, and CER/CSR workflow automation. Drive scalable R&D platforms and workflows that reduce reliance on costly physical prototyping and accelerate iteration cycles. Drive adoption and value realization from the technology investments.
Sustain and drive continuous improvement of R&D capabilities: The Application Lifecycle Management ( ALM), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Quality Management (QM) capabilities will be delivered through the Polarion and TeamCenter platforms under the Create to Make Program umbrella. Driving value for R&D through the adoption of these platforms will be a key mandate for this role.
Product Development Productivity (PDP) program: Lead digitization and Information Technology programs that modernize and simplify late-stage development through NPI, starting with instrumentation and expanding across technology platforms. Partner with product owners and R&D operations to implement standardized data models, traceability, and governance to enable fast, evidence-based decisions.
Enable External Innovation Velocity & Externalization Model: Build technology capabilities that support externalization/partnering in non-core areas (e.g., process development, design houses, electronics/programming, validation/VMV, pharma discovery), including: Partner connectivity, secure data exchange, and IP protection Vendor/partner performance transparency and delivery governance Rapid onboarding/offboarding and peak-load absorption mechanisms
Portfolio & Governance: Improve Throughput, Quality, and “Fast Kills”: Establish portfolio technology platforms/enablers and analytics that support best in class R&D Portfolio management. Deliver executive dashboards and decision cadences that connect R&D execution to outcomes (speed, cost, risk, readiness).
Culture, Talent, and Operating Model Leadership: Build and lead high-performing cross-functional digital teams (SaaS partners ( Veeva, Labvantage etc), product, engineering, data, enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, vendor partners). Reinforce an innovation culture by enabling: calculated risk-taking, rapid learning, intelligent experiments, and celebrating fast evidence-based decisions (including fast kills). Develop next-gen skills across teams: AI/ML literacy, data fluency, product mindset, platform thinking, systems engineering collaboration.
Risk Management, Compliance, and Resilience (Non‑negotiables): Ensure compliance across regulated R&D contexts, including data integrity, validation, security, privacy, and audit readiness. Proactively manage risks across technology, process, partners, and talent—including cybersecurity risks in external collaboration models.