Head of R&D Portfolio & Project Management
About The Position
The Head of R&D Portfolio & Project Management Office (PMO) is accountable for execution excellence across a complex and evolving R&D portfolio. This role leads and advances best-in-class portfolio, program, and project management capabilities to enable disciplined delivery, predictable outcomes, and transparent execution across R&D. This leader owns the design, deployment, and continuous improvement of scalable PMO practices, including delivery standards, governance models, and enabling tools. In close partnership with R&D Strategy & Portfolio, the role translates portfolio priorities into integrated execution plans, sequencing, and delivery insights that support effective trade-offs and decision-making. This role also builds and sustains strong PMO talent to support increasingly complex, cross-functional R&D initiatives.
Requirements
- Advanced degree in Life Sciences, Business, or related field; MBA or PhD preferred.
- 12-15+ years of experience in R&D portfolio / project management and operations leadership
- Demonstrated success building PMO capabilities, strengthening delivery performance, and developing PMO talent
- Experience running development programs that include different product types: instruments, assays, regulated products, and software
- Advanced understanding of stage-gate product development process and risk management
- Strong communication, leadership and stakeholder management skills effective in matrixed organizations
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across all levels of the organization
- Positive change agent – experience leading effective change management practices
Nice To Haves
- PMP or similar certification preferred
Responsibilities
- Lead the R&D PMO to ensure execution rigor, predictable delivery, and operational discipline across a complex R&D portfolio
- Ensure initiatives are delivered on time, on budget, and to defined quality standards, with strong risk and dependency management
- Own and continuously improve PMO standards, methodologies, governance and tools, including fit-for-purpose product development and delivery frameworks
- Integrate AI into PMO processes to increase overall project delivery efficiency
- Enable effective portfolio governance in partnership with R&D Strategy and Portfolio Operations & Insights, Corporate Strategy, Product Management, and business group leaders
- Operationalize portfolio priorities into executable programs, roadmaps, and capacity-informed plans
- Provide execution-based insights to inform portfolio trade-offs, sequencing, and governance decisions
- Deliver clear, consistent execution reporting, dashboards, and metrics to R&D leadership and cross-functional leadership
- Serve as trusted execution partner to senior executives and cross-functional leaders, in a complex matrixed environment
- Drive cross-R&D alignment and collaboration to manage interdependencies and accelerate delivery
- Champion transparency and accountability through effective reporting and insights
- Attract, develop, and retain top-tier PMO and R&D talent
- Coach and mentor PM talent to strengthen core competencies and career progression
- Foster a high-performing, inclusive culture focused on innovation, adaptability, and measurable outcomes
Benefits
- access to genomics sequencing
- family planning
- health/dental/vision
- retirement benefits
- paid time off
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
