Principal IT Program Manager - R&D

Neurocrine Biosciences • San Diego, CA

3d • $132,700 - $182,000

About The Position

The Principal IT Program Manager - R&D is accountable for delivering multiple complex, cross-functional IT programs and initiatives supporting R&D technology solutions, data platforms, and products. The role bridges IT teams and R&D business stakeholders to ensure initiatives are planned, governed, and delivered with discipline, transparency, and measurable value.

Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the position leads concurrent programs of moderate-to-high complexity and provides IT product ownership, program and project management, and agile leadership across multiple teams. Responsibilities include planning product delivery in alignment with R&D and IT priorities, defining platform features with stakeholders, managing feature backlogs, coordinating dependencies among developers, vendors, and distributed product owners and project managers, and facilitating agile ceremonies for R&D data solutions.

The role influences decision-making, contributes to and implements best practices, and serves as a resource to R&D and IT stakeholders. It requires strong communication and organizational skills and the ability to navigate differing perspectives while keeping urgent deliverables on track. The position reports to the Manager, IT Program Management, with dotted-line support to the Informatics & Business Insights team and the IT R&D Business Partner.

Requirements

• Equivalent combination of relevant education, training, and experience totaling 10+ years, including IT program or project management experience; recent experience delivering data platforms, scientific/R&D applications, or enterprise systems using Agile, hybrid, or waterfall methodologies.
• Strongly required: experience supporting validated applications for regulatory purposes in a biotech or pharmaceutical company.
• For the bachelor's degree pathway: BS/BA in computer science, IT, or a similar field and 6+ years of IT experience in a pharmaceutical or biotech company with exposure to FDA regulations, including relevant IT program or project management and recent delivery experience with data platforms, scientific/R&D applications, or enterprise systems.
• Alternatively, a master's degree in computer science, IT, or a similar field and 4+ years of similar experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, cross-functional IT programs or projects involving multiple stakeholders, technical dependencies, and competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of IT systems, platforms, and software delivery, including Agile, waterfall, and hybrid approaches, and experience applying them to complex technology initiatives.
• Experience supporting enterprise data platforms, analytics solutions, or scientific/R&D applications, preferably in biotechnology or pharmaceuticals.
• Ability to elicit business and user requirements, translate them into functional specifications, and coordinate implementation with technical teams.
• Experience with program governance, risk and issue management, and structured reporting to support program execution and stakeholder decisions.
• Proficiency with related software, including Jira, Jira Product Discovery, Confluence, ServiceNow, PowerPoint, and Gantt charting.
• Familiarity with scientific informatics platforms and applications such as Benchling or LIMS and their integration within R&D technology environments.
• Experience coordinating external vendors and supporting program budget tracking, forecasting, and resource planning.
• Experience supporting technology programs in biotechnology or pharmaceutical R&D environments.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts to technical, scientific, and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong influencing and collaboration skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, build alignment, and drive outcomes without direct authority.
• Advanced program and project management capabilities, including planning, prioritizing, and coordinating complex initiatives with competing deadlines and dependencies.
• Excellent analytical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, including independent judgment on complex issues.
• Strong business acumen and ability to connect technology initiatives to R&D business objectives and anticipate downstream impacts.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver accurate, efficient results.
• Ability to identify and implement improvements to tools, processes, and delivery practices that enhance functional efficiency and effectiveness.

Nice To Haves

• PMP certification or actively working toward certification is highly desired.
• Product Owner and/or ScrumMaster certification is preferred.
• Scientific educational background, such as biochemistry, is preferred.
• Professional certification in project, program, or Agile delivery management, such as PMP, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), or Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO).
• Educational background or professional experience in a scientific discipline, such as biochemistry or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple concurrent R&D IT programs, data platforms, and products of moderate-to-high complexity across R&D and related IT functions.
• Own end-to-end program delivery, aligning objectives, timelines, scope, and quality expectations with R&D business objectives.
• Develop and manage integrated program plans and roadmaps, including milestones, dependencies, and deliverables.
• Partner with R&D stakeholders, the IT R&D Business Partner, and IT leaders on delivery plans, roadmaps, success metrics, and execution.
• Translate technical concepts into business impact, risks, and decision-ready insights for R&D and IT leadership.
• Align stakeholders with diverse perspectives and competing priorities around priorities and outcomes.
• Provide IT product ownership for R&D data platforms and products; support product vision and objectives, manage feature backlogs, and prioritize with business and technical stakeholders.
• Define platform features, elicit R&D user requirements, and translate requirements into functional specifications for Engineering.
• Identify and communicate product feature dependencies across developers and stakeholders.
• Facilitate agile ceremonies, including backlog grooming, sprint planning, kickoff, and product showcases.
• Coordinate responses to fast-moving clarifications and changes across developers, external vendors, distributed product owners, and project managers.
• Select, apply, and recommend improvements to Agile, hybrid, or waterfall delivery methodologies.
• Review customer feedback and work with delivery teams to improve processes and data products, efficiency, scalability, and delivery performance.
• Coordinate activities across engineering, architecture, data, informatics and business insights, operations, cybersecurity, and R&D business teams.
• Manage interdependencies across programs, R&D scientific systems and platforms such as Benchling and Core LIMS, and vendors.
• Influence and align stakeholders in a matrixed environment without direct authority.
• Implement and maintain program governance, status reporting, executive updates, and communication cadence.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate technical, operational, and regulatory risks.
• Ensure adherence to applicable compliance, validation, and security requirements.
• Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders, including R&D scientists and executive leadership.
• Provide structured reporting on status, risks, issues, and value realization, and facilitate decisions with data-driven insights and effective storytelling.
• Coordinate program and product updates in Atlassian tools, including Jira Product Discovery, Jira, and Confluence.
• Coordinate updates to the IT Project Portfolio in ServiceNow.
• Coordinate external vendors and partners to support accountability and performance.
• Support budget tracking, forecasting, and resource planning.
• Monitor execution against approved budgets, resource plans, and expected outcomes; escalate variances and recommend corrective actions.

Benefits

• Annual bonus with a target of 30% of earned base salary.
• Eligibility to participate in an equity-based long-term incentive program.
• Retirement savings plan with company match.
• Paid vacation, holidays, and personal days.
• Paid caregiver, parental, and medical leave.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage, subject to applicable plan terms and conditions.

What This Job Offers

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