Program Manager - Technical Operations

Neurocrine Biosciences • San Diego, CA

5d • $130,800 - $179,000

About The Position

The Program Manager, Technical Operations supports the planning, execution, and operational effectiveness of Technical Operations programs across the development portfolio. The role provides program management leadership for complex, multidisciplinary initiatives and serves as a key operational partner to CMC functional leaders, program teams, and cross-functional stakeholders.

The Program Manager is responsible for translating program objectives into integrated execution plans, establishing effective governance, and operating rhythms, identifying and managing dependencies and risks, and ensuring transparency and accountability across participating functions. The role may coordinate six or more technical sub-teams or workstreams within the scope of an assigned program and ensures that strategy, critical-path activities, interdependencies, decisions, and emerging risks are clearly communicated to appropriate stakeholders.

This position requires a strong understanding of pharmaceutical development and the interactions among core CMC disciplines, including Drug Substance/API Development, Analytical Development, Drug Product/Pharmaceutical Development, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and CMC Regulatory. The Manager works cross-functionally with partners in Research, Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Finance, and other functions to ensure Technical Operations activities support broader program and company objectives.

Requirements

• 6+ years of applicable experience AND Bachelor’s degree OR 4+ years of applicable experience AND Master’s degree OR 2+ years of applicable experience AND PharmD, or PhD
• Direct experience supporting CMC, Technical Operations, or manufacturing is required
• Program/project management experience within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or drug development environments is preferred.
• Experience supporting analytical activities, formulation development, or related functions is also preferred
• Strong working knowledge of pharmaceutical development and CMC/Technical Operations activities across the product development lifecycle
• Working knowledge of core CMC disciplines, including Drug Substance/API Development, Analytical Development, Drug Product/Pharmaceutical Development, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and CMC Regulatory
• Ability to integrate technical plans, milestones, dependencies, risks, and deliverables across multiple CMC disciplines, sub-teams, and workstreams
• Understanding of upstream and downstream dependencies among CMC/Technical Operations activities and their potential impact on broader development program timelines and objectives
• Understanding of the interfaces among Technical Operations, Research, Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, and other development functions
• Knowledge of CMC planning and readiness requirements associated with key development, manufacturing, clinical supply, and regulatory milestones
• Ability to partner effectively with technical and functional subject-matter experts and translate complex technical strategies and activities into integrated program plans, milestones, risks, and execution priorities
• Ability to facilitate scenario planning and trade-off discussions involving timelines, sequencing, resource constraints, technical dependencies, and execution priorities
• Understanding of program governance, risk management, decision management, and escalation practices within a pharmaceutical development and Technical Operations environment
• Familiarity with resource and capacity planning and the ability to provide leadership with meaningful visibility into workload, timing, dependencies, constraints, and program priorities
• Strong program and project management skills, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex programs, projects, or workstreams with competing priorities and deadlines
• Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to develop and maintain integrated plans, timelines, milestones, dependencies, critical paths, risks, and deliverables
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to build alignment, facilitate productive discussions, and drive execution in a matrixed environment
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate complex information, identify risks and dependencies, develop options, and make sound recommendations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and communicate program status, risks, decisions, and recommendations clearly to diverse audiences, including senior leaders
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate meetings, planning sessions, governance forums, scenario discussions, and decision-making processes involving multiple functions and stakeholders
• Ability to operate with a high degree of independence within established objectives, exercising sound judgment regarding when to resolve issues directly and when escalation or broader leadership involvement is appropriate
• Strong understanding of risk, issue, dependency, and decision management practices and their application to complex development programs
• Ability to understand broader organizational objectives and downstream impacts and translate strategic or program objectives into actionable plans, priorities, and execution activities
• Strong continuous-improvement mindset, with the ability to identify and recommend improvements to processes, workflows, governance, tools, reporting, and ways of working

Nice To Haves

• Program/project management experience within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or drug development environments is preferred.
• Experience supporting analytical activities, formulation development, or related functions is also preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead the integrated planning and execution of assigned Technical Operations and CMC programs, initiatives, and major workstreams from development planning through key program milestones
• Develop, maintain, and communicate integrated program plans, timelines, milestones, critical paths, dependencies, decision points, and key deliverables
• Establish and manage appropriate meeting cadences, governance forums, decision logs, action trackers, and status reporting mechanisms
• Monitor execution against agreed plans and proactively identify schedule risks, resource constraints, cross-functional dependencies, and emerging issues
• Partner with functional subject-matter experts to evaluate options, develop mitigation strategies, and support timely resolution or escalation of issues
• Facilitate scenario planning and trade-off discussions to enable informed decisions related to timelines, sequencing, dependencies, and execution priorities
• Maintain clear documentation of key program assumptions, decisions, risks, actions, and accountabilities
• Apply working knowledge of CMC development disciplines—including API/drug substance, analytical development, pharmaceutical/drug product development, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and regulatory activities—to effectively integrate cross-functional plans
• Understand upstream and downstream impacts of Technical Operations activities and proactively connect interdependent work across functions
• Partner with technical leaders to translate functional strategies and technical activities into coordinated program-level plans and milestones
• Facilitate alignment between Technical Operations activities and broader Research, Clinical Development, Regulatory, Quality, and portfolio objectives
• Support development and maintenance of integrated CMC strategies, timelines, and readiness plans for key development and regulatory milestones
• Serve as the program management representative for assigned Technical Operations initiatives and provide clear, data-driven recommendations to program and functional leadership
• Support execution of departmental and functional priorities by translating strategic objectives into clear tactical plans, deliverables, timelines, and ownership
• Provide leadership with accurate and timely visibility into program progress, risks, resource constraints, decisions, and key operational considerations
• Facilitate departmental, program, or cross-functional planning sessions and ensure resulting decisions and actions are appropriately documented and followed through
• Analyze program information and operating trends to identify near-term challenges, opportunities, and downstream impacts
• Recommend practical changes to operating approaches, processes, or governance mechanisms when they will improve execution or team effectiveness
• Contribute to resource and capacity discussions by providing visibility into workload, timing, dependencies, and program priorities
• Establish disciplined approaches for identifying, assessing, tracking, and communicating program risks and issues
• Work with team members and functional leaders to develop mitigation and contingency plans for material risks
• Ensure decisions are supported by relevant data, clearly documented, and translated into updated plans and accountabilities
• Recognize when issues require broader leadership involvement and facilitate timely escalation with clear options and recommendations
• Monitor the outcomes of significant decisions and adjust plans as necessary to maintain progress toward objectives
• Promote a solutions-oriented team environment in which issues are surfaced early and accompanied by proposed paths forward
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve program management processes, workflows, governance practices, and cross-functional collaboration
• Standardize fit-for-purpose templates, planning approaches, dashboards, metrics, and reporting mechanisms where appropriate
• Partner with stakeholders to support adoption of new project management systems, digital tools, data capabilities, and operating practices
• Use data and stakeholder feedback to assess effectiveness of existing processes and recommend improvements

Benefits

• annual bonus with a target of 30% of the earned base salary
• eligibility to participate in our equity based long term incentive program
• retirement savings plan (with company match)
• paid vacation, holiday and personal days
• paid caregiver/parental and medical leave
• health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage

What This Job Offers

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