Project Manager - Project Management Office (PMO)

Orca Bio•Sacramento, CA

1d•$90,000 - $125,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Orca Bio is a commercial-stage biotechnology company redefining the transplant process by developing next-generation cell therapies with the goal of providing significantly better survival rates with dramatically fewer risks. The Project Manager is responsible for managing defined cross-functional projects within the Project Management Office (PMO), with an emphasis on CMC implementation, Technical Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Clinical or Development-related initiatives. This is a hands-on project management role with ownership of project plans, timelines, deliverables, risks, and cross-functional execution. The successful candidate will have direct experience driving projects in a biotechnology or pharmaceutical environment and will be comfortable working at the level of detail required to move complex, regulated work from plan through implementation. This individual must be able to translate project objectives, progress, risks, and decisions into clear project plans and concise communications for functional leaders and executives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Life Sciences, Biotechnology, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
Minimum of 3 years of hands-on project management or closely related experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cell therapy, clinical, medical device, or other regulated life sciences industry. Candidates with fewer years may be considered when their experience demonstrates meaningful ownership of complex cross-functional projects.
Demonstrated experience directly managing CMC implementation, Technical Operations, pharmaceutical or cell therapy manufacturing, Quality, clinical operations, or comparable cross-functional life sciences projects. Experience must include active ownership of project execution, not solely meeting coordination or administrative support.
Demonstrated experience building and actively managing detailed project plans using Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, OnePlan, or a comparable scheduling tool. Smartsheet experience is strongly preferred.
Working knowledge of FDA-regulated environments and the project implications of GMP, GDP, quality systems, validation, change control, and operational or clinical implementation activities.
Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, dependencies, risks, and cross-functional stakeholders in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex project information into concise status updates, dashboards, and executive presentations.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly PowerPoint and Excel.

Nice To Haves

PMP or other recognized project management certification is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Own and actively manage detailed cross-functional project plans from initiation through implementation, including scope, milestones, dependencies, deliverables, decision points, and critical path activities.
Manage defined CMC, Technical Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Clinical, and other business or operational projects, coordinating work across functional teams and maintaining accountability to agreed timelines and deliverables.
Build, maintain, and drive project schedules in Smartsheet; ensure plans accurately reflect current status, dependencies, risks, and changes in execution.
Identify schedule risks, resource or dependency constraints, and emerging blockers; work directly with project teams and functional leaders to develop mitigation plans, facilitate decisions, and escalate issues when appropriate.
Lead project meetings and working sessions, establish clear agendas and objectives, document key decisions and actions, and ensure appropriate follow-through across the project team.
Develop clear project status reports, RAID logs, dashboards, milestone views, and executive-level presentations that translate detailed project information into concise, decision-oriented communications.
Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Technical Operations, Regulatory, Clinical, and Supply Chain stakeholders to support implementation activities in a regulated environment, including change controls, validation activities, operational readiness, and other project-specific deliverables.
Support PMO governance and portfolio management by providing accurate project data, communicating project health and priorities, and contributing to consistent project management practices across the organization.