Senior Project Manager/Associate Director, Discovery Project Management

Xenon Pharmaceuticals•Burnaby, BC

2d•CA$127,500 - CA$183,100•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager/Associate Director, Discovery Project Management to join our team. This individual will work flexibly across a number of Discovery-stage small molecule programs. This role involves close coordination with stakeholders within Discovery (e.g., Chemistry, Biology, Compound Properties, Toxicology and CMC) and outside of Discovery (e.g., Finance, Legal, QA, Development). This position reports to the Director, Discovery Project Management and will be based out of Vancouver, BC, Canada. The level of the position will be commensurate with the candidate’s education and industry experience. Hybrid positions require a minimum of two onsite days per week.

Requirements

MSc or PhD in the fields of chemistry or biology
At least 5 years' experience in drug discovery in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
Highly organized with keen attention to detail
Strong desire to manage projects to timeline and budget
Ability to interface with internal and external stakeholders including scientists, executives, and members of the finance and legal departments; ability to influence colleagues in a cross-functional team environment
Extensive intermediate to advanced computer skills (Power Point, Excel, Word, MS Project, SharePoint)
Knowledge of project management methodology and technology, including developing Gantt Charts
Willing and able to learn new skills to meet changing needs of the organization. Flexible and able to efficiently prioritize tasks

Nice To Haves

Project management experience is preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain comprehensive project/program/portfolio management and tracking tools addressing program scope, components, schedule and budget.
Manage the Company’s Discovery-stage Contract Research Organizations (CROs) under both full-time equivalent and fee-for-service arrangements.
Perform contract-related activities (drafting, contract change control, monitoring for performance, accepting deliverables, managing invoices and tracking accruals) relating to same within the scope of the Company’s contact management systems and policies.
Coordinate Discovery-stage external studies including compound logistics, protocol drafting and review and communication with study directors.
Coordinate project team, project sub-team, and functional group meetings for the Company’s Discovery stage programs. Track action items and timelines. Understand and communicate critical path towards key objectives. Schedule internal and external studies, as required.
Facilitate cross-functional alignment with key Discovery stakeholders, identify potential cross-functional issues and bottlenecks across a multi-year horizon.
Develop, optimize and manage data workflows and progression of compounds through program flowcharts. Ensure the timely distribution of externally-generated data and reports to appropriate stakeholders.
Support activities that raise the scientific profile of the Company internally and externally, including Discovery training, Discovery invited speaker and Discovery events.
Support Discovery scientific disclosure approvals under the Scientific Methods Based Disclosure Approval Process.
Manage drafting, review and approval of Discovery preclinical reports to support regulatory filings.
Develop and propose short- and long-term objectives for the function in accordance with overall Company strategies and plans.
Act in accordance with Company policies, including, for example, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and ensure policies are understood and followed by direct reports, if any
Other duties as assigned