Senior R&D Program Manager

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine • Boston, MA

3d • $137,000 - $235,750 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Platform Program Manager – Navigation Software provides platform-level program leadership for the Navigation software portfolio within Digital R&D. Unlike a Project Manager, who is accountable for execution of an individual project, this role aligns multiple software projects, platform priorities, cross-functional dependencies, and governance mechanisms into a coherent delivery model. The role operates as a senior cross-functional leader across software, systems, cybersecurity, V&V, clinical, quality, regulatory, and commercial interfaces to drive prioritization, software roadmap decisions, release planning, tradeoff recommendations, integrated execution, and executive visibility in a regulated medical device environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Life Sciences, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of increasing responsibility in program or project leadership within regulated product development environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading multi-project programs, portfolios, or platform-level delivery models across complex cross-functional organizations.
• Experience with Class II or III medical devices, navigation, robotics, or software-enabled systems preferred.
• Experience leading complex programs through phase-gate execution, software release governance, design controls, and cross-functional decision processes.
• Strong technical background in medical device software development and/or surgical navigation systems, with the ability to engage credibly across software, systems, cybersecurity, and clinical domains.
• Strong command of regulated medical device development, including phase-gate execution, software lifecycle controls, design controls, and quality system requirements such as FDA 21 CFR 820.30 and ISO 13485.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional programs and influence senior stakeholders across technical, functional, and business domains.
• Strong strategic and operational judgment, with the ability to frame tradeoffs, recommend priorities, and guide decisions under uncertainty.
• Ability to integrate multiple project plans, risks, dependencies, and release commitments into a platform-level view that supports governance and executive decision-making.
• Proficiency in Agile/SAFe, Lean or hybrid delivery models; ability to translate technical scope into PI/iteration plans, manage dependencies, and drive execution to milestones.
• Proficiency with program and engineering execution tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Planisware/Cadence PPM, Jira/Azure DevOps) and disciplined documentation practices.
• Ability to establish operating mechanisms, governance routines, and escalation pathways that improve delivery predictability and accountability across multiple software projects.
• Strong financial and program controls acumen, including forecasting, scenario planning, budget management, and performance reporting at the platform or portfolio level.
• Excellent executive communication skills, with the ability to translate technical and operational complexity into clear decision-ready narratives.
• Experience working with external development partners and assessing the downstream impact of changes on software requirements, architecture, traceability, verification, cybersecurity, and regulatory deliverables.

Nice To Haves

• Computer Programming
• Critical Thinking
• Data Science
• Developing Others
• Give Feedback
• Inclusive Leadership
• Industry Analysis
• Innovation
• Leadership
• Manufacturing Technologies
• Operational Excellence
• Prototyping
• Quality Assurance (QA)
• Research and Development
• Risk Assessments
• Robotic Automation
• SAP Product Lifecycle Management
• Team Management

Responsibilities

• Lead the Navigation software platform program, integrating strategy, priorities, software roadmap, and execution across multiple projects and workstreams.
• Own platform-level governance, including prioritization, sequencing, escalation pathways, and decision forums that span the Navigation software portfolio.
• Establish and drive the platform operating cadence, including PI planning, release planning, quarterly reviews, executive program reviews, and cross-functional governance routines.
• Own integrated program plans, milestones, release objectives, critical path, and interdependencies across projects to ensure execution remains aligned to strategic objectives and delivery commitments.
• Partner with Project Managers and technical leads to ensure project-level plans, RAID items, and change impacts are integrated into a platform-level view for leadership decision-making.
• Resolve cross-project resource, timeline, architecture, and scope conflicts that cannot be solved within a single project or team.
• Develop platform-level recommendations on investment tradeoffs, resource allocation, release sequencing, and roadmap adjustments to support leadership decisions.
• Lead financial planning and performance reviews for the platform in partnership with PMO Operations, including forecasts, funding needs, and execution transparency.
• Oversee external software partners and contractor execution at the platform level, ensuring scope clarity, performance management, and alignment to business and technical objectives.
• Ensure platform readiness for design reviews, phase-gates, software release decisions, and major investment decisions through clear evidence, cross-functional alignment, and proactive risk management.
• Drive software release readiness, defect triage, stabilization, and dependency resolution across teams, including assessment of downstream impact on requirements, traceability, V&V evidence, cybersecurity, and regulatory deliverables.
• Provide concise executive communications, dashboards, and scenario-based recommendations that synthesize project-level inputs into a clear platform-level view.

Benefits

• Consolidated retirement plan (pension)
• Savings plan (401(k))
• Long-term incentive program
• Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year
• Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
• Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
• Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year

What This Job Offers

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