Job Function: Project/Program Management Group
Job Sub Function: R&D Project Management
Job Category:Professional
All Job Posting Locations:Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America, Spring House, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Job Description:Our expertise in Innovative Medicine is informed and inspired by patients, whose insights fuel our science-based advancements. Visionaries like you work on teams that save lives by developing the medicines of tomorrow.
Our Oncology team is focused on the elimination of cancer by discovering new pathways and modalities to finding treatments and cures. We lead where medicine is going and need innovators with an unwavering commitment to results.
Join us in developing treatments, finding cures, and pioneering the path from lab to life while championing patients every step of the way.
Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine
Johnson & Johnson is recruiting for an
Associate Director, Early Portfolio Alliance Management & Operations. Remote work options may be considered on a case-by-case basis and if approved by the Company.
Role OverviewWe are seeking a proactive, scientifically literate Associate Director to support the management and execution of early-portfolio alliances and external collaborations across discovery, preclinical, and early clinical stages. This role works closely with Oncology Strategy and Operations leadership, VP Discovery, Therapeutic Area (TA) leadership, project teams, and cross-functional partners to drive scientific integration, alliance governance, and timely delivery of joint objectives.
Key Responsibilities:
- Oversee a portfolio of discovery-to-early-clinical partnerships and collaborations, ensuring alignment to scientific objectives and corporate strategy.
- Serve as primary operational liaison between Janssen internal teams and external partners; coordinate cross-functional working groups and research teams.
- Plan and run governance and scientific meetings (e.g., JRC, JDC, JSC), prepare agendas, drive meeting logistics, track actions and deliverables, and ensure timely follow-up.
- Support development and iterative refinement of joint research and development plans; monitor scientific progress and recommend adjustments with partner teams.
- Create, maintain, and communicate timelines and milestone trackers; anticipate integration points and dependencies across internal and external activities.
- Identify program risks, resource or technical gaps, and operational issues; lead scenario planning and coordinate mitigation plans with stakeholders.
- Support budget and resource planning for alliance activities; collaborate with finance and legal to ensure contractual obligations, milestone criteria, and reporting requirements are addressed.
- Integrate external programs into Janssen governance forums and processes, and escalate issues as needed to leadership.
- Provide ad hoc strategic and operational support to core functions (governance, strategy development, portfolio prioritization) based on business needs.
Qualifications
Education:- A minimum of a Bachelor level degree required with at least 10 years of relevant pharmaceutical/biotech industry experience OR a Ph.D or Master's degree with at least 6 years of relevant pharmaceutical/biotech industry experience is required.
Experience and Skills:Required:
- Demonstrated knowledge of drug development and early-stage R&D processes.
- Experience in alliance management, partner-facing roles, or cross-functional project management in pharma/biotech.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to build working relationships across scientific, clinical, legal, finance, and external partner teams.
- Excellent organizational skills with the ability to oversee multiple programs and priorities concurrently.
- Capacity to assess risks and lead the development and implementation of mitigation strategies.
- Adept with meeting facilitation, agenda-setting, and tracking actions to closure.
- Ability to interpret scientific data and translate implications into operational actions.
Preferred:
- Prior experience leading discovery/preclinical/Phase 1 collaborations or alliances in oncology.
- Experience working with external partners across geographies and with industrial/academic partners.
- Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools
Other:- Travel: Some travel may be required to meet with partners or internal teams.
Required Skills: Drug Development, Project Management, R&D Management
Preferred Skills:Business Alignment, Collaboration, Continuous Improvement, Mentorship, Operational Excellence, Organizing, Performance Measurement, Process Control, Project Management Methodology (PMM), Project Management Office (PMO), Project Reporting, Project Schedule, Research and Development, Technical Credibility
