The Associate Director, Machine Learning Project Management will provide project management leadership for the TuneLab machine learning (ML) team across model development, product release cycles, and external partnerships. This role is essential to the successful scaling of our innovative AI/ML drug discovery platform and the broader Catalyze360 ecosystem. The ideal candidate will translate strategic vision into executable plans, drive day-to-day execution, and facilitate productive partnerships between the ML team and internal/external business partners.

This role will collaborate closely with product, engineering, and business development workstreams to implement initiatives, track progress against strategic objectives, and manage external partnerships. Expertise in program management, stakeholder alignment, and problem-solving will be instrumental in navigating the complexities of scaling a first-of-its-kind collaborative AI/ML platform in the pharmaceutical industry.

Project Management

• Partner with engineering to build and maintain the ML development workplan, track progress against milestones, and manage critical path and dependencies
• Own the ML team's operating cadence end-to-end, including agenda planning, meeting facilitation, driving timely decision-making, and minutes and action tracking
• Proactively identify, assess, and escalate risks and issues across ML model development and partner execution, driving mitigation plans and ensuring leadership has timely visibility into blockers before they impact delivery

Operations & Reporting

• Build and maintain fit-for-purpose processes that improve ML team efficiency and support cross-functional collaboration with other TuneLab workstreams
• Drive continuous improvement within the ML team by leading release retrospectives and translating lessons learned into actionable process adjustments
• Create and maintain operational metrics, dashboards, and reporting frameworks, synthesizing ML progress, risks and milestones into leadership ready updates
• Support ML team resource tracking and capacity planning

Alliance & Partner Management

• Own internal/external partner status updates, surface challenges, resolve/elevate problems and ensure clear, consistent communication
• Coordinate ML model deployment and hand-off activities across internal and external partners
• Support onboarding and integration of new internal/external partners into the ML team's operating model

• Education: Bachelor's degree in business, science, engineering, or related field
• Project Management: 3+ years of experience in program/project management, or equivalent experience in an operational or coordination role supporting machine learning, data science, or computational research teams, including proficiency with project management, collaboration, and productivity tools
• Alliance management: 3+ years in alliance management, with ability to independently own coordination across internal Lilly team and external partner relationships, including surfacing status, risks, and action items and driving follow-through
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization and/or visas for this role.

• Communication: Strong stakeholder communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively across technical and non-technical audiences at all levels.
• Familiarity with ML development tools and workflows (e.g. GitHub, MLflow, experiment tracking) to independently assess progress and surface issues
• Experience with proactive risk identification, assessment, and escalation, including developing and driving mitigation plans in a technically complex or ambiguous environment.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to synthesize complex information into actionable timelines, insights, and status updates.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in ambiguous, rapidly-changing environments, by building fit-for-purpose processes from scratch; meets the team where they are while driving toward the structure needed to scale.
• Proven track record of driving results through influence rather than direct authority.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare technology industries.
• Familiarity with ML tooling and best practices, sufficient to guide technical teams on process.
• Experience with technology platforms, digital product development, or innovation programs.
• PMP, Agile, or other project/program management certifications.
• Background in strategic consulting, business operations, or transformation initiatives.
• Experience supporting rapid organizational growth and scaling operations.
• Knowledge of drug discovery processes or life sciences R&D workflows.

• Program execution: ML model development milestones against established plans.
• Product releases: ML operating cadence and deliverables shipped on a predictable schedule.
• Alliance operations: external vendors/partnerships inventoried with named owners; actions and timelines tracked and reviewed regularly.
• Operational efficiency: improvements in business processes and resource utilization.
• Stakeholder satisfaction: positive feedback from cross-functional partners and ML leadership.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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