Executive Director, Global Program Manager

Kardigan

$259K — $341K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 12+ years of experience in global program management, preferably at the Director level.
  • Deep knowledge of drug development processes from IND to approval.
  • Strong leadership skills, able to influence without direct authority.
  • Excellent communication skills for translating complexity into clarity.
  • Experience in leading cross-functional workshops and fostering high-performance cultures.

Responsibilities

  • Act as a strategic partner to the Global Program Head, refining and testing program strategies.
  • Integrate across Global Program Team (GPT) functions to facilitate key decision-making and continuous improvement.
  • Translate strategic objectives into actionable and integrated program plans.
  • Leverage expertise from IND stages through to commercial launch to identify risks and opportunities.
  • Maintain oversight of integrated timelines, budgets, and resource allocations.
  • Lead scenario planning and manage risks across cross-functional teams.
  • Foster psychological safety within the GPT and support the development of program management capabilities.

Benefits

  • On-site work requirement four days a week (Mon to Thurs).
  • Opportunity to influence strategic program direction as a key player in the team.
  • Engagement in high-level executive communication and decision-making processes.
  • Participation in workshops to promote cross-functional alignment and strategy execution.
  • Support for team culture that values psychological safety and high performance.
Full Job Description
Job Title: ExecutiveDirector, Global Program Manager

Department: Portfolio Management

Reports to: Vice President, Global Program Head

Location: South San Francisco or CA, Princeton, NJ - On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)

Job Overview

As the "COO" of the global program team, the Executive Director, Global Program Manager collaborates closely with the Global Program Head (GPH) to connect strategy to execution, functions to outcomes, and teams to purpose. This role requires operating through influence across the full development lifecycle of the GPT, overseeing products from IND-enabling studies through approval and post-approval initiatives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Program Management
  • Act as a key strategic partner to the GPH, developing and stress-testing program strategies and serving as the operational program manager across the GPT.
  • Serve as the primary integrator across GPT functions, facilitating high-quality decisions and seeking continuous improvement.
  • Translate program strategy into actionable operating and integrated program plans.

Drug Development Knowledge & Integrated Development Planning (IDP)
  • Utilize deep expertise from IND to approval, including clinical, regulatory, CMC, and commercial aspects.
  • Identify risks and opportunities for acceleration throughout the integrated development plan.
  • Lead, facilitate and organize the development of IDPs by driving input, resolving trade-offs, assessing risk, and building alignment.

Integrated Planning & Execution
  • Own and maintain oversight of integrated timelines, budgets, resource forecasts, and governance packages.
  • Lead scenario planning and contingency strategies while managing cross-functional risks.
  • Ensure GPT readiness at all key program inflection points.

Team Culture & High Performance
  • Foster psychological safety and shared accountability within the GPT.
  • Design and facilitate workshops to advance strategy and align cross-functional activities.
  • Sustain team health and energy and support the development of world-class GPM capabilities.

Executive Communication & Stakeholder Alignment
  • Represent program health and strategic narratives to leadership and governance bodies.
  • Facilitate stakeholder pre-alignment to ensure efficient decision-making and limit decision churn.
  • Communicate program complexity in an executive-ready manner, maintaining a single source of truth for status and decisions.


Qualifications and Preferred Skills
  • 12+ years of extensive experience in global program management, ideally at a Director level.
  • Proven knowledge of drug development processes and integrated planning.
  • Strong leadership skills with an ability to influence without authority.
  • Excellent communication skills, capable of translating complex ideas into clear insights for diverse audiences.
  • Experience in facilitating cross-functional workshops and promoting high-performance team cultures.


Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location.

Pay range

$259,000-$341,000 USD

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