Summary of PositionThe Executive Director, Program and Portfolio Management will serve as a senior leader responsible for driving the strategic planning, execution, and governance of the company's development portfolio. This position plays a crucial role in orchestrating the cross-functional assessments and decisions required to advance product candidates from discovery through clinical development, regulatory approval, and commercialization. The candidate will work closely with leaders across research, clinical, new product planning, CMC, finance, and business development.
The role will provide strategic and operational leadership across cross-functional program teams, ensuring that program goals, development plans, timelines, budgets, risks, and decision points are integrated, transparent, and aligned with corporate priorities. The Executive Director will play a central role in strengthening portfolio governance, enabling high-quality decision-making, and building a high-performing Program and Portfolio Management function that supports timely, disciplined, and value-driven execution of development programs.
Responsibilities:
- Lead and/or oversee cross-functional program teams responsible for advancing pipeline assets through discovery, IND-enabling activities, clinical development, regulatory submission, approval, and commercialization.
- Drive the creation, integration, and execution of comprehensive development plans, including program strategy, timelines, milestones, budgets, resource needs, risks, assumptions, and key decision points.
- Partner with functional leaders across research, clinical, regulatory, CMC, finance, new product planning, and business development to ensure alignment on program objectives and execution priorities.
- Establish and maintain integrated program and portfolio timelines, identifying critical path activities, interdependencies, risks, and mitigation strategies.
- Lead portfolio management activities, including portfolio planning, scenario analysis, risk and issue management, resource alignment, budget coordination, and development of go/no-go criteria.
- Support and strengthen governance processes by preparing clear, data-driven materials and recommendations for senior leadership, portfolio review committees, governance bodies, and, as needed, the Board of Directors.
- Ensure transparency, accountability, and disciplined decision-making across program teams and portfolio governance forums.
- Develop, track, and communicate program and portfolio goals, deliverables, milestones, risks, and progress against approved plans.
- Identify and resolve cross-functional issues that could affect program scope, timelines, budget, quality, or strategic alignment.
- Lead, manage, mentor, and develop Program and Portfolio Management team members, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
- Drive implementation and champion use of program management best practices, tools, dashboards, processes, and operating models to improve efficiency, consistency, and portfolio visibility.
- Serve as a strategic thought partner to senior leadership on portfolio prioritization, development strategy, operational trade-offs, resourcing, and investment decisions.
- Responsible for maintaining effective alliance governance, participation in joint steering committees and external partner interactions, as appropriate, to support partnered programs or strategic collaborations.
- Promote a collaborative, transparent, and solutions-oriented team environment that enables effective execution in a dynamic biotech/pharmaceutical setting.
Qualifications Education & Credentials
- Bachelor's degree in life sciences, biology, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, engineering, or a related scientific discipline required.
- Advanced degree such as MS, PhD, PharmD, MD, or equivalent scientific degree preferred.
- MBA and/or formal training or certification in project/program management, such as PMP, is preferred but not required.
Experience
- Minimum of 12 years of relevant experience in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or healthcare consulting industry
- 7 or more years of people management experience with increasing departmental and management responsibility
- Significant experience in program management, portfolio management, product development, asset strategy, or related drug development leadership roles.
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional drug development teams across multiple phases of development, preferably including early development, clinical development, regulatory interactions, and late-stage development.
- Proven track record of successfully managing complex development programs, integrated timelines, cross-functional budgets, risk plans, and executive-level deliverables.
- Experience operating within formal portfolio governance structures and presenting program or portfolio recommendations to senior leadership.
- Prior experience managing, mentoring, and developing program management professionals or cross-functional leaders.
- Experience in oncology, immunology, biologics, antibody-based therapeutics, or specialty pharmaceutical development preferred.
- Experience working with external partners, alliance governance structures, CROs, CDMOs, consultants, or other third-party development partners preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Deep understanding of the drug discovery and development process, including preclinical development, IND-enabling activities, clinical development, regulatory strategy, CMC, safety, and commercialization considerations.
- Strong knowledge of program and portfolio management principles, including integrated development planning, critical path management, risk management, resource planning, scenario planning, and governance support.
- Strategic mindset with the ability to connect program-level execution to broader portfolio and corporate objectives.
- Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with development budgets, resource trade-offs, portfolio prioritization, and value-based decision-making.
- Executive presence and exceptional communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex scientific, operational, and business information into clear recommendations.
- Demonstrated ability to influence and align senior leaders, cross-functional stakeholders, and external partners without relying solely on formal authority.
- Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make timely, data-driven decisions in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment.
- Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining focus on strategic goals and portfolio-level impact.
- Collaborative, transparent, and credible leadership style, with the ability to foster trust across scientific, clinical, operational, and business functions.
- Ability to identify process improvements and implement scalable tools, dashboards, and operating models to improve portfolio visibility and execution discipline.
- Strong proficiency with common business and program management tools, including Smartsheet, Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Excel, project planning tools, portfolio dashboards, and collaboration platforms.
Additional InformationThe annual rate of pay for this position ranges from $233,700 - $356,300. For non-exempt roles, and according to applicable regulations, there may be the possibility for overtime pay. This role is eligible for the Company's discretionary bonus and discretionary equity incentives. Eligible employees may participate in the Company's benefits programs, including medical / dental / vision / prescription coverage, employee wellness resources, 401(k) plan with employer match, access to an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, (ESPP), paid time off & paid parental leave benefits, and disability benefits.
The annual pay rate range is described in good faith, and the Company believes is the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting depending on the candidate's experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law. The Company may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and this range may be modified in the future. No amount is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable under the terms and conditions of the applicable policies and plans. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole discretion, consistent with the law.
