Global Program Manager

Description

Global Program Manager (Contractor)

Role Overview

The Global Program Manager (GPM) serves as a strategic partner to the Product Team Leader (PTL) and Development Lead, driving cross-functional alignment, managing timelines and risks, and enabling informed decision-making across the Product Team (PT) and Research and Development Team (RDT). The GPM holds primary accountability for overall program outcomes.

Job Responsibilities

• Drive alignment across program interdependencies and portfolio-level goals.
• Partner with PTL and Development Lead to execute program strategy.
• Lead goal setting, progress tracking, and outcome communication across teams and stakeholders.
• Ensure data accuracy and timeline integrity within enterprise portfolio and timeline systems.
• Responsible for maintaining accurate and current program information across online systems and dashboards.
• Elevate and track risks, ensuring mitigation plans are in place.
• Prepare teams for governance engagements (Portfolio Committee, Development Review Committee), ensuring readiness and alignment.
• Lead bi-annual operating plan processes, ensuring accurate cost forecasting.
• Collaborate with finance, operations, and functional leads to manage budgets and resources.
• Facilitate effective communication and decision-making across cross-functional teams.
• Monitors and reports on program health and key performance indicators (KPI) to ensure transparency and alignment with leadership
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Develops executive-ready materials to communicate program status, strategy and recommendations.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, business or related discipline, and 10+ years of pharmaceutical/biotech experience
• Strong foundation in project management principles; PMP or equivalent certification preferred.
• Extensive experience in project management within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep functional expertise in at least one domain: Research, Development, or Commercialization.
• Solid understanding of the drug development lifecycle, experience in Early Development strong preferred.
• Oncology and cell therapy experience strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to influence without direct authority and foster strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex concepts into actionable insights.
• Strategic problem-solver with a demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity and drive clarity.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and effective in fast-paced, evolving environments.
• Experience with Planisware or similar enterprise project portfolio management tools preferred.