Director, Technical Project Management (R&D)

Team: Project Management

Location: US

Commitment: Full-time

Workplace Type: remote

Accountabilities:

As the Director, Technical Project Management (R&D), you will provide strategic leadership for project management teams supporting vaccine development programs. You will establish best practices, develop talent, and ensure consistent execution across complex research and development initiatives.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of technical Project Managers supporting integrated vaccine development activities across multiple disciplines.
• Establish project management standards, operating rhythms, tools, and expectations to improve accountability, transparency, and execution quality.
• Build team capabilities through coaching, training, feedback, career development, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive culture focused on ownership, partnership, innovation, and high performance.
• Partner with program leaders and functional stakeholders to develop integrated plans, schedules, budgets, milestones, risks, and decision frameworks.
• Review and guide project management deliverables to ensure alignment across technical teams, external partners, financial plans, and program objectives.
• Serve as a strategic advisor and escalation point for complex planning challenges, stakeholder alignment issues, risks, and delivery obstacles.
• Drive consistent use of project management methodologies, dashboards, reporting structures, and governance processes.
• Support portfolio planning, resource discussions, organizational initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts across research and development operations.
• Provide leadership oversight for collaboration with external organizations, including development partners, laboratories, consultants, academic institutions, and government stakeholders.

Requirements:

The ideal candidate brings extensive biopharmaceutical project management experience combined with strong leadership, financial, and operational expertise. This professional should be comfortable managing complex, mission-driven programs in highly collaborative and matrixed environments.

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline required; advanced degree and/or PMP certification strongly preferred.
• 12+ years of experience in biopharma, vaccine, biologics, pharmaceutical, or related development environments.
• Demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing project management teams, including mentoring and performance management.
• Broad understanding of vaccine and biologic development processes across nonclinical, clinical, regulatory, and Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) functions.
• Experience managing programs involving government agencies, global health organizations, foundations, nonprofits, or similar funding partners preferred.
• Strong financial expertise including budgeting, forecasting, accruals, variance analysis, earned value management, and project controls.
• Experience managing external vendors and partners such as CDMOs, CROs, testing laboratories, consultants, academic institutions, and government collaborators.
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical governance practices, risk management, issue escalation, and executive-level reporting.
• Advanced proficiency with project management tools such as MS Project, Smartsheet, and Microsoft 365 applications.
• Excellent leadership, communication, facilitation, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, confidential information, and time-sensitive deliverables while maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Commitment to advancing global health initiatives and contributing to a diverse, equitable, and collaborative workplace.
• Ability to travel approximately 10–20% domestically and internationally as needed.

Benefits:

• Competitive annual salary range of $173,000–$190,000 USD.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Flexible spending account options.
• Flexible vacation and paid sick leave policies.
• Short-term and long-term disability benefits.
• Employer matching 401(k) retirement plan.
• Paid federal holidays and company winter break period.
• Remote work opportunity for employees based in the United States.
• Opportunity to contribute to impactful global health programs and mission-driven initiatives.
• Collaborative environment focused on innovation, professional growth, and meaningful impact.