Vice President, Product Innovation Management, Diagnostics, Sunnyvale, CA - Onsite

At Cepheid, we are passionate about improving health care through fast, accurate diagnostic testing. Our mission drives us, every moment of every day, as we develop scalable, groundbreaking solutions to solve the world’s most complex health challenges. Our associates are involved in every stage of molecular diagnostics, from ideation to development and delivery of testing advancements that improve patient outcomes across a range of settings. As a member of our team, you can make an immediate, measurable impact on a global scale, within an environment that fosters career growth and development.

Cepheid is proud to work alongside a community of six fellow Danaher Diagnostics companies. Together, we’re working at the pace of change on diagnostic tools that address the world’s biggest health challenges, driven by knowing that behind every test there is a patient waiting.

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We are seeking a visionary and passionate Vice President of Product Innovation Management to join our team in Sunnyvale, CA. In this critical leadership role, you will be responsible for defining and prioritizing Cepheid’s innovation and R&D pipeline for future diagnostic solutions. You will play a pivotal role in identifying unmet clinical needs, translating those needs into groundbreaking products, and bringing them to market. You will also be a critical champion for our future products and our culture of innovation both internally and externally.

This position is part of Global Product Management and will be located in Sunnyvale, CA. At Cepheid, our vision is to be the leading provider of seamlessly connected diagnostic solutions.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive product innovation strategy, aligned with the company's overall vision and market opportunities.

• Own and prioritize Cepheid’s full product innovation roadmap and deliver a roadmap that meets Cepheid’s long-term growth goals from new product development, is feasible, and advances our disease leadership in infectious disease and beyond.

• In partnership with Product Portfolio Managers, lead thorough market research and assessments to understand unmet clinical needs and technological trends and identify actionable new product ideas. With an “outside in” perspective, translate top new product ideas into detailed and clear product definitions that are both compelling & competitive in the market and feasible for our New Product Development (NPD) core teams to execute on.

• Partner with R&D and Clinical & Regulatory Affairs to drive innovation execution by fostering Product Innovation Manager leadership within our NPD core teams. Partner with Product Portfolio Managers to bring new products to market and drive excellent launches.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across the organization, including R&D, Clinical & Regulatory Affairs, and Marketing.

• Lead a high-performing team of Product Innovation Managers, fostering a team culture of excellence and continuous improvement that prioritizes proactive & cross-functional business leadership, data-driven decision-making, and associate learning & development.

• Champion a culture of creativity and collaboration across all stages of the product development lifecycle, from ideation to commercialization.

The essential requirements of the job include:

• Proven track record of success in leading product innovation management within the Diagnostics industry or a related field (e.g., Medical Device, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Life Sciences).  Specific experience in Molecular Diagnostics and Infectious Disease and/or Oncology nice-to-have.

• 20+ years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree or 18+ years with a Master’s degree in the fields of biological sciences, engineering, medicine, product management and/or product development, or related fields with a strong understanding of the product development lifecycle AND 6+ years of experience managing people. Ph.D. and/or M.D. nice-to-have. 

• Knowledge of the healthcare industry, how new technologies get to market in healthcare, and what drives their success.  Understanding of the regulatory landscape governing Medical Devices and Diagnostics.

• Analytical and strategic thinking skills, with a strong track record of translating market insights into actionable product roadmaps amidst uncertainty and balancing technology, customer need, and ma