Associate Director, Project & Portfolio Management
Kite PharmaAbout the role
We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet.
Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.
We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.
Job Description
The Associate Director, Project & Portfolio Management will provide strategic leadership for project and portfolio management capabilities across Tech Ops. This role will focus on building, reshaping, and advancing a PPM Center of Excellence by defining fit-for-purpose methodology, standards, tools, templates, training, and adoption strategies that enable consistent and practical ways of working across cross-functional teams.
This individual will not simply manage project reporting or timelines. They will be expected to design future-state PPM practices, improve portfolio visibility, and influence a dotted-line network of PPM representatives across the organization. Success in this role will require strong change leadership, practical process design, and the ability to build buy-in with stakeholders before implementing new standards or ways of working.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of project and portfolio management methodology, standards, and operating practices across Tech Ops.
Build and scale a PPM Center of Excellence by creating practical tools, templates, playbooks, training, and guidance that teams can adopt and use effectively.
Assess current PPM maturity across functions and identify the highest-value improvements to strengthen planning quality, execution discipline, portfolio visibility, and decision-making.
Design future-state ways of working that create consistency while allowing flexibility for different initiative types, team needs, and business priorities.
Drive adoption of new PPM practices through stakeholder engagement, change management, training, coaching, and practical implementation support.
Influence and align a dotted-line network of PPM representatives and cross-functional partners in a matrixed environment, without direct people management authority.
Partner with leaders and teams to translate complex PPM frameworks into clear, actionable guidance that supports business-relevant execution.
Define and monitor portfolio metrics that measure process effectiveness, identify risks and trends, and highlight opportunities for continuous improvement.
Foster a collaborative culture of accountability, learning, continuous improvement, and capability-building across Tech Ops.
Basic Qualifications
PhD / Doctorate with 2+ years of relevant experience OR
Master's Degree with 8+ years of relevant experience OR
Bachelor's Degree with 10+ years of relevant experience OR
High School Diploma/GED with 14+ years of relevant experience.
Preferred Qualifications
10+ years of relevant experience preferred, with a strong background in project management, portfolio management, PMO, PPM Center of Excellence, or operating model design.
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