Associate Director, Global Project Management

Associate Director, Global Project Management

Location: Gaithersburg, MD or Boston Seaport, MA

Introduction to role

The Associate Director of Global Project Management (GPM) is a key leadership position responsible for managing global, cross-functional drug development teams and sub-teams to achieve strategic objectives and deliver significant development, regulatory, and commercial milestones. This role provides top-level oversight and integration of the entire development process into commercialization, working closely with the Global Project Leader. Depending on the stage of development and project complexity, the GPM will work on one or more cross-functional early or late Global Project Teams (GPTs). The GPM ensures that the team operates in a way that represents standard methodology for project management within AstraZeneca and is a strategic partner to the Global Project Leader/Global Franchise Head and the entire GPT.

Accountabilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Provides input into the project strategy & vision through expertise in project management, and navigates the therapy area and corporate governance processes
• Ensures alignment of the project and operational deliverables to the team’s strategy
• Shares lessons learned and communicates those where relevant
• May manage or lead elements of the team’s development plan or strategy as delegated by the Global Project Leader
• Ensures appropriate linkages between project strategy and key internal processes (TA strategy, TA prioritization, corporate scorecard) and updates the relevant enterprise systems
• Where applicable, collaborate with alliance partners
• May partner with Business Development to provide project input to potential deal cases (investment & divestment)

Cross-functional Team Leadership and Delivery

• Manages cross-functional drug development teams and sub-teams and ensures an accurate and achievable project plan
• Acts as a core GPT member and drives efficient operation of early and/or late-stage GPTs including overall plans, priorities, budget, and risk management
• Accountable for driving an effective, efficient team environment and helping the Global Project Leader to build a cohesive, high-performing team
• Facilitates GPT and sub-teams towards successful decision making and issue resolution. Focuses the GPT on the right activities at the right time and can handle the majority of challenging project situations.
• Creates and manages effective communication processes within the team
• Proactively ensures the set-up and maintenance of information management practices in line with AZ standard process and with support of the Information Management Lead
• Ensures project data quality as per agreed standards

Governance and Investment Decisions

• Facilitates GPT towards effective governance decisions (e.g., Phase IDs, project revisions, etc.) and is responsible for leading development of investment decision documentation
• Integrates and provides information to both the team and senior management/governance bodies that allows efficient (timely and informed) decision making

Planning, Monitoring, and Delivery

• Ensures that the overall GPT deliverables, budgets, schedules, and performance standards are realistically set, governance approved, and attained, and that the project effectively fulfills all information management and business reporting requirements.
• Maintains plans of the highest data quality, accountable for all project management deliverables associated with GPTs or sub-teams covered

Entrepreneurship

• Seeks opportunities to drive positive change and remove barriers within and outside the team.
• Advocates company standard processes
• Applies business knowledge to drive cross-functional and cross-project learning

Essential Skills/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of experience supporting cross-functional drug development teams or leading sub-teams
• Project Management experience with successful track record of delivering projects within agreed time, quality, and cost.
• Experience with project management tools and processes.
• Ability to manage high performing teams with expertise in developing effective team operations
• Ability to work effectively with senior partners
• Experience ensuring high quality data in enterprise systems
• Strong information management skills, including use of modern collaboration tools such as SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and OneNote

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Advanced degree in a scientific subject area and/or MBA
• 7+ years’ relevant experience
• In-depth knowledge of drug developm