VP Head of Governance Operations

By clicking the “Apply” button, I understand that my employment application process with Takeda will commence and that the information I provide in my application will be processed in line with Takeda’s Privacy Notice and Terms of Use.  I further attest that all information I submit in my employment application is true to the best of my knowledge.

Job Description

The VP, Head of Governance Operations is a high-visibility, dual-hatted role designed for an exceptional leader with a unique blend of corporate governance expertise, operations, change management experience and executive leadership acumen. Operating within a large, globally matrixed organization, this role serves as the strategic engine behind the executive leadership operating committees and decision-making bodies. The successful candidate will oversee the operations, decisions and thematic flow of operating committees, serve as a trusted advisor to the Takeda Executive Team (TET), and lead a distributed team to ensure flawless execution of enterprise strategy and operations.

Office of the CEO Operations Staff Oversight: 

• Support and oversee the team managing the day-to-day operations of the executive office.

Governing Body Management & Corporate Governance

• Committee Oversight: Manage end-to-end operational, content, decision matrixes and strategic alignment frameworks for the Business & Sustainability Committee (BSC) and the Portfolio Review Committee (PRC). Help implement more efficient and effective processes across Takeda committees and forums that lead to TET-level operating committees.
• Decision-Making Model: Facilitate strong adherence to Takeda’s decision making model (DAI) to ensure informed, data driven decisions of a high performing leadership team and organization. 
• Agenda & Material Excellence: Orchestrate high-impact agendas, ensure forward-looking planning, and enforce rigorous quality standards for all executive-level materials and presentations.
• Minutes & Accountability: Oversee the capture of precise corporate minutes, track action items, and ensure flawless follow-through on mandates issued by the BSC and PRC.
• Team Ambassadorship: Represent the Corporate Governance function across the enterprise, championing governance best practices and institutional compliance.

Board Operations Partnership

• Strategic Interface: Align closely and seamlessly with the Head of Board Operations to ensure a clean, transparent interface between executive management committees and the supervisory Board of Directors.
• Information Flow: Facilitate the smooth, compliant, and timely flow of information from management bodies upward to the Board, ensuring complete continuity of governance

Global Leadership & People Management

• Direct Leadership: Manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of 5 direct reports (senior managers/individual contributors).
• Global Org Oversight: Provide ultimate leadership, performance tracking, and strategic direction to a total organization of 15 professionals distributed globally across multiple time zones and regions.
• Cultural Stewardship: Foster an inclusive, high-performance culture that bridges regional execution with the core values and long-term vision of a Japanese-headquartered multinational corporation

Education, Knowledge, or experience required

• Advanced Degree, master's degree, MBA, or equivalent a related field such as a Ph.D., is preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in corporate governance, operations, change management, executive management, or Chief of Staff roles.
• Industry Context: Proven record of accomplishment within a large, highly regulated global pharmaceutical enterprise or an equivalent multi-billion-dollar multinational corporation.
• Demonstrated ability to drive efficient decision making, influence, guide, and command the respect of top-tier executive leadership and global matrix stakeholders.
• Profound experience managing cross-functional, globally distributed teams across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
• Strong adaptability and awareness of Japanese corporate culture and decision-making frameworks balanced with global market agility.
• Comprehensive understanding of enterprise risk frameworks, corporate sustainability metrics, and clinical/R&D portfolio governance.
• Communication Mastery: Superb written and verbal communication skills, with an elite ability to simplify hyper-complex scientific, financial, and legal material for executive consumption.
   

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary