Senior Program Manager, Biotechnology Systems

Overview:

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Job Description Summary:

Draper’s Biotechnology Systems business empowers national security through the delivery of innovative solutions in the areas of Biodefense, Biomedical and Novel Materials & Applications to address the most pressing challenges and hardest problems. Our mission is to harness the cutting-edge potential of biotechnology to develop advanced solutions that safeguard our nations’ security and enrich people’s lives on behalf of current and future generations.

The Senior Program Manager reports directly to the Interim Vice President of Biotechnology Systems. This position will require extensive coordination with multiple Business Area Leads. In this role, you will be primarily responsible for business development activities to achieve transformational growth objectives and lead program execution in support of customer’s missions and requirements in Draper’s core business areas. You will also be responsible for executing projects/programs.

Job Description:

Duties/Responsibilities

• Develop personal credibility with sponsor organizations and program staff, with a clear ability to organize, motivate, and lead teams in business capture and execution activities.

• Responsible for managing complex programs that may involve managing fixed price contract with high dollar volume or contract length.

• Develop personal credibility with sponsor organizations and program staff, with a clear ability to organize, motivate, and lead teams in business capture and execution activities.

• Oversees program budget and schedules.
• Responsible for program growth.
• Responsible for marketing new technology or follow-up on business acquisition.
• May be responsible for business development within current customer base and/or for new customers.
• Responsible for program execution including interfacing with customers
• Coordinating successful execution of programs with internal stakeholders.
• Ensures contractual deliverables are completed on schedule and within the approved budget.  
• Support Program Directors, Business Area Leads, and Senior Program Managers in the development of internal products and provide recommendations for research and development.     
• Develop technical program management best practices and provide training/mentoring to project teams
• Monitors dependencies across multiple inter-related technical projects to adhere to methodologies, budgets, and timing
• Gather and report consolidated technical project status and financial information to leadership
• Recommends changes to improve processes and alleviate process inaccuracy and duplication.

Skills/Abilities
• Program and project management skills.
• Ability to quickly learn new technologies and/or new applications.
• Knowledge and proven track record of successful business interaction.
• Ability to be persuasive and a strong relationship builder.
• Possess excellent communications, presentation and networking skills. 
• Ability to travel on an as needed basis.  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Applications: Word, Excel, and Outlook.

• Deep expertise in leading program execution of full lifecycle projects; identifying, capturing, and growing new business; and managing customer engagement.

• Experience growing business in the areas of R&D technology development, and/or integration of new technology into existing, fielded systems.

• Excellent written and verbal communications, presentations skills, organizational and time management skills. Must be able to clearly and concisely present complicated information and relationships to executive leadership, peers, staff, customers, and stakeholders.

• Passion about Draper’s non-profit mission to make impact on the most challenging national security problems
 

Education
Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business or equivalent discipline required.

Experience
• 5-7 years program related experience in functional or program management.
• Experience in program related area with fun