Director, Program Management

About TrialSpark

TrialSpark is a technology-driven drug development company that runs end-to-end clinical trials, focused on bringing new treatments to patients faster and more efficiently.

The biggest bottleneck in bringing new treatments to patients is the clinical trial. On average, getting a drug through the trial process takes nearly a decade and frequently costs $1B+. To combat this industry problem, TrialSpark is building a technology platform that optimizes all aspects of a clinical trial, enabling more efficient trial design, faster trial completion, and higher trial data quality.

TrialSpark recently raised their Series C, and is putting the capital to work by in-licensing and co-developing drug programs through in-house development, joint ventures, and NewCos. Together with doctors, patients, and communities, TrialSpark is working to develop the treatments of tomorrow.

About the Position

The Director, Program Management is responsible for directing the strategic and operational planning and delivery processes within TrialSparks' emerging drug development team(s). This leadership role serves as a partner working closely with the Project Team Leader and cross-function program development team providing program management excellence to ensure robust cross-functional planning and alignment, facilitate decision-making and drive the implementation, monitoring, and reporting for one or more programs. The Director, Program Management must be able to both guide the development of a unified strategic vision and drive the team to successfully execute on the agreed strategy.

They will provide content expertise on the timing, costs and resources required to deliver to the defined program strategy, anticipate potential obstacles in the program and facilitate risk: benefit discussions driving the team to a clear direction and path forward. In this role, the Director program management will act as an operational leader to help the team achieve established objectives, facilitate governance interactions, and organize the needed tactics to make the program and associated projects a success. The Director PM will be responsible for one or more programs with significant complex cross-functional and/or cross-program initiatives within TrialSpark's pipeline.

Responsibilities

• Strategic and tactical partner to the program team leader and line function representatives accountable to establish and deliver aligned cross functional plans across all relevant development functional groups into a cohesive development plan to deliver the agreed target product profile and overall program.
• Work closely with the Project Team Leader to facilitate the elaboration, approval and execution of the global program strategy and facilitate decision-making process through to senior leadership team via the company's governance process.
• Coordinate and drive development process planning activities of the program team including milestone setting, strategic integrated development plans, long range plans, budget inputs and go/no go criteria as appropriate.
• Ensure transparency and understanding of the approved plan horizontally and vertically throughout the organization. Prepare and manage governance interactions to the Executive Team in partnership with the program leader and ensure timely input of program status/risks/issues throughout the organization.
• Maintain the overall development plans for assigned program(s). Drive the cross-functional team to deliver to agreed goals.
• Maintain all project management tools. Facilitate team meetings/agendas/minutes/action items including decision and action logs.
• Coordinate team goal setting and tracking to ensure adherence to plan and agreed end of year milestones.
• Manage set up of sub-teams and provide guidance on sub-team management. Participate in subteam meetings as appropriate to ensure alignment to the holistic program plan.
• In an alliance management role, liaise with partners, CDMOs, etc. ensuring contractual obligations are met, and a healthy relationship is maintained. Participate in diligence in securing new relationships with partners, as needed.
• Partner with the VP, Program Management and other functional leaders to assess program and project management processes to ensure best practices are employed for the needs of TrialSpark.

About You

• At least 10 years of experience within one or more functional role(s) in pharmaceutical R&D drug development, biotechnology drug development, or related industry.
• At least 5 years of cross-functional program/project management experience.
• Excellent leadership skills with a history of delivering in a dynamic environment.
• Independent creative thinker and enabler requiring minimum oversight.
• Demonstrated ability to provide effective project management leadership in terms of setting project plans for the lifecycle of a program from discovery through launch.
• Proven track record of planning and managing complex programs in different phases of development including cross functional deliverables (Research, CMC and Commercial).
• Solid understanding of the processes in drug development and appropriate regulatory guidelines
• Strong influencing and interpersonal skills including negotiation, managing meetings and group dynamics, ability to balance concerns of line management with objectives of cross-functional team.
• Technical proficiency includes demonstrated proficiency in the use of project planning tools and systems (e.g. Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira), resource forecasting, and the use of reporting tools.
• Demonstrated understanding of program risk management and mitigation in order to simulate the likely obstacles to program progression.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to deal with competing priorities; high level of problem-solving capability and business. acumen, ability to balance competing priorities and quickly and objectively drive the team towards a path which maximizes value.
• Competency in MS Office / Google Suite software applications (e.g. MS Word, MS Powerepoint, MS Excel, Google Pages, etc.).
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal communication skills in English).
• Highly skilled in negotiation, facilitation, and managing matrix team dynamics.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or other recognized PM certification

We offer competitive compensation because we want to hire the best people and reward them for their contributions to our mission. We pay all employees competitively relative to the New York City market, regardless of their location. In compliance with NYC's pay transparency law and in pursuit of pay equity and fairness, we publish salary ranges for all open roles at TrialSpark. The target salary range for this role is $235,000 - $280,000.

On top of base salary, we also offer equity, generous perks, location flexibility, and comprehensive benefits – learn more about them and our compensation philosophy here.

If this range doesn't match your expectations, please still apply because we may have something else for you.

You will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.