Director, Drug Development Portfolio Management

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Belgium.

📋 Description

• The DDPM is tasked with integrating overarching indication activities and milestones, documenting their downstream effects, and justifying any changes in project budget and resources.

• This position requires close collaboration with the Asset Strategy Lead and function leads within the EDST or AST.

• The DDPM is responsible for compiling and owning the comprehensive cross-functional project plan, ensuring it aligns with corporate strategy.

• Promotes project management methodologies and practices, coaching team members on consistent implementation, including risk mapping, mitigation strategies, and documenting lessons learned.

• Supports team member development, enhancing their confidence, skills, and experiences in line with corporate strategy while ensuring adherence to agreed project scopes.

• Establishes a detailed project lifetime plan, proactively identifying risks and resolving issues as they arise.

• Maintains and communicates project timelines, budgets, and resource allocations, flagging any delays and discrepancies while coordinating with governance, finance, and function heads.

• Encourages high team performance by actively engaging stakeholders and collaborating with project leadership to ensure effective governance meetings.

• Works with various teams and function leads to convert strategies into integrated project plans, taking ownership of these plans and sharing insights that shape project direction.

• Promotes positive team dynamics by collaborating with HR to organize team-building activities and ensuring secure document sharing among team members and stakeholders.

• Communicates any major project accelerations or delays to leadership, driving necessary corrective actions.

• Partners with internal and external stakeholders to establish effective project communications and manage changes towards shared objectives while facilitating conflict resolution.

• Develops and implements frameworks and methods for quality decision-making to support operational excellence in drug development projects and process improvement initiatives.

• Collaborates with finance to address budget-related queries, conduct baseline comparisons, and perform variance analysis, optimizing internal project templates.

• Co-creates dashboards with business process managers and serves as a liaison to identify reporting needs from business partners.

⛳️ Requirements

• Strong leadership abilities, promoting values that enhance team dynamics.

• Excellent communication skills that encourage inclusivity and collaboration.

• Proven interpersonal skills for effective conflict mediation and management.

• Solid project management expertise with extensive exposure to the pharmaceutical R&D process; advanced planning experience using MS Project is essential.

• PMP certification is an advantage.

• Flexibility and adaptability to continuous change.

• Proficient verbal and written communication skills in English (full professional proficiency required).

• An advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in a health-related field or equivalent experience.

• At least 10 years of experience in drug development across various phases and disease areas.

• A minimum of 5 years of program management experience in a pharmaceutical or biotech environment, preferably in cross-cultural settings.

• Genuine interest and some experience in people management.

• Experience in Regulatory Affairs and/or Clinical Development is a plus.

🏝️ Benefits

• Various annual leave entitlements.

• A selection of health insurance options to meet you and your family’s needs.

• Competitive retirement planning options to maximize savings and confidently plan for the future.

• Global Employee Assistance Programme, TELUS Health, providing 24-hour access to a global network of over 80,000 independent specialized professionals dedicated to supporting you and your family’s well-being.

• Life assurance.

• Flexible country-specific optional benefits, including childcare vouchers, bike purchase schemes, discounted gym memberships, subsidized travel passes, health assessments, among others.