Associate Director, Resilience Strategic Partnerships – UK

The role involves advancing mRNA science to transform medicine and working with exceptional global teams on a broad pipeline. Moderna is strengthening its presence in London, a global centre of science and innovation, driving commercial operations to bring mRNA medicines to patients across the UK.

This is a high-profile, customer-facing leadership role at the heart of Moderna’s UK pandemic preparedness and resilience strategy. You will lead the execution of a landmark Long-Term Strategic Partnership with the UK Government, shaping the future of mRNA-based vaccines and biomanufacturing in the UK.

Operating at the intersection of strategy and execution, you will orchestrate complex, cross-functional programmes while engaging senior government stakeholders to deliver meaningful public health impact. You will play a pivotal role in advancing Moderna’s mission by driving delivery across R&D, manufacturing, and access to respiratory vaccines, while navigating a dynamic and evolving healthcare ecosystem.

Here’s What You’ll Do:

• Lead execution of the Moderna UK government strategic plan in partnership with UKHSA and external stakeholders, ensuring delivery of all commitments under the Long-Term Strategic Partnership.
• Serve as a primary customer-facing leader, managing day-to-day interactions with UK government stakeholders including UKHSA, Department of Health and Social Care, NHS, and the broader healthcare ecosystem.
• Represent Moderna on the UKHSA operations board, bringing in internal subject matter experts to address questions, develop solutions, and support decision-making.
• Provide oversight of program challenges, risks, and issues in close collaboration with government partners, ensuring transparency and effective resolution.
• Lead and develop matrixed, cross-functional teams spanning R&D, manufacturing, policy and public affairs, market access, tender and contracts, legal, finance, regulatory, and HR.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration to achieve program objectives and deliver external commitments within agreed timelines and quality standards.
• Ensure alignment of messaging across internal and external workstreams, representing senior leadership perspectives where required.
• Define and develop integrated program plans across multiple workstreams, including scope, resource requirements, milestones, roadmaps, KPIs, and budgets.
• Establish and maintain governance frameworks to support execution, reporting, and decision-making across the program.
• Facilitate workshops, team meetings, and planning sessions to drive alignment, execution, and documentation of strategies and outcomes.
• Coordinate interdependencies across functions to preserve the program’s critical path and ensure seamless execution.
• Develop and maintain schedules, timelines, KPIs, and performance reports, ensuring all contractual milestones and deliverables are achieved on time.
• Track and report progress using appropriate management tools, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and accountability.
• Lead risk management efforts, including identification, mitigation planning, contingency development, and escalation where required.
• Oversee development and delivery of reports tied to contractual commitments within the Long-Term Strategic Partnership.
• Ensure robust documentation and knowledge management to support governance and future knowledge transfer.
• Shape the external environment by anticipating emerging challenges, influencing stakeholders, and removing roadblocks across complex organizational structures.
• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with senior government officials, acting as a key representative of Moderna.
• Operate with an entrepreneurial mindset to navigate ambiguity, seize opportunities, and solve complex challenges across both strategic and executional dimensions.

The key Moderna Mindsets you’ll need to succeed in the role:

• We act with dynamic range, driving strategy and execution at the same time at every step.
• We behave like owners. The solutions we’re building go beyond any job description.

Here’s What You’ll Bring to the Table (Preferred Qualifications):

• Well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with key stakeholders, at all levels of management.
• Knowledge of UK government and the UK healthcare ecosystem.
• Commercial mindset with deep customer understanding gained through experience of working with or for DHSC, UKHSA NHSE etc.
• Solid understanding of how a biopharmaceutical company operates; experience with vaccines is an advantage.
• Customer focus/account management and an ability to work cross-functionally.
• Superior ability to engage with senior external stakeholders and multiple government organisations to create innovative solutions and resolve issues.
• Ability to lead effectively in ambiguity and rally team around common objectives.
• Project Management skills with experience in design, delivery, execution and governance of project milestones; experience with agile and lean methodologies is an advantage.
• Results focused with strong attention to detail.
• Motivated and possessing a can-do-it attitude; ability to work in a high volume fast-paced environment.
• Strong team player capable of leading by influence with experience navigating & influencing stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to produce and present clear, concise, and professionally written communications and presentations.
• Demonstrated ability to apply systems thinking and analysis techniques to complex challenges.
• Sound technical aptitude and proven ability to grasp general knowledge of multiple disciplines and technologies with superior comfort with digital tools.
• Ability to thrive and adapt in a fluid environment and foster a strong collaborative spirit.
• Solid judgement with ability to make good decisions.
• Ability to influence, collaborate and align with cross-functional and matrix partnerships on key programs or projects, driving accountability and outcomes.
• A desire to be part of a high-growth, transformational company that is Bold, Relentless, Curious, and Collaborative.

As part of Moderna’s commitment to workplace safety, this role may require an enhanced pre‑employment check.

Pay & Benefits: At Moderna, we believe that when you feel your best, you can do your best work. That’s why our global benefits and well-being resources are designed to support you—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Best-in-class healthcare, plus voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs.
• A holistic approach to well-being with access to fitness, mindfulness, and mental health support.
• Family building benefits, including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy support.
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, bank holidays, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and a discretionary year-end shutdown.
• Savings and investments to help you plan for the future.
• Location-specific perks and extras.

The benefits offered may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Moderna and the country where you work.

Moderna is committed to equal opportunity in employment and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person’s race, colour, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry or citizenship, ethnicity, disability, military or protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, or any other personal characteristic protected under applicable law. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

Moderna is committed to offering reasonable accommodation or adjustments to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation or adjustment in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should contact the Accommodations and Adjustments team at leavesandaccommodations@modernatx.com.