At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and mentor a high-performing oncology project management team driving global cancer programmes.
- Company: Join Jazz Pharmaceuticals, a global biopharma innovating life-changing medicines.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonuses, flexible vacation, and comprehensive health benefits.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for career growth and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in oncology while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Extensive drug development experience and strong people management skills required.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals is a global biopharma company whose purpose is to innovate to transform the lives of patients and their families. We are dedicated to developing life-changing medicines for people with serious diseases — often with limited or no therapeutic options. We have a diverse portfolio of marketed medicines, including leading therapies for sleep disorders and epilepsy, and a growing portfolio of cancer treatments. Our patient-focused and science-driven approach powers pioneering research and development advancements across our robust pipeline of innovative therapeutics in oncology and neuroscience. Jazz is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with research and development laboratories, manufacturing facilities and employees in multiple countries committed to serving patients worldwide.
Brief Description: The Senior Director, Head of Oncology Project Management provides strategic operational leadership, coaching, and portfolio-level oversight for the oncology project management organization at Jazz Pharmaceuticals. This leader focuses on fostering, equipping, and scaling a high-performing team of Project Managers. The oncology PM team is responsible for driving global oncology programs through the full development lifecycle. This role ensures that the Oncology PM team has tools, strategic mindset, and talent density to drive critical-path execution and operational excellence. The Senior Director partners closely with Oncology Therapeutic Area Leadership to operationalize portfolio strategy and proactively manages team capacity.
Essential Functions:
- People Leadership & Coaching
- Team Leadership: Direct, mentor, and foster an elite oncology project management team capable of driving programs across Phase 1, late-stage, regulatory filing, and global launch.
- Capability Building: Coach and develop PMs to proactively identify critical path dependencies, manage cross-functional execution, and maintain rigorous operational standards.
- Talent Development: Implement individualized development plans, succession planning, and proactive recruitment to ensure critical programs are staffed with top-tier talent.
- Portfolio Oversight & Execution Excellence
- Milestone Tracking: Maintain high-level line-of-sight on all oncology program health, key milestones, critical paths, and project risk profiles.
- Operational Excellence: Partner with Oncology Therapeutic Area Leadership to convert clinical development plans into integrated operational roadmaps.
- Gap Coverage: Actively step in to directly manage a project or program when necessary to bridge a critical team resource or staffing gap.
- Governance & Decision Framing
- Strategic Governance: Guide and support PMs as they prepare their project teams for governance committees.
- Trade-Off Analysis: Help team frame complex decisions for executive leadership through clear trade-off analyses.
- Risk & Issue Management: Facilitate proactive risk identification, mitigation plans, and contingency execution across all programs.
- Resource, Capacity & Budget Management
- Capacity Planning: Proactively forecast FTE resource bottlenecks and partner with functional heads to resolve gaps.
- Financial Management: Maintain oversight of oncology program budgets, collaborating with Finance to track variances.
- Process Optimization & Best Practices
- Process Excellence: Lead enterprise-level and departmental process optimization initiatives to drive efficiency.
- Systems Adoption: Ensure team-wide adoption of standardized PM tools, risk management frameworks, and enterprise planning systems.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Break down traditional functional silos to build highly collaborative, high-performing drug discovery and early development teams.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Extensive experience of drug development project management experience in biopharma.
- Direct line management experience supervising, developing, and staffing project management professionals.
- Proven track record of managing a team of PMs who have successfully delivered molecules from Phase 1 through to regulatory submission and global commercial launch.
- Broad knowledge of the end-to-end clinical drug development lifecycle and global regulatory frameworks.
- Hands-on experience with enterprise project management systems, schedule analytics, and FTE capacity planning models.
- Superb people developer with a passion for coaching and building collaborative, high-performing matrix teams.
Required/Preferred Education and Licenses:
- Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, or a related field required.
- Advanced degree preferred (Ph.D., PharmD, MS, or MBA).
- PMP (Project Management Professional) or equivalent PM certification preferred.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.
Senior Director, Head of Oncology in City of London employer: Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Jazz Pharmaceuticals is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that prioritises innovation and collaboration in the biopharma industry. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we provide numerous opportunities for professional development and a competitive benefits package, including flexible paid vacation and comprehensive health insurance. Located in vibrant cities like London and Cambridge, our employees enjoy a stimulating environment that fosters creativity and teamwork while making a meaningful impact on patients' lives worldwide.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Director, Head of Oncology in City of London
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Director, Head of Oncology in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Experience:When applying for a role in the pharmaceutical industry, it's crucial to highlight any relevant experience you have. Whether that's internships, lab work, or even related coursework, make sure to weave this into your CV and cover letter. We want to see how your background aligns with the role you're applying for at Jazz Pharmaceuticals!
Emphasise Your Understanding of Regulations:The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated, so it's important to indicate your familiarity with industry standards and regulations. In your cover letter, mention any training or certifications you've received that are relevant, or discuss projects where you’ve navigated compliance. This will show Jazz Pharmaceuticals that you're not just a fit for the job but also a safety-conscious candidate!
Tailor Your CV to Be Result-Driven:Craft your CV to highlight quantifiable achievements, especially if you have previous roles in pharmaceuticals or related fields. Use metrics to demonstrate your impact, such as improved processing times or successful project completions while working on trials. This analytical approach will resonate well with hiring managers at Jazz Pharmaceuticals!
Convey Your Passion for the Industry:In your cover letter, express why you are passionate about working in the pharmaceutical sector. Whether it’s your desire to contribute to groundbreaking drug research or improve patient outcomes, let it shine through! At Jazz Pharmaceuticals, we value candidates who are truly enthusiastic about their work—you might just stand out from the crowd.
How to prepare for a job interview at Jazz Pharmaceuticals
✨Understand the Science
Make sure you brush up on key pharmaceutical concepts and recent developments in the industry. You might get asked some technical questions during the interview at Jazz Pharmaceuticals that show your grasp of drug development processes or regulatory requirements, so be ready to discuss them clearly.
✨Showcase Relevant Experience
If you have any hands-on experience or internships in a laboratory setting, be sure to highlight these in your responses. Think about the projects you worked on, the methodologies you used, and the impact you made. It's all about telling a story that connects your background to the role you're applying for.
✨Know Their Products
Take some time to familiarise yourself with Jazz Pharmaceuticals’s product range and recent breakthroughs. Understanding their portfolio not only shows your enthusiasm for the role but also allows you to ask insightful questions that demonstrate your interest in actively contributing to their projects.
✨Be Ready for Regulatory Scenarios
In a full-time pharmaceutical role, understanding the regulatory landscape is crucial. Prepare for situational questions that may test your problem-solving skills concerning compliance and safety standards. You could be asked how you'd handle a hypothetical issue regarding a drug’s market release, so think through your approach.
