Associate Director, Resilience Strategic Partnerships – UK in London

Joining Moderna means advancing mRNA science to transform medicine. Work with exceptional global teams on a broad pipeline and build a career that makes a real difference for global health. 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 programs 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 organizations 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.

About Moderna:

Since our founding in 2010, we have aspired to build the leading mRNA technology platform, the infrastructure to reimagine how medicines are created and delivered, and a world-class team. We believe in giving our people a platform to change medicine and an opportunity to change the world. By living our mission, values, and mindsets every day, our people are the driving force behind our scientific progress and our culture. Together, we are creating a culture of belonging and building an organization that cares deeply for our patients, our employees, the environment, and our communities.

We are proud to have been recognized as a Science Magazine Top Biopharma Employer, a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators.