Senior Director, Program Management

Position Description

Reporting to the Chief Scientific Officer, the Senior Director, Program Management will be a strategic and operational leader responsible for driving the execution of our early stage- research and development programs. This individual will partner closely with cross-functional teams, including the Directors, VPs and SVPs of Discovery and Platform, Pharmacology, Bioanalytical Sciences, CMC, and Drug Development to ensure the successful advancement of our pipeline from early research to developmental candidate status.

You will help plan, coordinate, monitor and communicate R&D KPI progress to drive portfolio management processes of operational objectives. You will also play a critical role in managing and fostering relationships with strategic partners, ensuring that collaborations deliver value to all stakeholders.

The position is full-time, partly on-site. This is the perfect opportunity for someone interested in the exciting and fast-paced environment of a startup company and looking to make a difference in improving people’s lives through science. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in drug discovery and development, a proven track record of program management excellence in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry, and a passion for bringing transformative therapies to patients.

Position Location and work permit requirement

640 Galveston Dr. Redwood City, 94063

Strong preference for onsite work at our office, but open to hybrid or remote working arrangements.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.

Key Responsibilities

• Working with senior leadership and other stakeholders to establish quarterly KPIs, R&D program plans, and portfolio governance processes that provide a foundation for achieving annual corporate objectives.
• This is a key leadership role within Juvena Therapeutics, Inc., facilitating communication across internal technical and cross-functional teams
• Directly coordinate project portfolio plans development and tracking for
  a) the Discovery programs through IND-filing for multiple Therapeutic Areas, and for
  b) the Platform program including Data Science/Bioinformatics/AI-ML projects.
• Monitor ongoing projects for potential risks and develop proactive mitigation strategies with management and the relevant R&D teams. Identify, track, and support resolution efforts for all program-related issues and effectively communicate to relevant internal and external contractor teams via regular and ad-hoc status updates.
• Drive the development and maintenance of comprehensive program plans roadmaps, including timelines, budgets, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Develop and maintain project/portfolio dashboards, reports, and metrics including timeline GANTTS and status summaries.
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration within program teams and across the organization to ensure clarity of goals, progress, and issues.
• Track and report on program progress to senior management and other key stakeholders at regular internal meeting cycles.
• Support the presentation of program progress updates at quarterly board meetings.
• Step in as necessary to drive down general administrative or technical debt associated with a fast moving start-up environment
• Contribute to the development and implementation of best practices in program management to drive efficiency and effectiveness.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and excellence within program teams.

Position Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline is required; an advanced degree (e.g., MS, PhD, MBA) is preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, with at least 5 years in a program management role.
• A thorough understanding of the drug development process, from pre-IND to commercialization.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build consensus.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and timelines.
• Experience with program management tools and software notably both Microsoft and GSuite systems.
• A proactive and results-oriented mindset, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Proven Track Record: Demonstrated success in managing high-impact partnerships, with an emphasis on deep cross-functional collaboration in biotechnology. Experience with biologics or drug discovery alliances is preferred.
• Skills: Excellent communication, relationship management, negotiation, and collaboration skills, with the ability to drive alignment across cross-functional teams.
• Track record of advancing R&D programs through Discovery to developmental candidate nomination
• Ability to wear many hats with a team-first attitude.

Compensation

• Competitive salary, annual bonus and stock options
• Health/Dental/Vision insurance
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Partial 401K matching

$135,000- $175,000 annual salary
Salary range and total compensation is based on candidate qualifications, skill level and internal equity.