Associate Director Biologics Project Team Leader (siRNA)

What you’ll be doing (key responsibilities, but not limited to):

• Work collaboratively with cross-functional and multidisciplinary teams, spanning multiple NVS global sites to discover and develop efficient siRNA-based therapies.
• Co-lead projects with DA project lead; formulate and execute on project strategy, manage interfaces with DAs, including timelines, priority, board presentations.
• Build and lead internal BRC teams of experimental scientists. Seek technical and operational input from key BRC / BR / Novartis stakeholders to build the project execution plan.
• Lead BRC internal project meetings. Collect and interprets data to advance project, adapts strategy, and addresses the right scientific questions. Ensure team discussions and decisions are summarized in minutes. Ensure that key milestones and go / no go criteria are data driven and clearly defined. Own quality of project information and make sure project information is accurate and included in the system(s) in a timely matter.
• Guide projects with respect to biotherapeutic approaches for discovery, formats, modalities and technologies, and leads corresponding efforts. Lead developability assessment, manufacturing cell line development and early process development. Track and oversee projects by maintaining an overview of the project goals, activities and commitments, and timelines of project teams, in line with strategic priorities. Manage and optimize project plans and resource assignments with the aim to manage/mitigate risks.
• Aligns with BRC LT and BRC DA rep on project strategy and resourcing. Regular project/portfolio updates to BRC LT.
• Represent BRC in and actively contribute to BR core project team. Represent BRC in TRD CMC sub-team up to Gate 2. Manages interfaces to TRD TPLs, BRC and EPD LFs on aspects of project management (timelines, strategy, priority). Conducts planning and resource alignments (e.g. from final vector onwards).
• Manages and communicates project status, issues, and options for resolution to ensure optimal and timely information flow to all stakeholders (BR and TRD). 
• Foster effective, proactive and open communication within and across project teams, build trust among team members to achieve transparency and clarity of program goals, progress and issues. Mentor less experienced team members.
• Contribute to vendor/CRO evaluations, coordination of outsourcing requests, budget monitoring and communication, evaluation of external collaborations and due diligence.
• Ensure best practices, knowledge exchange and continuous mentoring and training of our team members.

Minimum requirements:

• PhD with a strong background in Biotherapeutics or siRNA.
• 5+ years of relevant biotech/pharma experience, including focus on biotherapeutic/ siRNA therapeutic design, production, characterization and delivery.
• Previous track record of success in leadership position, working with international and multidisciplinary drug development teams.
• Ambitious, yet highly collaborative and fully committed to team’s and project success.
• Result- and quality oriented. Able to deal with conflicting interests and willing to make compromises to ensure project progress.
• Excellent project management skills, organizational and team management skills, interpersonal communication, strong verbal and written communication.
• Creativity with demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills, ability to pay attention to detail but also see a bigger picture.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and change, eager and fast learner willing to adopt new tools and processes.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced dynamic environment and effectively process multiple avenues of communication and requests in parallel.

Why Novartis:  Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams' representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Accessibility and accommodation

Novartis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all

individuals. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable

accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, or in order to receive more detailed

information about the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to diversity.inclusion_ch@novartis.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message

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