Description

Location: London or Boston

Reporting to: Head of Program, Portfolio Management & Chief of Staff

Job summary

The Program Leader (he/she/they) will take responsibility for program leadership of a priority neurometabolic rare disease ex vivo gene therapy program at Orchard and be responsible for matrix leadership of the cross-functional Program Strategy Team (PST), to develop and advance the assets through the development paradigm on time and within budget. He/she/they will drive the elaboration of product development plans, aligning and integrating strategic inputs across R&D, TechOps and Commercial and be accountable for their timely execution, after endorsement of the Global Program Strategy and the Program Goals by the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). He/she/they will partner with department and function heads to create and maintain a highly collaborative and positive working culture.

This is a central role within the company, responsible for inspiring top-level performance across the team and visible and accountable to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) It is an influential position with the opportunity to positively impact the development of first-in-class treatments for those suffering from severe disorders.

Key Elements and Responsibilities

Program Leadership

• Provide effective program leadership of the cross-functional PST to deliver high-quality programs on time and within budget in matrix environment
• Work in close partnership with the functional Leads (representative of their function in the PST) to develop and implement overall program strategy
• Create a sense of urgency and accountability which fosters a culture of high performance within the team to deliver in a competitive environment
• Create a cultural environment consistent with Orchard’s values. Encourage discretionary investment (above and beyond), collaboration, ingenuity and excellence and nurturing a commitment to common goals. Knowledgeable in tools which enable an understanding of team dynamics to foster an environment of “collective leadership” and “strengths-based development” as a method to facilitate the high performance of the team and each team member

Roles and Responsibilities

• Together with the PST, elaborate the strategy, develop and manage well-defined program plans across R&D, Tech Ops and Commercial in line with corporate objectives for approval and endorsement by the ELT
• As leader of the PST, be accountable for the PST deliverables, including but not limited to Target Product Profile, Global Program Strategy, Evidence Generation Plan, Integrated Program Plan and timelines, Risk Register, Life Cycle Management Plan etc…
• Keep up to date with the external competitive environment and key external stakeholders to ensure the value and differentiation of his/her/their assigned program(s) are maximised. Partner with BD and Alliance Management as necessary to identify external networks to augment and optimize the development of his/her/their program(s)
• Be the single point of accountability to ELT for the execution of the program plans within the approved timelines, i.e., track progress with the support of dedicated Program Manager, identify and manage risks and report to ELT any significant deviations of approved plans, either linked to possible acceleration of work packages or to potential hurdles faced during plan execution
• Chair cross-functional Program Strategy Team (PST) meetings and program forum when necessary
• Hold PST member to account for timely execution of work packages under their responsibility and to report progress diligently and accurately once decision is made to ensure a smooth implementation of the agreed plan
• Seek alignment within PST and manage conflict within team objectively and empathetically for rapid resolution to ensure a cohesive approach
• Set realistic yet aggressive timeframes for achieving objectives with team buy-in and alignment
• Together with the assigned Program Manager, ensure the use of key project management tools, metrics and team meeting logistics and documentation, by the team members to enhance program delivery
• Escalate to ELT for endorsement any additional substantial financial or resources needs for the program as well as any substantial risk that could impact program viability or timely delivery. Take accountability for ensuring any agreed changes with ELT are implemented as required
• Together with the Program Manager, be accountable and responsible to organize and lead program goals and budget sessions at intervals that align with corporate goals setting and Finance budget/forecast calendar to appropriately inform departmental/functional goals and budgets and to translate ELT and board decisions to team and program budgets.

Communication

• In collaboration with the Functional Leads be a spokesperson of the program, reporting progress, risks and issues to functional management and ELT
• Present programs to the ELT and other forums as needed
• Define and implement a communication strategy within the PST and program forum that supports the most effective team empowerment and progress

Staff Development

• Facilitates the success of PST members
• Work in partnership with HR Business Partner and functional managers to develop team members (functional representatives at the PST)
• Provide input into the performance feedback for program team members
• Act as an appropriate Orchard role model and / or coach/mentor to improve performance of individuals within the teams and the team as a whole

Requirements

Required Knowledge and Experience

• English speaking, multilingual preferred
• Experience in program leadership of cross-functional teams, preferably within global pharmaceutical and biotech teams
• Experience in leading without direct authority
• Experience in Pharmaceutical/biotech industry and comprehensive knowledge of the drug development process and R&D value chain

Behavioural Expectations

• Represent a global product perspective
• Engaged, dynamic, results-driven
• Excellent communicator, able to articulate complex information in clear and concise messaging
• Develop differentiated options/scenarios and objectively debate associated assumptions, risks, and trade-offs as presented to ensure robust decision making
• Actively communicate and uphold the integrity of decisions across all functions
• Excellent facilitative leadership skills, ability to get results in a cross-functional setting, sense of urgency and enjoys operating in a fast-moving and highly motivated team environment
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen
• Ability to assimilate new information and to interpret and inform the business
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to work through uncertainty and drive progress while adapting to evolving priorities of the organization
• Experience leading and contributing to change management initiatives to embed new processes and ways of working

Education

• Minimum: Advanced Degree (MBA, MS, PhD)
• 10 years experience +

Orchard is an equal opportunity employer. We recognise and celebrate the diverse culture of our workforce and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our employees. We fully support the principle of Equality and Diversity in employment

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