R&D Global Process Owner- Project Management

Job Title: R&D Global Process Owner- Project Management

Are you ready to shape the future of medicine? The race is on to speed up drug discovery and development to find answers for patients and their families. Your skills could be critical in helping our teams accelerate progress. 

The R&D Global Asset Project Management, Operational Planning, and Capacity Management teams are essential for ensuring precise, current, and effective planning and management of the R&D pipeline. These functions provide a comprehensive, end-to-end view of our portfolio's progress, enabling leaders to make well-informed decisions. Sanofi is undertaking a transformation in the R&D Asset Project Management organization by strategically planning our workforce, streamlining processes, enhancing data and tools, and integrating AI/Gen-AI capabilities. The future R&D Global Asset Project Management organization will be pivotal in advancing molecules and assets throughout the drug development lifecycle, delivering high-quality project data to support real-time enterprise decision-making.

As the R&D Global Process Owner- Project Management / Operational Planning and Capacity Management, you will be responsible for leading, optimizing, and overseeing the global processes, for Project Management and Operational Planning and Capacity Management. You will work closely with R&D Leaders, cross-functional teams, subject matter experts and operational leads in R&D, partnering with digital, finance, quality and other end-to-end organizations to ensure the consistent, efficient, and compliant execution of these R&D processes worldwide. This role requires strong leadership, a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical R&D lifecycleand asset project management, across Research and Development, and the ability to drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity, quality, and reduce time-to-market for new therapies including incorporating AI/Gen-AI enhancements

We are an innovative global healthcare company with one purpose: to chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. We’re also a company where you can flourish and grow your career, with countless opportunities to explore, make connections with people, and stretch the limits of what you thought was possible. Ready to get started?

Main Responsibilities

Process Ownership & Governance:

• Own and oversee the global end-to-end processes for Project Management and Operational Planning and Capacity Management, ensuring it is effective, standardized, and scalable across all regions.

• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve or simplify the framework for these processes, ensuring it aligns with the R&D strategy, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.

• Together with the business, define and implement the processes for Project Management and Operational Planning and Capacity Management, ensuring consistency, quality and delivery for data driven decisions across the R&D paradigm

• Drive the adoption of simplification, best practices and process optimization for Project Management and the data collection across R&D with the ability to provide insights and data to Medical and Commercial for transparent information

• Establish process governance structures aligned with other GPOs and Data alignment, including regular reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives, automation, and AI application where applicable

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Collaborate with senior leaders in R&D, Subject Matter Experts, Operational Leads, Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance, Finance, Strategy & Portfolio and Digital to ensure the processes are aligned with the business strategy, the portfolio alignment and offer end to end data delivery for milestones, resources, costs and general project management delivery.

• Become the liaison between the R&D Departments, the Project Management team, and the Finance organization to facilitate process alignment and potential optimization, knowledge sharing as One R&D, and integration of new technologies and methodologies.Provide strategic guidance by collaborating with Operational Excellence experts to support R&D teams in resolving process-related challenges, simplifications ensuring that high-impact issues and proposals are offered and are addressed and resolved in a timely manner.

Change Management, Training & Knowledge Management:

• Identify and support change management initiatives related to process updates, ensuring smooth adoption and minimizing disruption across global teams.

• In collaboration with R&D Operations, develop and support delivery of training programs to R&D teams globally to ensure proficiency in new or revised processes and tools.

• Ensure the creation and maintenance of a central knowledge repository for R&D processes, best practices, and lessons learned across the organization.

• Act as a mentor and subject matter expert for R&D process owners and teams, offering guidance and support as needed.Work closely with the R&D risk leader to identify key risks for R&D and determine the need for process optimization and standardization

About You

Experience:

• An advanced understanding of the processes needed to deliver effective and sustainable Project Management and Operational Planning activities, with direct asset project management or resource and operational capacity management experience preferred.

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, or related field (Master’s or PhD preferred).

• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry predominantly, with at least 5 years in R&D Project Management or  process management.

• Proven experience in leading or managing cross-functional teams in a global, matrixed/networked organization.

• Deep understanding of R&D processes, as well as regulatory and quality compliance in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Experience in process optimization, Lean Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.

Soft skills:

• Strong leadership and change management skills, with the ability to influence and drive alignment across global teams.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to present complex ideas to senior leadership and influence decision-making.

• Solid project management skills, with experience in managing global initiatives across multiple stakeholders.

• Able to influentially manage subject matter experts and operational leads to support analysis and deliveryKnowledge of R&D IT systems (e.g., LIMS, clinical trial management systems, electronic lab notebooks, Planisware) and digital transformation tools in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Analytical mindset with the ability to identify process inefficiencies, assess risk, and implement actionable solutions.

• Fluency in English (other languages are a plus).

Technical skills:

• Programs, Project and/or Change Management processes methodologies (e.g. MSP, PMP, Prosci) - Certification in this area a plus.

• Knowledge of LEAN/Six Sigma/Continuous Improvement (CI) methodologies – Certifications in these areas a plus.

Why Choose Us?

• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.

• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.

• Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.

• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks’ gender-neutral parental leave.

Sanofi Inc. and its U.S. affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law.

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