Associate Director, Project Management

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical-stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep-wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX7...

Description of Role

Centessa is seeking a Associate Director, Project Management – Orexin Development Programs. This individual will leverage both project management and drug development experience to manage one or more early-stage global Orexin development programs. This position will report to the Executive Director, Global Team Leader.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the GTL (Global Team Leader) to project manage a cross-functional matrix development team, and select sub-teams
• Lead the development of and continuously maintain detailed and fully cross-functionally integrated program Gantt chart, incorporating all relevant dependencies, and provide fit-for-purpose summary views for team use and executive management reviews
• Identify and manage interdependencies, critical path and at-risk activities to support program level scenario planning and risk management strategies
• Develop and maintain relevant dashboards to communicate status and track progress
• Manage cross-functional team meetings including scheduling, preparing agendas, presentation materials, and minutes that ensure proper follow up of action items
• Develop and maintain issue logs and risks registers, and ensure team proactively resolve issues in a timely manner and that risks are mitigated as appropriate
• Work with cross-functional team and Finance to develop and update budgets, and manage program spend within approved budget
• Manage select external vendors (timelines, budgets, MSA/SOW documents, etc.) and integrate deliverables into program Gantt
• Support development of Governance and Executive presentations
• Provide support for the planning and preparation of documents to a quality standard required for Regulatory/Health Authority submissions
• Contribute to establishment and refinement of best practices, processes and procedures 

Qualifications

• BS plus 8+ years’ experience in pharmaceutical/biotech R&D environment, or MS/MBA plus 6+ years in pharmaceutical/biotech R&D environment, including 4+ years as PM or equivalent
• Experience managing project teams through IND-enabling activities, pre-IND mtgs, IND submissions, and Phase 1 development.
• Proven expertise in drug development and registration, including early and late-stage clinical, nonclinical, CMC development, and regulatory interactions, submissions/reviews globally
• Highly motivated, proactive, detail-oriented and organized self-starter with strong communication, collaboration, interpersonal skills, and influence to accomplish work without formal authority and to ensure optimal team performance
• Excellent analytical skills and expert in facilitating team decision making; competent in the application of decision analysis methodologies and related tools
• Expert knowledge of project management principles and practices with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced dynamic environment (PMP certification is highly desired), and expert in project management software, e.g., Smartsheet 

Work Location

The Associate Director, Project Management role is based in the US, with occasional travel. 

Compensation 

The annual base salary range for the this position is $115,000 -$170,000. 

Individual compensation within this range will be determined based on a variety of factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge and location.  

In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus. The company also offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a 401(k) plan, company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, generous paid time off, and a health and wellness program.

POSITION: Full-Time, Exempt