Associate Director, Program Manager (Drug Development)

6-month contract with potential for extension; conversion to full-time only if an open FTE position becomes available. Bay Area local candidates only; onsite Tuesday–Thursday.

About the role

Seeking an experienced Associate Director-level Program Manager to support multiple cross-functional drug development teams across early-stage and clinical development programs. This individual will partner closely with scientific and clinical leaders to drive project planning, governance, timelines, communications, and cross-functional execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead program management activities for one complex or multiple cross-functional drug development teams.
• Partner with Clinical Development and functional leaders to drive project strategy, timelines, deliverables, and decision-making.
• Plan, facilitate, and co-chair cross-functional team meetings while ensuring execution of action items between meetings.
• Coordinate communications across project teams and provide regular project status updates to leadership and key stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain integrated project plans, timelines, milestones, risks, and resource plans using Smartsheet, MS Project, or Planisware (G.Plan preferred).
• Identify project risks, dependencies, and resource gaps, and develop mitigation and corrective action plans.
• Coordinate governance activities, including preparing executive presentations, briefing documents, governance packages, and supporting leadership meetings.
• Organize and coordinate sub-team meetings and cross-functional working groups to ensure alignment across Development, Clinical, Regulatory, CMC, Nonclinical, and other functional teams.
• Author and maintain project management documentation and support Development Project Team and Governance Committee meetings.
• Drive collaboration across multiple stakeholders while balancing competing priorities in a fast-paced development environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline with 10+ years of relevant experience, OR Master’s degree (MS or MBA) with 8+ years of relevant experience, OR PhD, PharmD, DVM, or MD with 4+ years of relevant program management experience.
• Minimum 5 years of cross-functional program/project management experience within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Experience supporting drug development programs through at least Phase II clinical development.
• Experience partnering with Clinical Development leaders and driving cross-functional strategy.
• Strong governance experience, including executive presentations and leadership meeting support.
• Experience managing integrated project plans, timelines, risks, budgets, and cross-functional deliverables.

Preferred Qualifications

• Scientific background with experience transitioning into Program Management.
• Early-stage drug development experience (Discovery, Preclinical, Phase I).
• Experience supporting infectious disease, virology, HIV, or oncology programs.
• Experience using Planisware (G.Plan).
• Strong business acumen, organizational skills, and executive presence.
• Comfortable managing multiple complex programs simultaneously while influencing without authority.

Pay

$115.11 an hour.

Schedule

Onsite Tuesday–Thursday.