Director, Neuroscience Portfolio Strategy

At Johnson & Johnson (J&J), we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow.

About the role

The Director, Neuroscience Portfolio Strategy is a key leader within the Neuroscience Portfolio Strategy and Integration (NPSI) organization and is responsible for helping shape the long-term strategic direction of Johnson & Johnson’s Neuroscience portfolio. This individual serves as a strategic thought partner to Neuroscience senior leadership, driving portfolio prioritization, investment decision-making, innovation strategy, and enterprise-level planning across neurodegeneration, neuropsychiatry, ophthalmology, and emerging neuroscience opportunities.

The role requires scientific acumen, business strategy expertise, and strong leadership capability to influence complex decisions across all stages of the portfolio lifecycle. The Director will lead a small team and contribute to the continued evolution of Johnson & Johnson’s Neuroscience strategy as the organization expands and diversifies its portfolio.

Locations: Cambridge, MA; Raritan, NJ; San Diego, CA; Spring House, PA; Titusville, NJ.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and grow a broad, deep, and dynamic understanding of internal strategic resources, including Neuroscience strategy, product development plans, Target Product Profiles, knowledge management systems, portfolio priorities, governance processes, and long-range planning inputs, as well as external strategic resources including competitive intelligence, market dynamics, regulatory precedent, policy developments, external innovation, and business development trends.
• Lead strategic portfolio assessments and scenario planning activities to support investment decisions, resource allocation, portfolio prioritization, and long-range Neuroscience Therapeutic Area planning across neurodegeneration, neuropsychiatry, ophthalmology, and emerging areas of scientific opportunity.
• Independently identify and evaluate opportunities to strengthen portfolio value through strategic prioritization, lifecycle planning, external innovation, business development assessments, risk mitigation, and organizational investments.
• Actively partner with NPSI colleagues, Disease Area Leadership Teams, Compound Development Teams, and senior functional leaders to advise and drive program, portfolio, and disease area strategies, plans, objectives, and executive communications across the Neuroscience portfolio.
• Partner across the development continuum to ensure portfolio strategies are aligned from discovery through late-stage development, regulatory milestones, commercialization planning, and lifecycle management.
• Serve as a facilitator and trusted advisor in strategically complex, cross-functional discussions, including portfolio reviews, lifecycle management assessments, opportunity assessments, strategic process improvements, governance forums, and J&J Innovative Medicine-level portfolio discussions.
• Build strong two-way partnerships across R&D, Commercial, Business Development, External Innovation, Medical Affairs, Competitive Intelligence, Data Science, Development, and Finance to advance Neuroscience portfolio objectives and enterprise priorities.
• Act as a strategic thought partner for Neuroscience Therapeutic Area and Disease Area senior leaders, with the ability to confidently participate in and present to senior leadership forums.
• Exhibit self-awareness, a learning mindset, and the ability to influence stakeholders from different functional backgrounds by clearly articulating the strategic value of portfolio recommendations, gaining buy-in, and driving uptake of decisions.
• Lead the Neuroscience Strategy Development team, with responsibility for performance, development, coaching, mentoring, guidance, empowerment, and maintaining a high-functioning and psychologically safe team environment.

Qualifications

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in life sciences is required. Post-graduate degree in life sciences strongly preferred.
• Neuroscience expertise preferred.
• A minimum of 6 years’ experience working in the global Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology or Medical Device/Diagnostics industry, or an institution that participates in pharmaceutical/Healthcare research is required.
• Experience in portfolio strategy, therapeutic area strategy, business development, external innovation, commercial strategy, corporate strategy, R&D leadership, or cross-functional drug development strategy is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success influencing portfolio strategy, investment decisions, enterprise-level business planning, and cross-functional strategic alignment within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare industry.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate, consult, facilitate and communicate effectively in a global matrix environment, with the ability to build positive relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels of hierarchy, regardless of authority.
• Breadth of experience in leading people of varying levels via support, guidance, coaching and open conversations to reach their full potential. Ability to build trust, inspire, develop, collaborate, and lead to solutions within a global matrixed team.
• Self-motivated, with a high level of comfort operating as an independent worker in an entrepreneurial environment. Big picture orientation with solid attention to detail. A results and performance-driven demeanor with a solid sense of accountability and drive to get results.
• Up to 10% travel may be required.

Pay

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $164,000.00 - $282,900.00.

Benefits

• Retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).
• Vacation – 120 hours per calendar year.
• Sick time – 40 hours per calendar year (48 hours for Colorado residents, 56 hours for Washington residents).
• Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays – 13 days per calendar year.
• Work, Personal and Family Time – up to 40 hours per calendar year.
• Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child.
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member; 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year.
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period.
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year.
• Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year.