Executive Director Clinical Operations, Program Management (Cell Therapy)

About the role

Are you ready to lead global cell therapy clinical operations across multiple franchises and turn bold science into real options for patients? This role puts you at the helm of program-level delivery for early development in vivo, allogeneic, and autologous cell therapies, spanning therapeutic areas from cancer to autoimmune disease. You will translate strategy into execution across a complex, high‑stakes portfolio where time, cost, and quality are mission critical. Reporting to the Head of Cell Therapy Clinical Operations, you will partner with senior operational and clinical leaders to shape franchise strategies, drive standardization, and ensure inspection‑ready excellence.

Locations: US based (Gaithersburg, MD, Boston, MA, SSF, CA, Santa Clara, CA)

Responsibilities

• Franchise Leadership: Clinical Operations Strategy: Define and implement short‑ and long‑term clinical operations strategies across franchises, including therapeutic operating models, country footprint and site strategies, and consistent, deliverable operational clinical development plans.
• Integrated Portfolio Delivery: Provide direct strategic oversight of global cell therapy clinical studies to deliver to agreed time and cost, meeting quality and regulatory standards across the portfolio.
• Governance and Decision Quality: Serve as a core member of enterprise governance for cell therapy, including Protocol Review Committee sign‑off for clinical operations and robust operational review ahead of key decision bodies (DRC and ESPC/LSPC).
• Prioritization and Forecasting: Establish and communicate delivery strategies, portfolio priorities, and key metrics to leadership; partner with planning leaders to drive slot forecasting and prioritization decisions.
• Regulatory and Inspection Readiness: Ensure franchise‑wide preparation for regulatory submissions and sustained inspection readiness.
• Functional Leadership – High‑Performing Teams: Build and inspire a strong, capable global team across program leadership roles, setting vision and strategy, elevating performance, and developing capabilities at scale.
• Operational Excellence: Lead functional delivery including financial cycle planning (MTP, LTP, phased budget), training and onboarding strategies, and functional budget management.
• Cross‑Functional Integration: Build deep partnerships with shared functions (Data Management, Vendor Management, Lab Management groups, Logistics, Manufacturing) to co‑create and execute fit‑for‑purpose cell therapy strategies.
• External Engagement and Innovation: Engage with industry leaders to bring innovation into clinical operations practice; lead large transformational workstreams within and beyond the function.
• Leadership Team Contribution: Serve as a key member of the leadership team, shaping the forward plan and ensuring standardization and consistency of delivery across programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• 12+ years of proven Drug Development experience, with direct experience in clinical drug development setting, including direct clinical operations experience
• Line management expertise; experience of performance management of Snr Director level Staff in a large pharmaceutical or biotech setting of teams of 20+
• Demonstrated development of others, identifying and providing opportunities to improve the capabilities of other people
• Functional Experience in contributing meaningfully to Clinical Operations functional improvement initiatives that cross clinical programs management experience, managing resourcing, budget planning and functional level activities
• Professional excellence: Background of high professional achievement and willingness to encourage this in others – Leads change with a positive approach; sees change as an opportunity to improve performance and add value to the business
• Influencing and stakeholder management
• Supplier/Partnership Management
• Excellent communication skills – Demonstrated ability to set and manage priorities, resources, performance targets and project initiatives in a global environment
• Creative and Innovative: Seeks to improve continuously where it counts, based on good awareness of external competitive practice, and creativity and initiative
• Output/delivery focused – Maintains high standards, including a commitment to AstraZeneca values, policies and employment principles
• Cultural Awareness: Is aware of and sensitive to cultural differences and their impact on communication, expectations and performance
• Teamwork and cross functional Collaboration: Is effective in leading and being a member of teams, both locally and internationally
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally

Qualifications

• Advanced Degree (M.S, MBA, PhD)
• 15+ years of clinical and pharmaceutical drug development processes
• Experience working internationally: working with major markets/resolution of international issues
• Business planning skills: has knowledge/experience of planning processes used in managing drug projects
• Risk and crisis management experience
• Experience of leading global teams across multiple countries

Pay

For the full‑time role, the annual base salary in the US ranges from $270,188.80 to $405,283.20 USD. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Benefits

• Short‑term incentive bonus opportunity
• Eligibility to participate in the equity‑based long‑term incentive program (salaried roles) or to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles)
• Qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Paid leaves
• Health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans

Schedule

In‑person working: minimum of three days per week from the office, with flexibility to balance office presence and individual flexibility.