Portfolio and Program Manager (PPM): Program and Project Management Excellence

Roche fosters diversity, equity and inclusion, representing the communities we serve. When dealing with healthcare on a global scale, diversity is an essential ingredient to success. We believe that inclusion is key to understanding people’s varied healthcare needs. Together, we embrace individuality and share a passion for exceptional care. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position

In Roche’s Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development organization (pRED) , we make transformative medicines for patients to tackle some of the world’s toughest unmet healthcare needs. At pRED, we are united by our mission to transform science into medicine. Together, we create a culture defined by curiosity, responsibility and humility, where our talented people are empowered and inspired to bring forward extraordinary life-changing innovation at speed.

Strategy, Portfolio & Operations (SPO) is a newly built function that aims to encompass several business partner functions for pRED including strategy & portfolio, program & project management excellence, clinical operations, sites and laboratory management, capability development and external operations. SPO is set up leveraging a hub and spoke design with a clear mandate for core capabilities that are mirrored by the respective spokes in disease therapeutic areas and functions across pRED. SPO’s mission is to deliver excellence in operations, ensure patient centricity and enable high-quality decision-making. As a trusted partner across pRED, SPO contributes to pRED’s research and development excellence.

This position is located in the Program and Project Management Excellence (PPME) Chapter which enables the development of molecules from entry into portfolio up to the end of the pivotal-enabling study. We are looking for an ambitious self-starter and independent team worker with a growth mindset.

The Opportunity

As a member of PPME, you are a critical strategic partner, helping pRED molecule project teams and governance bodies, make quality decisions, by providing insights across the portfolio to architect and catalyze actions that maximize R&D Productivity.

The position provides an outstanding opportunity to influence R&D from research through Phase II, across many therapeutic areas. It requires interactions with senior partners from the Research, Clinical, Development, Regulatory and Commercial organizations. The ideal candidate will have a background that combines science, strategy and business, to be a part of a team bringing life-saving therapeutics to patients.

• You provide strategic program management to project teams, framing and assessing options, and identifying inflection points and critical factors for decision-making and governance.

• You guide molecule teams - in close collaboration with the respective Research Program Manager - from drug discovery through preparation for pivotal trials and ensure a smooth transition to the late-stage teams.

• You build and maintain highly functioning project teams by observing team dynamics, building trust, addressing issues and encouraging open dialogues.

• You keep teams on track to deliver short-, mid-and long-term activities to achieve team objectives and drive key program/project meetings & workshops, team communication and documentation.

• You lead and support strategic chapter/SPO/pRED workstreams.

• You foster a teaching, coaching and learning culture within the PPME chapter.

• You contribute to portfolio management by placing individual project decisions into the context of the broader disease pipeline.

• You maintain program and project management guidelines, standards, and tools as required.

Who you are

• You hold a scientific degree and/or an MBA. You ideally have a background that combines science, strategy, and drug development experience

• You bring a minimum of 5 years of Program and Portfolio Management experience supporting cross-functional (drug development) teams in a scientific environment. Pharma/biotech drug development experience, especially in the early clinical phases, is preferred.

• You are proficient in Program and Project management methodologies and agile practices.

• You thrive in environments of ambiguity and collaboration where responsibilities and accountability are distributed and where advice-seeking is foundational. - - You can build strong relationships, collaborate across functions, and influence at various organizational levels.

• You have a demonstrated ability to translate project plans and strategy into action and have strong influencing, communication, negotiation, and presentation skills. You can challenge assumptions and step outside traditional thinking.

• You are fluent in English, written and spoken.

Unwavering focus, collaborative teamwork and exceptional delivery are key behaviours that drive our mission of doing now what patients need next. Together, we can be transformative.

If you are passionate about contributing to a committed team and have the dedication to partnership and innovation, Roche is the place for you! Every role at Roche plays a part in making a difference in patients’ lives. Apply now and join us in making an impact!

Who we are

At Roche, more than 100,000 people across 100 countries are pushing back the frontiers of healthcare. Working together, we’ve become one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups. Our success is built on innovation, curiosity and diversity.

Basel is the headquarters of the Roche Group and one of its most important centres of pharmaceutical research. Over 10,700 employees from over 100 countries come together at our Basel/Kaiseraugst site, which is one of Roche`s largest sites. Read more .

Besides extensive development and training opportunities, we offer flexible working options, 18 weeks of maternity leave and 10 weeks of gender independent partnership leave. Our employees also benefit from multiple services on site such as child-care facilities, medical services, restaurants and cafeterias, as well as various employee events.

We believe in the power of diversity and inclusion, and strive to identify and create opportunities that enable all people to bring their unique selves to Roche.