Senior Director Portfolio Management

Please note that this position can be based in either Princeton, NJ, San Diego, CA, or South San Francisco, CA. Acadia's hybrid model requires this role to work in our office an average of 3 days per week.

Position Summary

This position serves a role in the organization as the asset leader in support of the cross-functional strategy for programs (assets) in Acadia's portfolio. This role contributes to the creation of the asset's strategies, collaborating with the commercial, R&D, and G&A organizations to successfully deliver on asset objectives and goals. This role is accountable for the development and execution of program plans, including leading the Asset Strategy Teams (ASTs), ensuring effective communication across the wider cross-functional organization and translating decisions into action.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead ASTs by developing, articulating, and delivering on an integrated asset strategy.
• Drive planning for key drug development stage-gate decision points, for approval at Portfolio Governance.
• Proactively conduct risk management, and contingency and scenario planning across disciplines, ensure transparent communication of risks and escalate to executive management with appropriate speed.
• Drive decision analysis with the team including development and assessment of outcome scenarios with alternative development options, robust go/no go decision criteria, probability of technical and regulatory success (PTRS), and value and investment implications.
• Ensure a coordinated approach across Portfolio Management to ensure aligned execution and consistent reporting across stakeholders (i.e., financial planning and analytics, governances).
• Manage an integrated program budget and resource plan in partnership with Finance team member and functional line representatives and sub-teams.
• Coordinate formation of the ASTs for early-stage development programs following a stage gate decision to move into IND-enabling studies or later stages through in licensing or acquisition.
• Facilitate resource planning, including financial and capacity assessments for assigned assets.
• Establish or update Target Product Profiles (TPPs) through ASTs.
• Collaborate with Sub-Teams to ensure development team plans and timelines align with asset objectives and goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience/Skills

• Bachelor's degree in life science or related field; Advanced degree preferred. Targeting 12 years of progressively responsible, relevant experience focusing on program management with 8 years experience managing cross-functional project teams. Successful candidate will have a strong understanding of the drug development process from preclinical pharmacology through to regulatory approval and the principles, concepts, practices, and standards of pharmaceutical program management. An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.

Key Skills:

• Executive presence and communication skills required.
• Excellent knowledge of project management discipline and its application to drug development required to deliver time, cost, quality and risk management to teams.
• Advanced meeting facilitation skills and ability to lead cross-functional teams that include executive and senior management without direct authority.
• Financial management knowledge required.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, written and verbal communication skills.
• Independent, motivated, team leader with the ability to thrive in a matrix environment.
• Ability to support multiple asset teams simultaneously with strong organizational and time management skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to accommodate and lead teams through shifting priorities, demands and timelines.
• Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources and to be persuasive, encouraging and motivating.* Adept at creating and communicating a clear vision for a program among team members to facilitate alignment of resources to achieve program and corporate goals.
• Proven track record of implementing Project Management tools, methodologies, practices and infrastructure, as related to the biopharmaceutical Industry.
• In-depth knowledge and skill with Microsoft (MS) suite including MS PowerPoint, MS Project, MS Word, MS Excel.
• Must be able to travel domestically on occasions.

Physical Requirements

This role involves regular standing, walking, sitting, and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment. The employee may also need to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and maintain visual, verbal, and auditory communication in a standard office environment and while working independently from remote locations. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. This position requires the ability to travel independently overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedules or business needs.

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