[Remote] Sr Director, Program Management
Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Nektar Therapeutics is seeking a Senior Director, Program Management to lead development-side program planning and execution from late clinical development through BLA submission. The role will coordinate cross-functional drug development activities, drive submission readiness and governance, manage risks and resources, provide portfolio-level reporting, and mentor program management staff.
Responsibilities
- Lead integrated program management for indication-specific portfolio, with primary accountability for pre-BLA execution, submission readiness, and delivery of key development milestones
- Build and maintain integrated development plans, including critical-path timelines, governance cadence, decision logs, and risk and dependency management across Clinical, Regulatory, CMC, Safety, Quality, Clinical Operations, Biometrics, Medical Affairs, and Commercial
- Translate portfolio strategy into clear objectives, milestones, resourcing assumptions, and executable cross-functional workplans in partnership with development leadership
- Drive BLA-readiness planning, including coordination of submission workstreams, cross-functional deliverables, scenario planning, issue resolution, and executive-level progress reporting
- Lead program governance, ensuring clear decision framing, aligned agendas, disciplined action tracking, and timely escalation of risks, trade-offs, interdependencies, and external factors influencing development strategy
- Integrate competitive intelligence benchmarking into program planning and governance by synthesizing relevant external development and regulatory insights to inform scenario planning, risk assessment, and leadership recommendations
- Lead cross-functional problem solving in complex or fast-moving environments, ensuring clarity of priorities, accountabilities, timelines, and decision rights
- Deliver portfolio-level communications, dashboards, and reporting to provide leadership visibility, enable informed decision making, and support disciplined execution
- Coach and mentor program management team members and strengthen program management practices, tools, and operating rhythms across the portfolio
- Drive continuous improvement in development operations, including use of AI-enabled tools and Smartsheet to enhance planning, reporting, automation, and knowledge management
Skills
- Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional pharmaceutical or biotechnology programs in matrixed environments
- Executive presence and communication skills, with ability to synthesize complex information into clear, decision-ready recommendations
- Proven ability to manage program risks, dependencies, budgets, external partners, and competing priorities while maintaining delivery discipline
- Excellent analytical, planning, facilitation, and problem-solving skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and modern project/portfolio management tools
- Bachelor's degree in a scientific, healthcare, business, or related discipline required
- Equivalent experience may be considered
- Typically requires 15+ years of relevant pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences experience, including significant experience leading cross-functional drug development programs
- Late-stage development and regulatory submission experience required
- Travel may be required for business meetings, partner interactions, and regulatory/submission-related activities
- Deep understanding of global drug development and FDA regulatory processes, with direct experience supporting late-stage development and regulatory submissions; BLA experience strongly preferred
- Experience synthesizing competitive intelligence, clinical/regulatory benchmarking, or external landscape insights to inform development plans, scenario analyses, and executive decision making preferred
- Preferred: hands-on experience using AI-enabled productivity tools and Smartsheet for project planning, dashboards, workflow automation, risk tracking, and portfolio reporting
- Experience in immunology, inflammatory diseases, dermatology, or atopic dermatitis preferred
- Advanced degree preferred
- PMP or other relevant project/program management certification preferred
- BLA submission experience strongly preferred
- Prior leadership of program management staff, governance teams, or executive decision forums preferred
Benefits
- Primarily remote-based role
Company Overview
Company H1B Sponsorship