
Associate Director – Technical Project Management
MSD
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Rahway • New Jersey • Pennsylvania • United States
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Salary
💰 $142,400 - $224,100 per year
Job Level
Tech Stack
About the role
- Lead a portfolio of Pharma IT projects from initiation through closeout, including GxP systems (LIMS, ELN, clinical trial systems, manufacturing execution systems, data platforms), infrastructure, integrations, and digital transformation efforts.
- Define and enforce project governance, SDLC and validation-related processes, and reporting cadence; adapt and champion delivery methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid) appropriate to regulated environments.
- Develop comprehensive project plans, resource and capacity forecasts, risk and issue logs, dependency maps, and change-control processes aligned with quality and regulatory requirements.
- Oversee requirements management, vendor selection, contract execution, and third-party validation activities; coordinate with QA and validation teams to ensure compliance.
- Provide strong stakeholder engagement across R&D, Clinical, Manufacturing, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, IT Security, Data Governance, and Commercial functions; communicate status, risks, mitigation plans, and decision-ready options to senior leadership and steering committees.
- Manage financial aspects of projects: budget creation, tracking, variance analysis, and forecasting; ensure cost controls and value realization.
- Mentor, coach, and develop project managers and technical leads; establish clear performance expectations and career development plans.
- Lead risk management and contingency planning, including cybersecurity risk assessments and business continuity considerations for critical systems.
- Drive continuous improvement in project delivery, including lessons learned, metrics, and process optimization tied to compliance and quality outcomes.
- Facilitate regulatory readiness activities and audit support, prepare project artifacts for inspections, and ensure traceability of requirements, design, testing, and release records.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related field.
- 5+ years of progressive IT project/program management experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role in pharmaceutical or life sciences IT.
- Demonstrated experience delivering GxP-regulated systems, clinical systems (e.g., CTMS, eTMF), laboratory systems (LIMS, ELN), manufacturing systems (MES), or enterprise data platforms.
- Experience with both Agile and Waterfall methodologies and practical experience applying hybrid approaches in regulated projects.
- Proven vendor management experience with CROs, system integrators, and SaaS providers in pharma contexts.
- Excellent communication skills; experience presenting to senior leaders and supporting inspection/audit readiness.
- Strong financial acumen and experience managing project budgets and forecasting.
Benefits
- medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
- retirement benefits, including 401(k)
- paid holidays
- vacation
- compassionate and sick days
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
GxP systemsLIMSELNclinical trial systemsmanufacturing execution systemsdata platformsAgile methodologyWaterfall methodologyproject governancerisk management
Soft Skills
stakeholder engagementcommunication skillsmentoringcoachingleadershipperformance managementcontinuous improvementproblem-solvingadaptabilitycollaboration