Associate Director, Program Management

Overview  

At Alnylam, development-stage programs are managed by Program Leadership Teams, led by a Program Leader and a Program Manager, responsible for harnessing cross-functional expertise to define the best scientific, clinical, and commercial strategies and plans for the success of the Program.  

The role of the Associate Director, Program Management CNS is to partner with Program Leaders to drive program strategy and execution of assets in Alnylam’s CNS portfolio. The candidate will be responsible for providing a combination of drug development, stewardship, and program expertise to the Program Leadership Teams. This role, through partnership with members of the Program Leadership Team, has significant responsibility for developing, driving, operationalizing, and executing the program strategy.   

The candidate will also be responsible for driving the identification/implementation of Program Management best practices within Alnylam.  In this capacity, the candidate will call upon prior experience and program management insights to continually help the program management team increase its efficiency and value. 

This role reports to the Director, CNS Program Management. 

This position is hybrid and will be primarily located in Cambridge, MA.  

Key Responsibilities 

• Partner closely with Program Leader to shape and execute the Program strategy, goals and plans and ensure tight alignment with portfolio strategy.   

• Lead development and drive execution of Program workplans/timelines and integrated development plans with milestones/goals, key events, risks/assumptions, and scenarios.  

• Drive coordination of cross-functional activities and promote effective communications (e.g., Team meetings, program updates); integration of people involved within the program (e.g. clarity of responsibilities). For efficiency, this is done through coordination and co-leadership of critical, defined sub-teams. 

• In partnership with the Program Leader, ensure clear, timely, and substantive updates on Program progress and issues to Senior Leadership. 

• Manage Program Team meetings, including leading discussions to drive to decision-making, agenda creation, and meeting minutes and ensuring Program Team members have ready access to these materials. 

• Serve as a key point person for Program Team members and governance teams. 

• Owner of key global program documents, e.g., integrated development plan, risk plan, and additional key status and timeline updates.  

• Align with finance on all financial aspects of the Program, including liaising with collaboration partners, if applicable. 

• Provide expertise on program management initiatives including alignment of processes, tools, and technologies that aid in portfolio management across the organization. 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree in sciences or related field highly preferred. 

• Minimum of 8+ years total experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry with in depth knowledge of the drug discovery, research, and development processes; strong preference for CNS development-stage experience. 

• Direct drug development program management experience, with ability to work in research and preclinical programs. 

• Strong leadership skills and ability to set team priorities, and drive results within a matrixed, collaborative, and dynamic team environment. 

• Excellent written and oral communication, including presentation and facilitation skills. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to combine attention to detail within broader strategic context.  

• Superior collaboration and negotiation skills, and high degree of self-awareness.  

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with strong ability to simultaneously handle multiple activities, prioritizing and pivoting as necessary. 

• Passion for helping patients and developing transformative treatments for patients in need; motivated by patient focus and personal commitment to high performance and results.