VP, Program Lead

Program Leader

Overview

The Development Program Leader will be a strategic leader responsible for building an integrated development strategy that is intimately linked to the global commercialization strategy, both of which are aligned with the long-term vision for the program.  The Program Leader (PL) also accountable for achieving strong execution of the Development Program to maximize its future clinical and commercial success. 

The PL will provide leadership across the spectrum of drug development and pre-commercialization activities, ensuring achievement of program and corporate goals. The ideal candidate will be a strategic leader well-versed in drug development and experienced in pre-commercialization activities, and a strong influencer who can integrate multiple perspectives effectively and align stakeholders across different Expertise Areas (EAs) and levels of the organization.

The PL will be responsible for working collaboratively and cross-functionally with Research, Early Development (Preclinical), Clinical Operations, Clinical Research, Regulatory Affairs, Medical Affairs, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Drug Safety, Program Management, Clinical Distribution & Supply, and Finance to optimize the overall franchise opportunity for Alnylam.  The PL will partner with Commercial to ensure an integrated development and commercialization strategy. 

Reporting to the SVP, Head of Development Programs, the PL will champion the Development program within Alnylam’s development-stage portfolio with significant executive visibility and potential for patient impact globally.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the development and execution of cross-functional strategic development plans to develop and register the program.  Work closely with the Commercial counterparts to create an integrated development and commercialization strategy.
• Integrate cross-functional perspectives, ensuring that program development strategy is informed by scientific evidence, clinical data, and the changing competitive landscape.
• On an ongoing basis, proactively anticipate issues and ensure contingency plans are put in place; identify barriers and identify solutions to mitigate them; identify opportunities and strategies to capitalize on them.
• Working with Expertise Area leaders, ensure that appropriate prioritization and adequate resource allocation (financial and people) are present to meet the program timelines and deliverables.
• Create and maintain a high performing cross-functional program development team, establishing team structure, monitoring program resourcing, managing conflict, and building team culture; create a positive atmosphere to get the most out of the team.
• Based on the current stage of development for the program, lead team to define future milestones and key deliverables, e.g. Target Product Profile, pivotal Clinical Development Plan, Global Filing Plans, and Life Cycle Management Plans.
• Serve as an internal and external ambassador for the program, fostering broad engagement to cultivate strategic KOL relationships and enabling overall integration of external insights to inform program strategies.
• Summarize and represent the program to Alnylam leadership, Board of Directors, alliance partners, collaborators, and other external parties, as requested.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree; advanced scientific or business degree strongly preferred.
• 10 - 12+ years of varied biopharmaceutical experience, ideally including previous product and program management responsibilities; demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams in late-stage drug development.
• Clear alignment with Alnylam Core Values: Fiercely Innovative; Open Culture; Passion for Excellence; Purposeful Urgency; and Commitment to People, with an overarching patient-centric approach to drug development.
• Proactive “hands-on” individual with collaborative orientation, who manages teams effectively, is very self-motivated and can smoothly establish strong working relationships within both internal and external organizations.
• Deep understanding of drug development and global product registration is required, and pre-commercialization experience strongly preferred, particularly in large, specialty diseases.
• Cross-functional program leadership experience with a strong record of accomplishment in biotech or pharmaceuticals.
• Required to operate at both the strategic and tactical level, with ability to seamlessly move between both perspectives.
• Initiative and independence to identify short and long-term program needs, creatively formulate plans with team input, efficiently achieve timely decisions/alignment, and organize and deploy resources.
• Ability to influence cross-functionally and drive alignment within the team, with peers and with senior management.  Demonstratable level of executive presence.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; able to articulate program vision and motivate the team; communicates in an open, direct and timely manner; ensures broader organization is aligned with and aware of the program strategy, status and risks.
• Decisive as well as collaborative. Can flex when needed and pursues data-driven decisions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with particular emphasis on communication, influencing, & relationship building.
• Motivated by patient focus and personal commitment to high performance and results.
• Possesses high integrity and exceptional work ethic.

About Alnylam: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ALNY) has led the translation of RNA interference (RNAi) into a whole new class of innovative medicines with the potential to transform the lives of people afflicted with rare and more prevalent diseases. Based on Nobel Prize-winning science, RNAi therapeutics represent a powerful, clinically validated approach to treating diseases at their genetic source by “interfering” with mRNA that cause or contribute to disease. Since our founding in 2002, Alnylam has led the RNAi Revolution and continues to turn scientific possibility into reality.

Our culture: Our people-first culture is guided by our core values: fiercely innovative, open culture, purposeful urgency, passion for excellence, and commitment to people, and these values influence how we work and the business decisions we make. Thanks to feedback from our employees over the years, we’ve been fortunate to be named a top employer around the world. Alnylam is extremely proud to have been recognized as the #1 Large Employer by Boston Globe Top Places to Work in 2023 for the third consecutive year, one of Science Magazine’s Top Biopharma Employers, one of America's Most Responsible Companies for 2024 by Newsweek, a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators, and a Great Place to Work in Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and UK – among others.

At Alnylam, we commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equal employment opportunity. We are dedicated to building an environment where employees can feel that they belong, can bring their authentic selves to work, and achieve to their full potential. By empowering employees to embrace their unique differences at work, our business grows stronger with advanced and original thinking, allowing us to bring groundbreaking medicines to patients. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ethnicity, marital status, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristics prohibited by law.