Global Program Manager (early drug development)

Make your mark for patients.

We’re here because we want to build the future and transform patients’ lives for the better.

At UCB, our people are our experiences and achievements, our passion and drive. That’s why we’re looking for talented individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences - not just the best and brightest, but those who care about making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. We promote an environment of diversity, openness, and respect where people can make valuable contributions.

An exciting journey lies ahead. Will you join us in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible?

Within the UCB Early Solutions department, the program management Neurology teamis currently looking for a Global Program Manager (early stage drug development) to bebased preferably in Belgium (Braine l’Alleud or HQ in Anderlecht)or alternativelyin Slough, UK.

You like to work in anenvironmentwhere:

Within the Early Patient Value Missions, the primary purpose of the Global Program Manager (GPM) is to drive differentiated patient solutions by transforming UCB’s strategy into program strategy and early drug development program delivery.

GPMs will partner with the Development and Commercial leads as part of the asset development leadership team and are responsible for proactively ensuring program goals and strategies are appropriately defined, scoped and delivered in line with UCB’s standards and processes, including oversight of the sub-projects, so that UCB’s governance bodies and stakeholders can make the most informed and timely decisions.

The GPM need to show leadership skills and ensure there is strong communication amongst team members and with multiple stakeholders in different regions including external partners. Effective program communication and managing the culture in line with UCB’s values is an essential leadership component of the GPM’s role in working with cross-functional, diverse teams.

Assignments can vary in terms of program scope, size and complexity and may also include project management of specific deliverables within the program. The GPM should be process oriented, yet flexible, with the ability to recognize when flexibility and creativity is needed. GPMs act as champions for Program and Project Management techniques, educating colleagues in these areas and sharing best practice across the organization applied to their program/drug platform therapeutic area of expertise.

You willcontributeby:

Framing Program Goals and Objectives

Drive the development of differentiated patient solutions through framing the strategies using Program and Project Management standards and expertise applied to early drug development environments. GPMs will determine the program requirements based on the Target Patient Value Profile (TPVP) and other inputs with the project leadership team and sponsor in line with UCB’s 10 Year Strategic Plans, to ensure clear objectives, scope and prioritization.

Setting Program Baseline

Ensure appropriate program strategies are in place to meet the overall goals including a baseline plan, clear Teamwork/organization breakdown structure as per scope, scheduling, requirements prioritization and benefits in a measurable business case with trade-off analysis where appropriate.

Program Resourcing

Partner with Finance, Functional Leads and Project Coordinators to set, oversee and monitor the program budget, with appropriate change controls and probabilization for key program and project milestones. This includes negotiating and driving the partnership agreement and financial cycle process.

Executing Programs and Projects

Responsible for program execution through the team and overseeing sub-projects. This includes managing program performance against UCB’s end to end lifecycle process, stage gates and messaging with governance bodies. For all programs this includes proactively identifying, troubleshooting and escalating risks and issues as well as realizing the benefits of project-related opportunities. Together with planning teams and Project Coordinators this also includes use of UCB’s project processes, reporting and technologies.

Measuring Program and Project Performance

Working with Project Planning group, Project Coordinators and Functional team members in setting and monitoring program and project quality and performance including KPIs, feedback-based project reviews and transition management in line with UCB processes and standards.

Communicating Program Information & Team Management

Managing the project communication plan to identify the key messages, audiences, interfaces, timings and mechanisms for effective communication at all levels including externally to the organization. Show strong interpersonal skills and use the appropriate management & situational leadership style based on the program needs, with the ability to influence without authority, motivate with enthusiasm and develop productive working relationships with key stakeholders. Help drive a culture of achievement and accountability within teams and represent the program leadership team as needed.

Best Practice

Drive best in industry practices by contributing lessons learned, challenges, solutions and involvement in improvement projects.

Train colleagues on Program and Project Management Best practices in the context of global early drug development. Participate in UCB’s Program Management Community.

By showingcompetenceson:

Cross functional Leadership: Communications, Change and Conflict Management

Partners with sponsors, stakeholders and teams to establish a safe, collaborative environment for effective project communications and manages change by motivating towards common goals while championing conflict resolution. Coaches and fostering good collaborations with Project Coordinators and planning specialists. Drive team alignment for Governance meetings presentations.

Biopharmaceutical & Healthcare Acumen

Maintains, shares and applies relevant knowledge of the biopharma industry and healthcare ecosystem in the relevant therapeutic areas with appropriate subject matter expertise (e.g. neurosciences research, early clinical development, digital innovation, real work evidence or commercial and competition insights) to develop differentiated patient solutions.

Critical Thinking & Innovation

Designs optimal program and project strategies and scenarios through identifying, developing and employing the right methods and frameworks based on clear goals, benefits and business cases to inform timely, quality decision-making, avoiding confirmation bias.

Risks, Issues and Opportunities Management

Proactively identifies and mitigates issues and risks while exploring and maximizing opportunities during all stages of the program lifecycle.

Transition and Quality Management

Sets and monitors quality measurements and identifies opportunities for improvement through program reviews, ultimately managing the transitioning to steady state or next stage gate.

Interested? For this position you’ll need the followingeducation, experienceandskills:

• A Post Graduate Qualification (bachelor / master or equivalent) in relevant Scientific Discipline Preferred e.g. MSc, PharmD, PhD, MBA.
• At least 3 years of experience in Program Management / cross-functional leadership within the Pharmaceutical Industry, ideally in the Early Drug Research and Development Setting (Pre-clinical, Clinical, CMC, etc.) 7+ years of experience and postgraduate qualification preferred.
• Project Management Certification or Qualification Preferred (e.g. PMP, APM, Prince 2, Agile etc)
• Experience of working with global, multi-cultural, diverse teams, with demanding timelines and complex deliverables.
• Experience working in cross-functional teams focused on the research, development and commercialization of a pharmaceutical product, including Clinical, Regulatory Affairs, Safety, Medical Affairs, Manufacturing, RWE or Market Access.
• Preferred therapeutic area expertise and highly interested by Neurosciences and Neuroimmunology.

Why you should apply

We can offer you an informal and open working environment that does not lock scientists into structure and hierarchy. Freedom to take space to pursue your own ideas and make a difference. Opportunity to gain internal and external visibility through interactions with other UCB teams and with world-renown academic investigators. Opportunity to grow both as a drug hunter and leader through participation in project teams and our career/personal development programs.

At UCB, we strive to attract passionate and outstanding talents who thrive on change and are ready to bring real value to patients. Working for us you’ll discover a place where you can grow and express your full potential. We place an emphasis on innovation, collaboration and impact. Through meaningful recognition and a motivating work atmosphere, we aim to provide an optimal experience by caring about and valuing our employees – just as we do for the patients we serve.

If you believe you are the perfect match to join us on our pioneering adventure, then we invite you to apply and tell us more about your profile and motivation.

About us.

UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are around 7,600 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science.

At UCB, everything we do start with a simple question: “How will this create value for people living with severe disease?”. We are on a journey to become the patient-preferred biopharma leader by delivering medicines and solutions that improve lives. We want to ensure the creation of patient value, now and into the future, while contributing to a society where a population of 8 billion people and more should be able to live a good life within limited resources of one planet.

UCB and its subsidiaries encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace; we are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race/color/religion/sex/national origin/veteran/disability/age/sexual orientation/gender identity.