Senior Manager / Associate Director, Project & Portfolio Management

About the role

The hire will own the end-to-end project and portfolio management for neurological and metabolic programs, translating strategic objectives into actionable, integrated project plans. They will partner directly with cross-functional project leaders to define rightsized strategies that align scientific, technical, and commercial priorities. This role involves developing and executing high-quality plans that manage timelines spanning research, discovery, clinical development, software engineering, and data science. The hire will establish and improve project management tools and methodologies to enhance visibility and decision-making across the portfolio. They will synthesize complex, multi-modal data into clear, strategic concepts for senior leadership consumption. This position requires deep collaboration with matrix teams to resolve complex problems while maintaining positive working relationships. The role will leverage familiarity with high-content human data modalities to ensure realistic planning and risk assessment.

Key facts

What you'll do

Define and drive execution of integrated project plans for Insitro's neurological and metabolic pipelines, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.

Develop rightsized project strategies in partnership with project team leaders to balance speed, quality, and cost across the full portfolio.

Create detailed timelines and critical path analyses that span research, discovery, clinical development, software engineering, and data science.

Establish and improve project management tools, templates, and methodologies to increase transparency and support portfolio-level initiatives.

Synthesize complex biological, clinical, and computational information into concise concepts for senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

Lead matrix team meetings to enable alignment, decision-making, and collaboration with internal and external partners.

Manage project scope, deliverables, risks, and resources to resolve cross-functional problems and keep programs on track.

Leverage familiarity with high-content human data modalities such as genetics, genomics, histopathological imaging, and spatial biology.

Partner with data science and machine learning teams to incorporate computational methods and biomedical informatics into project planning.

Champion the use of project management best practices, including certification standards and generative AI tools where appropriate.

Ensure clear communication of timelines, dependencies, and trade-offs to support commercial assessment and early commercial readiness.

Drive continuous improvement in project management processes to increase efficiency and adaptability across the portfolio.

Support the definition and tracking of key performance indicators to measure program health and success.

Foster a high-performance team environment that encourages collaboration, accountability, and innovation.

Requirements

BS degree required in a life science field, MS or PhD preferred.

Minimum of 5 years of experience in biotech/pharmaceutical industry in the early development space.

8+ years of experience required for the Associate Director level, including 2+ years in project/portfolio leadership.

5+ years of project/portfolio leadership experience leading cross-functional matrix teams for the Associate Director level.

Extensive knowledge of the drug development process and deliverables at each stage of the pipeline.

Deep experience in translational stages, target discovery, early commercial assessment, and preliminary clinical development.

Excellent Project Management Skills driving execution while balancing speed, quality, and cost.

Proficiency with project management tools and software, including critical path analyses and scenario planning.

Project Management Certification (PMP or equivalent) is preferred.

Ability to strategically analyze and summarize complex information into important concepts for broader communication.

Deep experience leading matrix team meetings to enable collaboration, decision-making, and alignment.

Ability to resolve complex cross-functional problems while building and maintaining positive working relationships.

Familiarity with high-content human data modalities (e.g., genetics/genomics, histopathological imaging, spatial biology).

Familiarity with data generation technologies and computational methods relevant to biomedical informatics and clinical informatics.

Nice to have

Familiarity with Google suite and Smartsheets strongly preferred.

Prior use of generative AI tools / LLM technologies in day-to-day work (e.g. ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity).

Understanding of and passion about machine learning enabled drug discovery.

Practical notes

This role can be either hybrid, requiring travel to the office as work necessitates, or remote with local candidates having the option of three days per week in the office.