Program (Project) Management Lead, Precision Medicine Astellas Canada – At Astellas, we strive to become a cutting-edge, value-driven life science innovator. This means working at the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into VALUE for patients.

What sets us apart is our focus on patients, our pioneering innovation, our collaborative culture, and the passion of our talented people. Making a positive impact on patients’ lives is the purpose behind everything we do. At Astellas, we are relentless in our pursuit of scientific progress and in tackling unmet medical needs, demonstrated by our legacy in oncology, overactive bladder and transplant and our impressive pipeline in women's health, blindness and regeneration, genetic regulation, immuno-oncology, mitochondria and targeted protein degradation.

About Us We are a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan, with a team of more than 14,000 managing operations in approximately 70 countries around the world. We are in the Top 30 global biopharma company based on global revenues and are predicted to be one of the Top 10 Cancer Drug Makers of 2024 by Fierce Pharma.

In Canada, we are growing to meet the exciting opportunities realized by our legacy brands and rich pipeline of innovative treatments. We are looking for candidates who will thrive in our entrepreneurial and empowering environment where talent and leadership flourish. Do your values align with our Astellas Way - patient focus, ownership, results, openness and integrity? Then we would love to hear from you.

From the first day in role, everyone at Astellas has a responsibility for creating a brighter future for patients around the world. We nurture exceptional relationships with our employees to allow them to thrive, foster innovation, and deliver exceptional business results. We work to create a culture where our people feel empowered to pursue brave ideas and ambitious outcomes, to have the confidence to be accountable for a higher standard of performance and embody a competitive and solutions-oriented mindset.

Our expertise, science and technology make us a pharma company. Our open and diverse culture is what makes us uniquely Astellas. This opportunity is based in Canada and is within Global Brand Strategy & Marketing function unit.

Purpose & Scope As Program (Project) Management Lead, you will oversee strategic and operational project management to support global marketing and align with corporate goals. Your role includes ensuring effective product strategy execution, operational coordination, and integration across functions, while promoting innovation in global launches and lifecycle management.

You will collaborate with global and functional teams to implement processes, manage risks, and achieve organizational outcomes. Additionally, you will help integrate Brand Centered Operational Model and Agile practices by modeling Astellas Values & Behaviors and working closely with the Global Strategic Brand Lead and team.

Responsibilities & Accountabilities Strategic Enablement

• Provide frameworks, tools, & forums that enable constructive debate & well-informed decisions; Ensure insights are surfaced and woven into brand narratives & planning.
• Coordinate strategic processes (e.g. Global Brand Planning, Operational Planning), & ensure priorities are translated into executable plans.
• Act as a trusted collaborator with internal teams & external experts (vendors, partners, etc.), structuring insights to enable data-driven discussions and decision-making.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee and coordinate key co-creation activities and deliverables critical to strategy development, implementation, and lifecycle management. Accurately document meeting minutes, decisions, and action items, and effectively communicate relevant information to affiliates and partner functions as appropriate.
• Coordinate and monitor project timelines, key activities, and deliverables, ensuring alignment with both strategic planning and operational objectives. Initiate and execute corrective actions to address timeline deviations as necessary.
• Proactively identify, mitigate, and track risks associated with essential activities through a structured process to minimize potential operational impacts.
• Prepare and present detailed brand performance reports on a monthly and quarterly basis to senior leadership, GBSM leadership, regional & affiliate teams, and other key stakeholders.

Change Management & Communication

• Guide teams through changes and ensure adoption of new ways of working with sustained outcomes.
• Plan and execute timely brand communications to various stakeholders to increase awareness, understanding, and adoption.
• Document and communicate agendas, decisions, post-meeting communications clearly across teams.
• Enhance the Brand Portal and team SharePoint with all meetings materials, promotional materials, news and articles, calendar, monthly leadership decks, etc.

Fiscal Management

• Coordinate development of brand budget/forecasts partnering with brand and project leads.
• Monitor brand spend against budgeted plans and provide visibility to the team on variances.

Innovation and Process Improvement

• Develop and implement project management tools and methodologies to establish structure and maximize efficiency.
• Lead and embed Agile ways of working for the brand team and associated teams.
• Guide teams on when and how to apply emerging tools & processes to drive efficiency & innovation
• Monitor adoption and performance, lead post-mortems, and ensure lessons learned are reinforced to sustain change

Essential Knowledge & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Biology, Molecular Biology or Biochemistry.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience. Minimum of 5 years program or project management experience, preferably in marketing, pharmaceutical or related fields.
• Solid experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Proven track record in consulting or client-facing project management role.
• Proven experience managing strategic and tactical programs and projects to successfully achieve target outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to analyze complex business problems, develop clear action plans and implement solutions.
• Continuous improvement mindset and ability to drive efficiencies across projects and initiatives.
• Ability to lead and influence in matrixed, cross-functional, multi-cultural environments.
• Proactive problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, negotiation, and influencing capabilities. Ability to communicate complex concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders at various levels of the organization.

Preferred Knowledge & Experience

• Biomarker, companion diagnostic or diagnostic experience.
• PMP certification.
• Experience with structured methodologies (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma, Agile) for project planning, risk management, and problem solving.
• Master’s degree in Business Administration.
• Experience leveraging AI to drive efficiency.
• Experience with program/project management tools.
• Knowledge of global drug development and product lifecycle management.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off options, including Vacation, Sick time, plus national holidays including Heritage Days, and Summer and Winter Breaks
• Country Specific Retirement Savings Plan (401k, RRSP, etc.)
• Company paid life insurance
• Annual Corporate Bonus and Quarterly Sales Incentive for eligible positions
• Long Term Incentive Plan for eligible positions
• Referral bonus program

Additional Information

• This is a permanent full-time position.
• This position follows our hybrid working model. Role requires a blend of home and a minimum 1 day per quarter in our respective local affiliate office. Flexibility may be required in line with business need. Candidates must be located within a commutable distance of the office.
• Astellas Pharma Canada welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the hiring process.

No telephone inquiries, in-person applications, or agencies please. While we appreciate all applications, only candidates under consideration will be contacted. \

Category Strategic Brand Marketing Precision Medicine

Astellas is committed to equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment.

EOE including Disability/Protected Veterans