Work Your Magic with us! Start your next chapter and join EMD Serono.
Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more? We know you’ve got big plans – so do we! Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people’s lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics.
Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet. That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us.
United As One for Patients, our purpose in Healthcare is to help create, improve and prolong lives. We develop medicines, intelligent devices and innovative technologies in therapeutic areas such as Oncology, Neurology and Fertility. Our teams work together across 6 continents with passion and relentless curiosity in order to help patients at every stage of life.
Joining our Healthcare team is becoming part of a diverse, inclusive and flexible working culture, presenting great opportunities for personal development and career advancement across the globe.
This role does not offer sponsorship for work authorization. External applicants must be eligible to work in the US.
Your Role
The Director, R&D and Medical Governance Operations holds a dual mandate: supporting the Head CMO Governance & Operations in the full spectrum of CMO-GO business operations activities, and serving as the orchestrator and oversight lead for R&D Sustainability initiatives across the R&D organization. The role ensures the smooth execution of governance processes, operational workflows, data systems management, vendor coordination, and training delivery, while simultaneously driving the planning, coordination, and reporting of R&D’s sustainability project portfolio in alignment with the company’s broader ESG and corporate sustainability commitments.
Impact
- ✓Enables the Head CMO Governance & Operations to focus on strategic priorities by owning and executing the operational backbone of CMO-GO.
- ✓Acts as the central orchestrator of R&D Sustainability projects, ensuring cross-functional alignment, milestone delivery, and transparent reporting to R&D and corporate leadership.
- ✓Strengthens the organization’s compliance posture through rigorous maintenance of governance documentation, data systems, audit readiness, and training completion.
- ✓Embeds sustainability thinking into R&D operations by translating corporate ESG commitments into concrete, measurable R&D-level initiatives and workplans.
Complexity
- ✓Operates simultaneously across two demanding remits — governance operations and sustainability orchestration — each requiring deep cross-functional engagement and independent judgment.
- ✓Manages competing operational priorities across governance initiatives, sustainability projects, vendor engagements, and stakeholder reporting cycles.
- ✓Navigates an evolving external sustainability regulatory landscape (e.g., EU CSRD, GHG reporting) and translates requirements into R&D-specific actions.
Accountability / Independence
- ✓Accountable for the timely and accurate delivery of business operations tasks delegated by the HeadCMO Governance & Operations.
- ✓Fully accountable for the orchestration, oversight, and reporting of the R&D Sustainability project portfolio, working independently with minimal guidance.
- ✓Exercises judgment in prioritizing workload across both remits and proactively managing stakeholder expectations across functions and geographies.
Who You Are
Minimum Qualifications
- ✓Degree in Medicine or Life Sciences required; an advanced scientific degree (Master’s, PhD, or MD) is preferred.
- ✓Additional qualification in business administration, project management, or a related discipline is an advantage. Substantial professional experience (typically 8–12 years) in clinical R&D, Medical Affairs, or a comparable function, ideally within an international matrix organization.
- ✓Demonstrated experience in business operations, process management, and governance in a pharmaceutical or biotech environment.
- ✓Proven track record in orchestrating complex, multi-workstream programmes or project portfolios, including governance design and stakeholder management.
- ✓Experience in or strong working knowledge of corporate sustainability / ESG programme management; familiarity with frameworks such as GHG Protocol, CSRD, SBTi, or equivalent is a distinct advantage.
- ✓Knowledge of clinical studies, Early Access Programs, Patient Support Programs, and relevant therapeutic areas.
- ✓Experience in vendor management, including contracting, performance oversight, and budget tracking.
- ✓Familiarity with audit management processes and experience supporting audit preparation and follow-up activities.
- ✓Expert knowledge of ICH-GCP and applicable international regulations, laws, and guidelines for clinical studies, Patient Support Programs, and Early Access.
- ✓Experience in developing and delivering training programs to diverse internal and affiliate audiences.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Strong programme and project management skills: able to design governance structures, manage interdependencies, and drive delivery across complex, multi-stakeholder portfolios.
- ✓Sustainability literacy: understanding of ESG reporting obligations, carbon accounting principles, and the integration of sustainability into R&D operations.
- ✓Excellent organizational, prioritization, and time management skills; able to manage multiple concurrent workstreams effectively across two distinct remits.
- ✓Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to prepare clear reports, presentations, and governance documents for senior and executive audiences.
- ✓Proven ability to build effective working relationships and influence without direct authority in a complex global matrix environment.
- ✓High attention to detail and commitment to data quality, documentation standards, and compliance.
- ✓Strong digital and database literacy; proficiency with project management tools, data management platforms, and ESG reporting systems.
- ✓Fluent in English; additional languages are an advantage.
- ✓Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 10% as required.
Location: Billerica MA
Pay Range for this position: $174,600 – 262,000
The offer range represents the anticipated low and high end of the base pay compensation for this position. The actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level of experience, education, skills, and other job-related factors. Position may be eligible for sales or performance-based bonuses.
Benefits offered by the Company include health insurance, paid time off (PTO), retirement contributions, and other perquisites. For more information click here.
What we offer: We are curious minds that come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe that this variety drives excellence and innovation, strengthening our ability to lead in science and technology. We are committed to creating access and opportunities for all to develop and grow at your own pace.
Join us in building a culture of inclusion and belonging that impacts millions and empowers everyone to work their magic and champion human progress!
Apply now and become a part of a team that is dedicated to Sparking Discovery and Elevating Humanity!