Withers & Wagg is exclusively retained by our client to appoint a Senior Director, Project Management.

About the Company

Our client is an ambitious, growing biotech with a strong scientific foundation and an expanding proprietary drug development pipeline. Having built its expertise through preclinical research and development, the organisation is now entering an exciting phase of growth as it advances its own programmes through the clinic.

With a growing portfolio and ambitions to have multiple programmes progressing at any one time, the company is building out its development organisation to support this next stage. The current pipeline has a strong focus on metabolic disease, with potential to expand into additional therapeutic areas over time.

The culture is entrepreneurial, collaborative and highly team-oriented. This is a relatively lean organisation where senior individuals are expected to take ownership, work across functions and actively contribute to solving problems.

The Opportunity

The company is seeking a Senior Director, Project Management to lead the execution of key drug development programmes.

This is a highly visible, hands-on role for an experienced project leader who can bring structure, pace and alignment across complex, cross-functional programmes.

The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring programmes progress against clinical timelines, budgets, milestones and development objectives, working closely with teams across non-clinical development, CMC, Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, QA, Discovery and external partners.

This is not a traditional PMO position. The successful candidate will be a connector, facilitator and driver, bringing together functional experts, identifying what needs to happen next and ensuring decisions translate into action.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead global, cross-functional drug development programmes from preclinical development through clinical development.

• Own programme execution, ensuring delivery against scope, timelines, milestones, budget and quality expectations.

• Translate development strategy into clear, integrated project plans and actionable deliverables.

• Lead cross-functional teams spanning non-clinical, CMC, Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, QA and other relevant functions.

• Build strong relationships across functional teams and create clear ownership of programme deliverables.

• Identify programme risks, dependencies and critical path activities, developing proactive mitigation strategies.

• Facilitate effective decision-making across complex, multidisciplinary project teams.

• Coordinate activities across internal teams, CROs, CMOs, consultants and other external partners.

• Support the progression of programmes through key development milestones and clinical phases.

• Work closely with Quality and functional experts to ensure activities are conducted in line with relevant GxP requirements and internal processes.

• Maintain oversight of programme budgets and resource requirements.

• Provide clear communication to senior leadership on programme progress, risks and key decisions.

• Contribute to the continued development of the organisation's project management capabilities as the pipeline expands.

About You

The ideal candidate will bring significant experience leading complex, cross-functional drug development programmes within biotech, pharma or a similarly entrepreneurial environment.

You will likely have:

• 10+ years' relevant experience within drug development, including substantial hands-on project leadership.

• 5–10 years' experience leading global cross-functional project teams.

• Experience taking programmes from non-clinical development through clinical development, ideally with experience beyond early clinical phases.

• A strong understanding of the interfaces between non-clinical, CMC, Clinical Development, Clinical Operations and QA.

• Experience working with CROs, CMOs, consultants and other external development partners.

• Demonstrable experience managing development plans, milestones, budgets, risks and critical path activities.

• Experience operating within a matrix organisation and influencing senior stakeholders without relying on hierarchical authority.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate complexity into clear decisions and actions.

• A relevant advanced degree in life sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, health sciences or a related discipline.

The Person

The organisation is looking for more than an experienced project manager. They are looking for someone who can make things happen.

You will be a natural connector who enjoys bringing people together, creating clarity and building alignment across different functions. You will have the confidence to challenge constructively, ask the right questions and keep teams focused on what matters.

You will be:

• Highly collaborative and team-oriented.

• A natural relationship builder with excellent people skills.

• Comfortable influencing without formal authority.

• Entrepreneurial and pragmatic in your approach.

• Comfortable taking ownership and driving activity forward.

• Adaptable and comfortable with changing priorities.

• Comfortable operating across scientific and operational functions.

• Motivated by building something and contributing to the wider organisation.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to join a biotech at an important stage of its evolution, with an ambitious development pipeline and plans to progress multiple programmes through clinical development.

The successful candidate will have genuine influence over how programmes are delivered and how the development organisation evolves, working closely with senior scientific and functional leaders across the business.

The position is ideally based in Denmark or Basel, Switzerland.