(Archived) Project Manager

Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research & Development
Project Manager

Position Summary

Provide project management expertise to multiple cross-site, cross-functional pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and/or biological development teams to ensure alignment of strategic and operational objectives. Develop robust project plans at the project initiation phase and help drive team execution to plan through effective critical path analysis, risk management, and scenario planning. Apply strategic and tactical project management and decision philosophy to ensure the operational deliverables of the project are achieved on or ahead of schedule and within cost standards such that they meet the desired product profile and/or key decision required. Collaborate with project team leaders and project coordinators for effective 2-way communication of strategy decisions and ongoing project dynamics to result in seamless execution of projects.

Position Responsibilities

• Co-lead the process for asset valuation, constructing robust project profile scenarios for alternatives with estimates of timing, cost, and resources ultimately resulting in the recommendation of the optimal project progression strategy to the business
• Lead the project team through work breakdown structure exercises to produce robust and high-quality plans with buy-in from all team members and stakeholders
• Lead risk assessments with the team and explore risk mitigation options and contingency planning scenarios that balance cost, timing, and product profile
• With project team leaders, project coordinators, and team members; identify ongoing operational and technical issues, facilitate discussions with team and recommend possible resolutions to leadership to mitigate any execution risks
• Manage stakeholder awareness and updates on project status with appropriate analysis of downstream impacts on risk, timing and cost.
• Provide guidance and coordination for product development team processes such as full development planning, launch planning, operating plan, prioritization, governance status updates, etc.
• Share best in practice techniques and process with peers

Qualifications
Minimal:

• Bachelor’s degree in a science or business field with a minimum of 5-7 years previous project management experience with demonstrated ability to influence project teams and stakeholders in a complex business environment using formal project management methodologies
• Demonstrated ability to assimilate generalized ideas and concepts into clearly defined strategies, work break down structures, and decision trees
• Superior application of soft skills to effectively facilitate team and governance interactions
• Demonstrated ability of using critical path management methodologies to influence team decisions
• Proven experience in assessing and managing risk by providing recommendations on mitigation strategies through strategic scenario modeling and decision analysis
• Detailed understanding of effective scheduling and planning of complex global projects
• High level of competency using Microsoft Office suite – Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Microsoft Project
• Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Project
• Must be able to effectively communicate well with staff at all levels of the organization
• Ability to work independently while fostering good working relationships across physical distance and have flexibility and the capacity to handle multiple tasks at once
• Attention to detail is important, but the ability to view the larger picture and determine appropriate goals and timing are equally important
• Ability to facilitate, negotiate, and communicate effectively within a team setting in order to effectively influence key stakeholders
• Demonstrated knowledge and ability in forecasting and managing budgets
• Modeling and simulation of project progression and scenarios
  

Desirable:

• Experience using Enterprise Project Management (EPM)
• Experience using Chronicle Graphics OnePager Pro
• Working knowledge of drug and vaccine development process
• Working knowledge of advanced decision analysis tools and systems; decision quality, decision analysis, probabilistic distributions & analysis