Program Manager, DiscoveryOne, India

Job Description

The Program Manager supports the successful execution of integrated drug discovery programs by providing project planning, coordination, governance, and operational leadership. Working closely with Scientific Project Leaders and cross-functional scientific teams, the Program Manager ensures that program activities remain aligned to agreed timelines, budgets, milestones, and client expectations.

The role is responsible for maintaining integrated project plans, facilitating communication across teams and sites, monitoring risks and dependencies, tracking budgets and deliverables, and supporting effective decision-making through clear reporting and governance. The Program Manager serves as a key operational partner to Scientific Project Leaders, enabling efficient program execution and a high-quality client experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain integrated project plans, timelines, milestones, and action trackers.
• Coordinate program activities across multidisciplinary scientific teams.
• Facilitate project meetings and document decisions, actions, risks, and dependencies.
• Monitor program performance against scope, timelines, budget, and deliverables.
• Support financial tracking, forecasting, and change management activities.
• Prepare program reports and dashboards for clients and internal stakeholders.
• Work closely with Scientific Project Leaders to align operational plans with scientific priorities.
• Identify and escalate risks, issues, and schedule impacts.
• Support proposal development, project start-up, and program expansion activities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of program management processes and tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, or a related scientific discipline. A Master's degree is preferred.
• Typically 1-3 years of project or program management experience in a CRO, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or related drug discovery environment.
• Experience supporting or managing cross-functional programs involving multiple studies, stakeholders, timelines, budgets, and interdependent deliverables.
• Working knowledge of integrated drug discovery and the relationship between chemistry, biology, ADME/DMPK, pharmacology, safety, and toxicology activities.
• Program management certification or formal project-management training; experience supporting global, multi-site drug discovery programs.
• Strong program planning and execution skills, including work breakdown, critical-path management, milestone tracking, prioritization, and delivery recovery. 
• Ability to lead cross-functional, matrixed teams through influence, establish clear accountability, and drive timely decisions.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budget management, forecasting, revenue and margin awareness, invoicing visibility, and scope control. 
• Working knowledge of risk and issue management, dependency management, change control, governance, and escalation practices. 
• Strong client-facing communication, facilitation, negotiation, stakeholder-management, and presentation skills. 
• Sound analytical judgment and structured problem-solving, with the ability to challenge assumptions, work through ambiguity, and recommend practical options. 
• Ability to communicate complex operational, and financial information clearly to technical and non-technical audiences. 
• Strong ownership, follow-through, attention to detail, and commitment to quality and on-time delivery. 
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively across functions, sites, cultures, and time zones. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and project-management, collaboration, reporting, and data-visualization tools; experience with Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, SharePoint, CRM, or ERP/AX is desirable. 
• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project/program management certification is desirable.
• Flexible working hours and occasional travel may be required to support global programs, client meetings, and internal collaboration.