R&D Strategy and Performance Excellence Director

Join Amgen’s Mission of Serving Patients

At Amgen, if you feel like you’re part of something bigger, it’s because you are. Our shared mission—to serve patients living with serious illnesses—drives all that we do.

Since 1980, we’ve helped pioneer the world of biotech in our fight against the world’s toughest diseases. With our focus on four therapeutic areas –Oncology, Inflammation, General Medicine, and Rare Disease– we reach millions of patients each year. As a member of the Amgen team, you’ll help make a lasting impact on the lives of patients as we research, manufacture, and deliver innovative medicines to help people live longer, fuller happier lives.

Our award-winning culture is collaborative, innovative, and science-based. If you have a passion for challenges and the opportunities that lay within them, you’ll thrive as part of the Amgen team. Join us and transform the lives of patients while transforming your career.

What you will do

Let’s do this. Let’s change the world. R&D Strategy & Performance Excellence function is part of the overall R&D Strategy & Operations organization. This function is responsible for developing R&D strategy and roadmap, leading and managing functional transformation, continuous improvement, pivotal initiatives, and performance management across all R&D functions and delivering business results that drive peak R&D Productivity and Operational Excellence globally. The team will also be focused on building critical business process and operational excellence capabilities that enable Amgen to respond to rapid advancements in science and technology within a rapidly changing business environment.

Are you a seasoned leader with a passion for driving strategic change and improving operational efficiency within R&D? We are seeking a Strategy and Performance Excellence Director to spearhead complex transformation initiatives to improve business performance within our Research and Development (R&D) organization. As the driving force shaping our strategy and leading functional transformation, you'll be instrumental in accelerating productivity and fostering digital innovation.

1. Strategic Leadership: Lead a team and/or functional networks, to initiate, design, and implement a diverse portfolio of R&D functional transformation and continuous improvement pivotal initiatives in alignment with functional and corporate priorities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify business challenges and opportunities and translate them into actionable plans that yield high-quality, impactful business outcomes.
2. Business Performance Excellence: Drive the development and implementation of R&D performance management strategy. Enable and monitor performance to ensure delivery of R&D strategic priorities and value realization. Manage risks, remove barriers, and drive patient-centric approach.
3. Capability Build: Drive R&D performance optimization by developing and maturing global network governance, continuous improvement, and operational excellence capabilities. Apply your expertise in agile, change management, and solution development to streamline operations and enhance productivity.
4. Trusted Partnership: Act as a strategic architect and trusted thought partner to functional teams, R&D executives, and enterprise leaders by providing insights, generating business cases, and delivering results. Forge strong relationships with stakeholders across the organization to facilitate confident decision-making and robust project management and governance processes.
5. Mentorship and Coaching: Coach and mentor team members and partners, develop the next generation of leaders, bring energy and passion to cultivate talent, and champion a learning culture. Empower others to adopt leading practices and contribute to the success of initiatives and capability builds.
6. Innovative Mindset and Culture: Lead R&D critical initiatives with a focus on digital innovation and simplification. Identify and pursue opportunities for innovation and differentiation (including development of tools and processes) to accelerate value generation using insights to maintain a competitive edge.
7. Collaboration and Integration: Serve as an integrator across multiple functions and transformation efforts, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing. Develop partnerships across the organization to leverage resources and drive collective learning to stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies, driving value generation and simplification.
8. Impactful Communication and Visualization: Deliver clear communication across Produce compelling presentations and visualizations to communicate insights and recommendations to key stakeholders across scientific and business community. Translate strategic objectives into actionable plans, enabling effective decision-making at all levels of the organization.

What we expect of you

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. If you're a dynamic leader with a consistent record of leading transformations, driving business performance, and fostering innovation within R&D, we invite you to join our team and make a significant impact on our organization's success.

Basic Qualifications:

1. Doctorate degree & 4 years of Biotech/Pharma-related Management experience OR
2. Master’s degree & 8 years of Biotech/Pharma-related Management experience OR
3. Bachelor’s degree & 10 years of Biotech/Pharma-related Management experience

And

1. 4 years of managerial experience directly managing people and/or leadership experience leading teams, strategic programs, and initiatives
2. Expert in strategy design and execution discipline
3. Expert in program and project management
4. Experience with various R&D functions
5. Fluency in English, both in written and oral communication

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Advanced degree in either business, and/or life sciences
2. 9 or more years work experience in biopharmaceutical industry in formulating R&D strategy, leading R&D transformations, and improving R&D performance
3. Strong understanding of the R&D, drug development, and commercialization processes
4. Strong understanding and experience in the use of performance management techniques, measures, problem solving and analytical thinking
5. Mergers & Acquisitions experience
6. Integrated evidence generation access and use experience
7. Management consulting experience is a plus
8. Business process, change management, and systems management experience
9. Expert integrator across people, process, and systems
10. Finance and budget management experience
11. Operations experience within a biotech, pharmaceutical or CRO company
12. Strong executive presence to establish credibility and influence with executive leaders
13. Experience coaching teams and a strong developer of talent
14. Expertise with working in fast-changing and often ambiguous environment
15. Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office suite, data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau) and collaboration tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Miro)

What you can expect of us

As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well-being. From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we’ll support your journey every step of the way.

The expected annual salary range for this role in the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico) is posted. Actual salary will vary based on several factors including but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

In addition to the base salary, Amgen offers a Total Rewards Plan, based on eligibility, comprising of health and welfare plans for staff and eligible dependents, financial plans with opportunities to save towards retirement or other goals, work/life balance, and career development opportunities that may include:

1. A comprehensive employee benefits package, including a Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts
2. A discretionary annual bonus program, or for field sales representatives, a sales-based incentive plan
3. Stock-based long-term incentives
4. Award-winning time-off plans
5. Flexible work models, including remote and hybrid work arrangements, where possible

Apply now

for a career that defies imagination

Objects in your future are closer than they appear. Join us.

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Application deadline

Amgen does not have an application deadline for this position; we will continue accepting applications until we receive a sufficient number or select a candidate for the position.

As an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people around the world, Amgen fosters an inclusive environment of diverse, ethical, committed and highly accomplished people who respect each other and live the Amgen values to continue advancing science to serve patients. Together, we compete in the fight against serious disease.

Amgen is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.