Senior Manager/Associate Director Program Management

$150,000 - $180,000/Yr

Oruka Therapeutics - Waltham, MA

Full-time - Senior

Waltham, MA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

We are seeking a highly motivated Program Manager to join our dynamic growing team as we work to set a new standard in treating chronic skin diseases. This role will be pivotal in managing and executing strategies for our research and nonclinical development projects, driving the success of our early stage and development candidate preclinical programs. The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in early-stage project management, working collaboratively leading cross functional teams and other to plan, track, and streamline a variety of activities, including project strategy and execution, contract negotiation, and vendor management. This individual must be a highly organized self-starter with a solid understanding of project planning, budgeting, and vendor management necessary for efficient research and development operations. Experience contributing to cross-functional Program Teams and a strong scientific background is important. This position reports to the Director of Program Management. Our team values in-person collaboration, and we expect this role to work from our Waltham office three days per week. We're looking for someone who shares our passion for developing innovative medicines and is eager to make a meaningful impact.

Responsibilities

• Support the entire portfolio across research initiatives including all DC and IND enabling efforts
• Develop tactical project plans for all R&ND activity leveraging best practices and oversee day-to-day operations for Nonclinical projects
• Provide project management support for pre-DC early-stage programs progressing toward IND submission
• Collaborate closely with the Program Management Team, serving as the early-stage program manager
• Coordinate and manage vendors for outsourced R&ND projects
• Organize team meetings, develop agendas, capture meeting minutes, and track and follow up on action items
• Build and maintain project timelines and dashboards, tracking activities and deliverables against strategic objectives
• Partner with the Finance team to help develop annual R&ND budgets, LRPs and monitor spending
• Coordinate with the Legal team to track and manage R&ND-related contracts
• Manage strategic alliances for R&ND collaborations
• Facilitate interactions with consultants and external partners for early-stage projects
• Support the team with publication-related activities

Requirements

• 7+ years in a similar project management role required, preferably within a research or preclinical function
• BS in a scientific or technical field; advanced degrees (PhD, MBA, MS) preferred
• Strong understanding of the scientific aspects of projects combined with a focus on flawless execution
• Strong competency using PM tools like Smartsheet, MSP or others
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively present project updates to diverse audiences
• Effective in a diverse, multi-functional team environment with strong interpersonal skills
• Self-motivated, action-oriented, and highly organized. Must feel comfortable working independently
• Collaborative, team-focused, and skilled at working across various disciplines within and outside the company

Nice-to-haves

• Prior experience in small companies
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Equity
• Performance-related bonus opportunity