Director, Project Management

About Mestag Therapeutics:

Mestag Therapeutics is fast-growing biotech that is building something special – a company using unparalleled insight into the role of fibroblast populations in disease to deliver impactful precision medicines. We founded Mestag in 2020 to pioneer new medicines for people affected by inflammatory disease and cancer. Our leadership team includes biotech entrepreneurs and seasoned global drug discovery experts focused on translating exciting biology into meaningful therapies for patients.

We focus on activated fibroblast populations and their role in influencing the immune system in disease. Our founder team comprises leading experts in the fields of inflammatory disease, oncology, computational biology and fibroblast biology from the University of Oxford, Harvard, Broad Institute and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, including the current President of AACR.

We are progressing a pipeline of first in class therapeutics to interrupt fibroblast-mediated effects on immune cells in inflammatory disease and immuno-oncology. We are also collaborating with Janssen Biotech, Inc to discover new targets for inflammatory disease and cancer. Mestag’s investors include leading global biotech investors SV Health Investors and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, UK.

Our team shares a common purpose and puts patients at the centre of our work. Our values of trust and integrity, connection and togetherness, energy and tenacity, and ingenuity and excellence fuel our passion for science, and have created a strong culture of purpose and delivery. We are looking for proactive, creative and positive team players to help build and shape our company into a world leader.

Scope of role

This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced drug discovery project manager to join an innovative biotech at an early stage in the company’s history. The Director, Project Management will work closely with Programme Leaders and function leads within the organization at both a Programme and Portfolio level. The candidate will operate within internal and external cross functional teams, accordingly, must demonstrate excellent stakeholder management and be comfortable working in a fast-paced R&D environment.

In addition, he/she will maintain a forward-looking and benchmarked perspective to ensure that Mestag’s project management capability reflects best practise and grows in line with our company.

Key Responsibilities:

1.Programme Timelines & Budgets

Collaborates with Programme Leaders and cross-functional team members to generate and maintain detailed programme plans and budgets, and support the execution of deliverables
With partnered/collaborative programmes ensures communication, activities and alignment, working with function heads, programme leaders and BD/alliance management
On a programme-by-programme basis, works to develop, maintain, and align accurate, integrated programme timelines, and integrated cross functional planning, including associated budgets and risk registers
Understands critical path activities, anticipates risks, and assists in creating contingency plans
Supports the Programme Leader in administration and management of cross-functional internal and external teams

2.Programme Operations Management

Lead and administer programme meetings to ensure actions and deliverables are met
Facilitate the decision-making process working with the Programme Leader
Maintenance of integrated Programme Plans covering all aspects of the drug development process and life cycle
Identifies issues and facilitates problem-solving, contingency planning, and decision-making
Informs key stakeholders of status, issues, problems, and proposed solutions as appropriate
Supports Programme Leaders in managing outsourced project activities with consultants and CROs as required to ensure contracting, work plan definition and delivery to time and budget

3. Programme Information/Communication Management

Ensures central access to key programme documents, presentations, and assessments. Works closely with each team to ensure collaborative team communication solutions
Prepares independent periodic reports (e.g. monthly reports, programme milestones, dashboards)

4.Portfolio Management

Works with senior leadership team to amalgamate programme plans across the portfolio and summarize critical information into clear and accurate information to support decision-making
Proactively identifies internal/external resource gaps and works with function heads and Programme Leaders to rebalance priorities or identify alternate solutions
Accountable for integration of programme/portfolio planning and strategy between R&D/finance/corporate functions
Administration of portfolio review meetings and other key governance meetings; preparation of materials to support portfolio decisions, prioritisation of resources and focus across Mestag’s portfolio

Experience:

We are excited to meet candidates looking forward to working in a fast-paced international environment and driven by the prospect of working in a new and growing company. For this role, exposure to antibody discovery and early development projects is required. A detail orientated focus on project timelines and deliverables through effective use of project management tools is essential. The successful candidate will work closely with internal and external stakeholders in the UK and internationally and will be expert at building and managing effective relationships.

1. Project Management:

Extensive experience working within or leading Project Management within the pharmaceutical, biologics and/or biotech sector of at least 5 years
Experience of driving multiple projects from concept to development candidate towards IND file and into clinic trials
Ability to create, coordinate, and maintain integrated project plans with their source material/data and to control or respond to changes in strategy and scope, including scenario planning
Competent user of project management software solutions, including skills in critical path analysis. Experience with MS Project / Smartsheet and similar programs is essential.
Ability to create high quality presentations and reports using PowerPoint, Excel, and project management software
Effective meeting management tools and techniques, with knowledge of decision-making and conflict resolution techniques
Understanding of financial and resource planning systems and experience in budget management.
Professional PM qualifications (PMP, Prince2 or equivalent) are an advantage
Degree/MSc in biomedical research/chemistry

2. Other Experience/Abilities:

Proactive, detail orientated individual with a style that ensures effective interfacing with cross-functional teams and across cultures
Excellent oral and written communication
Strong organisational skills required, including good time management skills; able to work independently on multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
Ability to synthesize complex concepts into focused materials for decision-making

Note to Agencies: We are not working with agencies on this role so please do not send us any speculative CVs.