Project Director - Data Lead

About the Department                                                                                                                                               

Our Research & Development organization brings together the best minds in life science innovation. The teams located in facilities in Lexington, Watertown, Cambridge and Seattle reflect the full R&D continuum, from early research through late-stage clinical development. Here, we are building for the future, creating a distinct R&D community based on collaboration, partnerships, and cutting-edge research across multiple modalities and therapeutic areas. We recognize that improving human health starts here and that patients rely on us. Our R&D hub merges biotech speed and agility with large pharmaceutical company quality, resources, and stability, uniting the best of both worlds to develop new medicines for patients.

The Position

The Data Lead Project Director will lead and drive major and high complexity clinical data science projects with cross organizational assignments and deliverables important to Novo Nordisk. This includes: Define and execute the data strategy and consider alternative data strategies; Indirect leadership of project members/managers from Data Science. Communicate and negotiate with several internal and external stakeholders.

We are open to hiring someone who can be seated at our New Jersey location as an alternative to Lexington. The review of candidates and interviews is scheduled to commence in mid-January.

Relationships

The Data Lead Project Director reports to the Vice President, Data Orchestration. Internal partners include among other Corporate Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents in the global Data Science function, Project Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents and Directors in the Medical and Science function. External relationships include among others medical experts, health authorities, academic researcher and institutions.

Internal Stakeholders: Data Science, Project teams (CVPs, PVPs and M&S), R&ED or Translational Science & Medicine, Strategy, Access & Marketing (RWE, HEOR, NPP, Digital Health, Insights and Forecasting), GEPA, Regions/Affiliates, Senior/Executive management, Global Medical Affairs & Project teams.

External stakeholders: Medical experts, Academic researchers and Institutions, Health authorities, Research and data agencies /vendors, IT, Global and local health authorities.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for timely planning and proper execution of data science activities resulting in an optimal Target Data Profile for a Therapeutic Area and/or one or more Global Projects
• Help drive the uptake and use of the concept Target Data Profile across Novo Nordisk projects
• Project leadership and management with respect to all data science activities for the projects, ensuring all relevant Data Science experts are involved in Global Project Team (GPT) activities at the right time and to the right extent
• Internal and external stakeholder management, communication and cross-functional cooperation, and ensuring cross-portfolio data learnings
• Membership of one or more Global Project Teams
• Main Job Tasks:
  • Project Management: Lead the establishment of the Target Data Profile to ensure all necessary insights and evidence are produced for the Target Project Profile
  • Lead the Data Science Project Team and ensure all Data Science input/views/learnings are brought to the GPT in due time, including leading and challenging project data scope, goals, expected deliverables, and stakeholders to continuously ensure all data are generated in accordance with the Target Data Profile
  • Drive continued involvement and alignment of all involved Data Science functions in the GPT, ensuring timely challenge of data needed for each significant decision point along the value chain, and driving challenges and innovation with respect to clinical trials program
  • Ensure innovative data analytics methodologies are applied when appropriate, and lead and challenge relevance and impact of defined goals, and fit with existing and upcoming regulations
  • Lead and continuously improve the way data package deliverables are executed, identify risks via collaboration with other functions, and improve the way project outcomes are shared, how they impact the organization
  • Internal and external stakeholder management: Identify and develop new data science stakeholders and/or opinion leaders, shape stakeholders’ perceptions, and encourage teams with different objectives in Novo Nordisk to develop strategic “win-win” solutions, weighing up risk and profitability
  • Communication and cross-functional cooperation, including creating PowerPoint presentations and presenting to leadership
  • Exhibit stakeholder management proficiency and drive effective progress in functional deliverables within defined processes, teams, and governance models, while demonstrating an understanding of portfolio management, strategy, and tactics
  • Lead and develop strategy, ensuring excellence to maximize the impact of global strategy across customer groups and markets, apply insights adequately into strategy and tactic development, and drive cross-project / portfolio data insights and learning

Physical Requirements

Up to 10% overnight travel required. Travel is expected up to approximately 10% per year (International).

Qualifications

• Education Level:
  • Master’s degree required, PhD preferred
• Experience Level:
  • 10+ years of relevant work experience, with an advanced degree substituting for up to 2 years of experience as deemed appropriate

• Relevant work experience includes:
  • Comprehensive understanding of at least one data science discipline in drug development (such as biostatistics, pharmacometrics, advanced analytics, or epidemiology), or a background in scientific or medical oversight for the design of drug development programs
  • Understanding of the pharmaceutical industry value chain and product development
  • Experience in early to late-stage drug development
  • Project management experience leading cross-functional (and perhaps global) projects
• Proven ability to incorporate a diverse range of personalities, skills, and capabilities to enhance the performance of a Data Science team
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including presentation skills to diverse audiences
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Knowledge of the Novo Nordisk value chain preferred
• Strong leadership skills, either as a project or people manager

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk we recognize that it is no longer good enough to aspire to be the best company in the world. We need to aspire to be the best company for the world and we know that this is only possible with talented employees with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and cultures. We are therefore committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates the diversity of our employees, the patients we serve and communities we operate in. Together, we’re life changing.

Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.

If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.