Executive Director, R&D Strategic Externalization & Business Operations

CSL

  • King of Prussia, PA
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 1 month ago
The Position:The Head of R&D Strategic Externalization & Business Operations will lead R&D business operations across all functions, and all budget elements (labor/non-labor) for $1.2 Billion R&D budget. Lead excellence in the selection, setup, governance, and continuous improvement of key external partnerships to deliver seamlessly.Responsibilities:Strategic Vendor and Partner Management (COE):
  • Lead the Center of Excellence for key vendor and partner governance, ensuring optimal engagement models, performance monitoring, issue resolution, and continuous improvement across CROs, consultants, lab service providers, and CMC vendors
Functional Business Operations Leadership
  • Provide strategic direction and operational oversight to a network of 10+ R&D functional liaisons, ensuring alignment of externalized delivery models with functional strategies, execution needs, and operational goals
Contract Management Leadership:
  • Oversee centralized contract operations for approximately up to 50 major engagements annually, incl all Clinical Trial agreements, including end-to-end accountability for SOW creation, review, approval workflows, and invoice discrepancy resolution in partnership with Legal, Finance, and Procurement
Capacity Planning CoE:
  • Lead the development and implementation of scalable, data-driven capacity planning frameworks that support proactive resourcing decisions across internal teams and external partners, aligned with portfolio demands
CMC Vendor Oversight (REDC):
  • Provide governance, coordination, and performance management for key CMC vendors, ensuring service delivery, compliance, and strategic alignment with product development timelines.
SOW & Consultant Engagement Process Ownership:
  • Own and optimize centralized business processes related to consultant onboarding, SOW management, and financial reconciliation, ensuring consistency, compliance, and timely execution across the R&D organization
CRO & Business Development Partnerships:
  • Drive strategic development and governance of CRO partnerships and business development engagements, supporting operational scalability, innovation, and alignment with evolving R&D needs
Lab Services Operations:
  • Oversee business operations and service performance for routine lab support providers within Research Labs, ensuring continuity, compliance, and service excellence in collaboration with Research leadership
Cross-Functional Business Operations Alignment:
  • Act as the R&D liaison with business partners including Finance, Procurement, Alliance Management and Legal to align and continuously improve end-to-end R&D business operations, including contracting, procurement strategy, and financial planning
Education & Requirements:
  • 12+ years of experience in digital transformation, PMO, or portfolio management within R&D, biotech, or pharma
  • Proven experience managing cross-functional digital programs or portfolios.
  • Demonstrated success in managing cross-functional initiatives and complex program portfolios
  • Strong operational and planning acumen, with knowledge of portfolio management tools (e.g., Planview, Smartsheet, Jira)
  • Understanding of R&D processes and digital strategy trends in the life sciences sector
  • Experience in digital architecture strategy, solution design, or enterprise architecture within R&D, with strong understanding of integration patterns, data flows, and platform scalability
  • Experience with vendor and external partner governance
  • Strong communication, change leadership, and executive reporting capabilities
Our BenefitsCSL employees that work at least 30 hours per week are eligible for benefits effective day 1. We are committed to the wellbeing of our employees and their loved ones. CSL offers resources and benefits, from health care to financial protection, so you can focus on doing work that matters. Our benefits are designed to support the needs of our employees at every stage of their life. Whether you are considering starting a family, need help paying for emergency back up care or summer camp, looking for mental health resources, planning for your financial future, or supporting your favorite charity with a matching contribution, CSL has many benefits to help achieve your goals.Please take the time to review our to see what’s available to you as a CSL employee.About CSL BehringCSL Behring is a global leader in developing and delivering high-quality medicines that treat people with rare and serious diseases. Our treatments offer promise for people in more than 100 countries living with conditions in the immunology, hematology, cardiovascular and metabolic, respiratory, and transplant therapeutic areas. Learn more about .We want CSL to reflect the world around usAt CSL, Inclusion and Belonging is at the core of our mission and who we are. It fuels our innovation day in and day out. By celebrating our differences and creating a culture of curiosity and empathy, we are able to better understand and connect with our patients and donors, foster strong relationships with our stakeholders, and sustain a diverse workforce that will move our company and industry into the future. Learn more .Do work that matters at CSL Behring!

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