London, Stevenage
Full time
Project Management Office

Job Title: Senior Project Manager/Programme Manager
Location: London or Stevenage.
Job Type: Permanent

Agencies: We will only work with recruitment partners on our preferred supplier list and will not engage with speculative CVs submitted.

LifeArc, we want to hear from people who are as passionate as we are about making life science life changing that can improve patients’ lives.


 
A bit about the role:

This role reports into the Head of PMO Operations and is responsible for the management, strategic implementation and successful completion of scientific, technical and/or strategic projects and programmes within LifeArc. 

 

The role requires extensive knowledge and scientific or technical understanding in the field of drug/device/diagnostic discovery and development, coupled with extensive cross-functional project management experience at a project and programme level.  

In this role, you will be part of a dynamic multidisciplinary team located in one of LifeArc’s Therapeutic Discovery sites (Stevenage, Edinburgh, London). You will act as key business partner to Programme/Project Sponsors, Programme/Project Leaders, Portfolio Managers and enabling functions, ensuring strategy is translated into achievable operational plans and project activities are delivered to the highest quality standards and within agreed timelines and budget. You will provide the operational drive to achieve the strategy, mapping the route to define the when and how we will get there and continually course-correct along the way.

 

About you:

  • Provide clarity and guidance to Project Sponsors/Leaders and Portfolio Managers on the translation of LifeArc strategy, goals and priorities into programme activities.  
  • Supporting Project Sponsors/Leaders with operational implementation of strategy, leading the process to initiate, plan, execute and drive to completion programmes of inter-related projects. 
  • Ensure alignment on project/programme scope, deliverables and resources through effective use of tools (charter, business case, project plan, RACI).
  • Define project/programme timelines and milestones based on an understanding of the project goals and company resources. 
  • Accountable for oversight of accurate project/programme financial forecasting, and responsible for tracking forecasts to overall project/programme budgets and project/programme quarterly spend commitments. 
  • Ensure provision of information for project/programme monitoring and controlling, including milestone attainment, budget variance, timeline tracking, and other requirements to assess project/programme performance. 
  • Responsible for ensuring project/programme information is entered into systems and databases, and all data is are accurate and is updated in a timely manner in accordance with guidance and agreed frequency. 
  • Ensure project/programme reporting is streamlined, whilst tailored to meet the requirements of internal and external stakeholders. Ensure all project reporting requirements to internal and external stakeholders are fulfilled. Ensure outputs drive effective decision-making within the portfolio. 
  • Ensure own work and that of the project/programme teams are compliant with all relevant internal policies and external regulations.

 

Impact:

  • Supports application of effective project management governance, processes and systems across the company, demonstrating best practice for successful delivery.
  • Supports a culture of continuous improvement, and identifying and documenting lessons learned which can be applied to future projects.
  • Identifies risks and constraints arising on programme activities, creating contingency plans in collaboration with the Sponsor and Project leaders, to mitigate the risk of failure.

 

Supports application of effective project management governance, processes and systems across the company, demonstrating best practice:

  • Manages cross-functional programmes, typically of higher risk, involving external relationships.
  • Providing the necessary visibility of project/programme attributes (including project progression measured against risk criteria) and navigation of complex information to enable informed prioritisation of projects & programmes across the portfolio. 
  • Facilitates decision analysis within teams by ensuring that meaningful and reliable information gets captured and assessed, and the rationale and consequences of various decisions are understood. 
  • Able to lead the project team through risk assessment of the project plan with mitigation plans developed for risks with highest likelihood of impact.

 

Resources management:

  • Drives cross-functional alignment and associated commitment of departmental resources to facilitate the execution of the operational plans.
  • Develops resource management plans to optimise utilisation of people and materials. Understands resource capacity, avoiding overallocation or dependency of resources by understanding supply and demand and addressing bottlenecks. 
  • Builds resource forecasts to predict future resource requirements. Ensure effective use of resources through project management best practices.
  • Evaluates and implements appropriate training and development plans to help direct reports within project management reach their full potential.

 

Relationships & communications:

  • Act as key business partner to Project Sponsors/Leaders and Portfolio Managers to ensure successful and seamless delivery of the programme/portfolio.
  • Develops and maintains team / project communication plans, including stakeholder analysis and RACI matrix. 
  • Is effective in a variety of formal and informal presentation settings; is cognisant of audience response and able to adapt content and . accordingly.
  • Builds and maintains effective working relationships with all key stakeholders for projects (e.g. HR, Legal, Finance, Partnerships) ensuring programme/projects receive the support required to progress.
  • Identifies and resolves conflicts at project/programme team level, building cohesive and high performing teams by establishing an open and trusting work environment.
  • Assesses situations, identifying areas for change, implementing new concepts and helping transform the way in which the organise operates, remaining adaptable to evolving strategy, processes and organisational structure.


 
Education & experience required: 

  • Educated to at least Bachelors degree in a relevant Life Science subject.
  • Extensive of experience of managing transformational programmes and projects.
  • Extensive knowledge and scientific or technical understanding in the field of drug/device/diagnostic discovery and development, coupled with extensive cross-functional project management experience at a project and programme level.  
  • Extensive Project and Programme Management experience is required. 

 

Skills & abilities:        

  • Ability to critically and objectively interpret and evaluate scientific, technical and business-related information, and challenge assumptions.
  • Excellent planning and organising skills with ability to set clear expectations, drive accountability and the tenacity to drive projects/programmes through delivery to successful conclusion.
  • Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills, ability to influence in a matrix environment.
  • Skilled in building external networks to access capabilities to support delivery.
  • Able to right size the project management tool set to meet requirements of exceptional portfolio delivery.
  • Formal qualification in project management preferred.

 

About us:

At LifeArc, our ambition is to make life science life changing. We do this by advancing scientific discoveries beyond the lab, faster, so that they can shape the next generation of diagnostics, treatments, and cures. 

Working at the cutting edge of translational science and as the early-stage translation specialists, we progress scientific discoveries on their journey to becoming a medicine, diagnostic or intervention that can improve patients’ lives. Our work begins by seeking out innovative science, then helping to develop this to a point where there is a clinical and commercial pathway for others to invest the time and money to take it further forward. 

 

What we can offer you:

Salary will be determined by qualifications and experience along with other exceptional benefits. Because we understand everyone has different requirements, our flexible benefits allow you to choose those which are important to you. Our pension scheme offers employer contributions of up to 12%, private health insurance, and annual leave of 31 days PLUS bank holidays. 

Join us, and you’ll have the scope to be creative and take measured risks. You’ll be rewarded for your curiosity, for working as one team, and for learning fast. And you’ll have everything you need to be your best every day. 

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from minority ethnic backgrounds, for example, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At LifeArc we are dedicated in building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so whatever your background or lived experience, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. Our top priority is finding the best candidate and you may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. 

We all have potential. At LifeArc, you’ll discover what you can really do with it.

 
 
#LI-London

Apply now - and start translating your potential!


At LifeArc, we commit to advancing equal opportunities and building a diverse workforce by ensuring a fair, inclusive, and accessible recruitment experience for all. We employ individuals based on their suitability for the work to be performed and their potential for development, regardless of age, sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion, or belief. Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion includes creating a culture where everyone feels they belong, is valued for who they are and has the opportunity to translate their potential.

We want every candidate to do their very best. If you require special assistance or reasonable adjustments, please be sure to let us know in advance what will be most useful for you and/ or to discuss your needs.

We only work with recruitment partners on our preferred supplier list, and will not engage with speculative CVs submitted.

Please note we are actively recruiting, and the closing date may be brought forward if we find the right person for this role.

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