Director, Program and Portfolio Management

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Director of Program Management to join our dynamic team. This role will be critical in driving programs from early stage to late-stage clinical development through lifecycle management, ensuring high-quality, decision-ready execution across development functions.

In this role, you will provide end-to-end program management leadership, serving as the operational owner for assigned programs. You will be accountable for integrated program plans, timelines, risk management, and governance, and will partner closely with scientific and development leaders to align execution with company strategy. As the point of contact for program execution, you will proactively manage risks, costs, and time. You will also facilitate trade-off discussions, and enable informed decision-making at both the team and executive levels.

This position reports to the Vice President of Program and Portfolio Management and is a full-time, onsite position requiring in-person collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities

Program Management and Coordination

• Lead program management for one or more development programs from early-stage development through life cycle management.
• Partner with the cross-functional Program Team to define program strategy, conduct scenario planning, and translate strategy into executable plans to achieve program objectives.
• Identify and manage program-level risks, assumptions, and interdependencies; lead mitigation planning and issue resolution.
• Escalate risks and decision points with clear options and recommendations.
• Work with teams to prepare presentations for internal and external meetings (e.g., team presentations, abstracts, posters, management review, Board of Directors meetings).

Strategic & Operational Planning

• Develop and maintain integrated program plans, including milestones, timelines, budgets, and resource assumptions.
• Monitor progress against plans, identify deviations, and implement mitigation strategies or alternative scenarios.
• Conduct critical path and dependency analyses to proactively identify risks and bottlenecks.

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Ensure clear, consistent, and transparent communication of program status, key risks, and upcoming milestones through minutes, action items and decision tracking.
• Align diverse stakeholders around priorities, decisions, and execution plans in a matrixed environment.

Process Excellence & Capability Building

• Contribute to the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of program management processes, tools, and templates.
• Promote best practices in program planning, governance, and execution across the organization.

About You

• Advanced degree relevant to drug discovery/development; Ph.D./ PharmD/MBA preferred.
• Minimum of at least 10-15+ years of experience within the Biotech or Pharma industry; prior experience in project management required, specifically in the late-stage clinical development space.
• Proven expertise in project planning, execution, and risk management, with a deep understanding of drug development processes, particularly in endocrinology, inflammation/immunology, and CNS.
• Demonstrated track record of managing small molecule discovery projects from early stage development through NDA submissions, clinical trial management, and program strategy development.
• Experience with commonly used project management tools, including Smartsheet.
• Ability to execute diverse and novel strategies in a matrix environment; experience managing and influencing complex issues and a variety of key stakeholders.
• Demonstrated skill in driving execution and focusing on deliverables.
• Strong organizational skills, persistent attention to detail, and ability to work independently and collaboratively to manage timelines and priorities.
• Ability to manage complex situations and adapt to changing business needs by prioritizing multiple tasks.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to collaborate closely with individual project leads/teams and scientific leadership.
• Desire to work on a small team in a fast-paced environment.

Pay and benefits

The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in South San Francisco, CA is $230,000 - $255,000. Individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including, and without limitation, job-related skills, experience, work location and relevant education or training. Septerna's compensation package also includes benefits, stock options, and annual target bonus for full-time positions.

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