Programme Director

About Abcam:

Ever since 1998, when our founder, Jonathan Milner, started selling antibodies from the back of his bike, Abcam has aimed to help scientific researchers make breakthroughs faster. We now have offices and labs in the UK, the US, China and Japan, and as we continue to grow, we remain ambitious, driven by our customers’ success and their research needs.

It’s our goal to provide a world-standard in protein research tools, technical support and delivery. When you join Abcam, you’ll join a global business with the passion and the vision to become the most influential company, and, best-loved brand in life sciences.

Our culture is our key differentiator. We believe in empowering individuals, with responsibility given at an early stage. The working environment is fun and fast-paced, collaborative and outcome focused, with a strong customer focus. In addition to competitive salaries, we can offer an attractive flexible benefits package which includes share options, a culture focussed on wellbeing and opportunities for growth and development.

As Abcam continues its rapid growth and success we have identified a need for 2 Programme Directors within IPM, reporting to the VP Innovation Programme management. This role will build and lead a team of multiple Project/Programme managers to ensure Abcam executes faultlessly on its strategic scientific, commercial and business change commitments, delivering exceptional products that help life scientists worldwide achieve their research missions, faster. Programme Directors will be accountable for the delivery of 3 or more product platforms. The successful candidate(s) will demonstrate an expert level of Programme management skills and can bring that into his/her assigned team. This role differs from the “Programme manager” role in two important ways: the individual takes accountability for multiple programmes/product platforms and the individual develops a team of more junior project and Programme managers

Job responsibilities

• Responsible for the management of several programmes and/or product platforms.
• Takes full accountability for the delivery of transformative, multi-disciplinary programmes.
• Plans and designs complex multi-disciplinary programmes and proactively monitors and reports on their overall progress through the governance framework. Plans programme assurance activities. Identifies success criteria, sets controls and is accountable for Programme performance.
• Maps Programme and cross-project dependencies and actively manages these. Resolves issues between elements of the portfolio for which he/she is responsible to ensure full alignment to deliver.
• Maintains and ensures delivery of the portfolio/programme delivery map. Has an overall view of resources across the Programme portfolio and can use influence to ensure the projects within the portfolio have adequate resources to deliver.
• Manages risks (threats and opportunities) and issues across the Programme portfolio, ensuring regular reporting and escalation to senior stakeholders as appropriate.
• Can manage complex interdependencies, building understanding and managing the bigger risks that affect the initiative or Programme portfolio.
• Establishes and supports programme governance and decision making by acting as a link between the Programme/program portfolio and business governance. Prepares reports as required particularly for higher level stakeholders including board level. Holds self and programme teams accountable for delivery.
• Ensures programme assurance, quality assurance and appropriate change management processes are in place with routine updates/checks.
• Has responsibility for objectives of all programmes under his/her direction being met on time, on budget and to the quality agreed
• Ensures relevant stakeholders’ interests are identified and addressed. Works collaboratively to build effective relationships and achieve buy-in to the overall objectives of the programmes/platforms.
• Builds and manages strategic relationships with multiple diverse stakeholders across the projects and Abcam and drives to build a consensus that maintains focus and ensures objectives are met.
• Ensures that the plan is developed and maintained, regularly provides status reports on progress to sponsors and executive stakeholders at senior management meetings.
• Has ultimate responsibility for junior Project and Programme management team and on their development.
• Uses an established financial tracking system across the programmes and recommends changes to phasing as necessary. Develops strategies to address resource gaps.
• Works with their team to ensure all programmes have a strong working program team that enables the program to move forwards.
• Serves as the Programme management lead for assigned platforms, partnering with Marketing, Scientific/R&D and Manufacturing leadership to align the platform delivery across the organization
• Partners with colleagues in the IPM team, inside and outside assigned platforms to ensure common way of working and consistent communications

About you:

Our ideal candidate will have a strong project management background, with experience of working within the life sciences industry, and a MSc or PhD in biological science or equivalent experience. A formal project management qualification is highly preferred (such as Prince 2). You will have extensive experience of managing and delivering large scale projects with multiple stakeholders and will have 10 years project management experience.

You will be highly organised, be comfortable working to deadlines and prioritising different aspects of the project. You will be able to work independently and have outstanding attention to detail.

• Strong project management background (10 years)
• Formal project management qualification is highly preferred but not essential if previous experience provides qualification
• Life sciences experience.
• Experience managing and delivering large scale projects with multiple stakeholders
• Highly organized
• Comfortable working to deadlines and prioritizing within the project
• Line management experience

We know that when it comes to benefits, no one size fits all. Flexibility and choice matter which is why we offer all kinds of ways to enable you and your loved ones to be well and live well. You can expect;

• A culture focused on well-being and opportunities for growth and development. We provide a wide range of training opportunities, for both professional and personal development.
• The freedom to work in a way that works for you, with a focus on maximising productivity and innovation at work whilst reducing environmental impact.
• A performance-based share plan, inspiring and rewarding our people as we deliver Abcam’s strategy.
• Attractive and flexible package including 18 weeks full paid maternity leave and 6 weeks full paid paternity leave, increased holiday allowance over time and much more.

We offer a truly inclusive environment where you can bring your whole self to work. This is underpinned by our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and our partnerships with WORK180 (endorsed employer for women) and MyGwork (LGBT professional community). All our positions are open as a Job Share, where two talented professionals can share the responsibility of a full time position. You can declare your interest in a job share role within the application form.

Abcam is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes all employment decisions without regard to age, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you’re interested in this particular role then we’d love to read your application.