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Job DescriptionAre you looking for a patient-focused, innovation-driven company to inspire you and empower you to shine? Join us as an Associate Director, GDO Trial Performance Intelligence & Strategy based in Cambridge, MA reporting to the Executive Director, GDO Business Operations.
At Takeda, we are transforming the pharmaceutical industry through our R&D-driven market leadership and being a values-led company. To do this, we empower our people to work towards their potential through life-changing work. We offer stimulating careers, and work toward excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our global teams are united by an unwavering commitment to provide Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.
Here, you will be a necessary contributor to our inspiring, bold mission.
GOALS:
The Associate Director, Trial Performance & Intelligence Strategy, will support the operationalization of insights that enhance business decision-making, with the aim of improving trial delivery, helping reduce costs, and strengthening the quality of trial execution. This role will:
- Partner in shaping and executing the trial performance intelligence strategy for GDO by contributing to prioritized KPI, benchmark, and measurement frameworks that support trial delivery and portfolio decision-making.
- Lead the development and refinement of business intelligence capabilities and reporting approaches that improve data ingestion, integration, interpretation, and usability for trial performance insights.
- Translate complex data into clear, actionable insights and leadership-ready outputs that support timely decision-making by R&D stakeholders and study teams.
- Drive the operational application of insights within study planning and execution to improve cost, quality, and speed outcomes within the assigned scope.
- Build effective partnerships across internal stakeholders such as CSSE, GCDO, CSCS, TAUs, CROs, and related R&D functions to align on priorities, encourage adoption, and sustain use of insights.
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
- Support the execution of trial performance intelligence strategy by contributing to the definition and application of standardized KPIs, benchmarks, and success measures aligned to GDO and R&D priorities.
- Lead analysis of trial performance at the portfolio or program level to identify trends, risks, opportunities, and key drivers of outcomes, and recommend prioritized actions to improve performance.
- Lead operational trial intelligence, reporting, and data visualization support for internal initiatives and strategic projects, serving as the escalation point for emergent issues while driving cross-functional coordination, timely execution, and measurable impact through delivery of selected insight and continuous improvement initiatives within defined scope.
- Proactively surface both tactical and longer-term trial performance needs by assessing business impact and partnering with stakeholders to clarify requirements and opportunities.
- Contributes to prioritization of trial performance and intelligence initiatives by helping assess value, feasibility, and alignment to GDO and R&D strategy.
- Embed trial performance insights into study planning, execution, and reporting to improve cost, quality, and speed outcomes within assigned scope.
- Translate business and scientific questions into insight-driven analyses and outputs that are aligned to stakeholder needs and decision-making timelines.
- Generate and apply actionable insights from diverse data sources to support study planning, execution, reporting, and operational decision-making across GDO and R&D.
- Partner effectively with global stakeholders and functional leaders including GDO, DQS, TAUs, CROs, and other R&D functions to align on insights, drive adoption, and ensure consistent use of performance outputs.
- Promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement by encouraging data-driven behaviors and adoption of performance insights across teams.
- Partner with data governance teams and business stakeholders to promote data quality, stewardship, and trusted data use in support of decision-making across GDO.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelors' Degree or international equivalent in Life Sciences, Computer Sciences, Mathematics, or similar quantitative discipline required; advanced degree preferred.
- 8 or more years of applicable business intelligence, and/or drug development experience; global experience and experience in drug development strongly preferred.
- Experience in people leadership, managing global teams and coordinating collaboration with cross-functional teams.
- Experience working directly with business stakeholders to translate between business requirements and data required.
- Experience working with IT partners and vendors for business solutions desired.
- Strong strategic thinking, planning, execution, and communication skills, ability to act at operational and strategic levels.
- Global/international experience required, including ability to collaborate with colleagues and staff in other locations.
- Operational experience in pharmaceutical drug development with significant direct exposure to clinical development.
- Healthcare business acumen with a comprehensive understanding of the pharmaceutical industry highly advantageous.
Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary
We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. We are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices.
For Location:
USA - MA - Cambridge - Kendall Square - 500U.S. Base Salary Range:
$154,400.00 - $242,550.00The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.
For information about our benefits, please click here.
EEO Statement
Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.
LocationsUSA - MA - Cambridge - Kendall Square - 500Worker TypeEmployeeWorker Sub-TypeRegularTime TypeFull timeJob Exempt
YesIt is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent in Life Sciences, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a similar quantitative discipline
- Advanced degree
- At least 8 years of applicable business intelligence and/or drug development experience
- Global experience and experience in drug development
- Experience in people leadership, managing global teams, and coordinating cross-functional collaboration
- Experience translating business requirements into data requirements with business stakeholders
- Experience working with IT partners and vendors for business solutions
- Strong strategic thinking, planning, execution, and communication skills
- Global or international experience, including collaboration with colleagues in other locations
- Operational experience in pharmaceutical drug development with significant direct exposure to clinical development
- Comprehensive healthcare business acumen and understanding of the pharmaceutical industry
Takeda Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Takeda and has not been reviewed or approved by Takeda.
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Retirement Support — Employer-funded retirement is described as notably strong, combining a dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match with an additional company contribution that scales with age and service. Access to an employee stock purchase plan further supports long-term wealth building.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid bonding leave for all parents, substantial adoption/surrogacy reimbursement, and robust caregiver resources (backup care and Maven family-forming support) are emphasized as core strengths. These offerings create a comprehensive safety net for a range of family situations.
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Healthcare Strength — Multiple medical plan options (nationwide PPO/HSA and regional HMOs), employer HSA funding, and integrated mental-health and well-being programs signal depth in coverage. Preventive care is covered in-network, and plan choices by state expand access.
Takeda Insights
What We Do
For over 240 years, Takeda’s propensity to evolve has driven the next generation of innovation, and as a future-focused organization, we’re continuing to drive forward with endurance in our steadfast pursuit to achieve the best outcomes for our patients in a rapidly changing world. We have been preparing for this period of value creation by investing in data, digital and technology, and we’re proud of our employees and their commitment to turning groundbreaking ideas into life-changing impacts. Since our founding in Japan, integrity and putting patients first have been at the heart of our identity, and we will emerge ready for our future as one of the most trusted and science-driven digital biopharmaceutical companies. Join a team where your innovation impacts lives. Together, we’ll realize improved outcomes by improving data quality, enhancing launch execution and improving the patient journey. You’ll play a critical role in accelerating data collection and increasing accuracy across all parts of the business. Patients across the globe will benefit from access to treatments afforded by greater opportunities and efficiency in our research and development.
Why Work With Us
We connect to our history and Japanese heritage through everything we do to bring our purpose, values, vision, and imperatives to life. We are committed to bringing better health and a brighter future to patients. Being a part of Takeda means having the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than yourself.
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