Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical-stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep-wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) – is being developed for narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa's OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical-stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions.
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work® in 2026.
Description of Role
Centessa is seeking a Associate Director, Project Management – Orexin Development Programs. This individual will leverage both project management and drug development experience to manage one or more early-stage global Orexin development programs. This position will report to the Executive Director, Global Team Leader.
Key Responsibilities
- Partner with the GTL (Global Team Leader) to project manage a cross-functional matrix development team, and select sub-teams
- Lead the development of and continuously maintain detailed and fully cross-functionally integrated program Gantt chart, incorporating all relevant dependencies, and provide fit-for-purpose summary views for team use and executive management reviews
- Identify and manage interdependencies, critical path and at-risk activities to support program level scenario planning and risk management strategies
- Develop and maintain relevant dashboards to communicate status and track progress
- Manage cross-functional team meetings including scheduling, preparing agendas, presentation materials, and minutes that ensure proper follow up of action items
- Develop and maintain issue logs and risks registers, and ensure team proactively resolve issues in a timely manner and that risks are mitigated as appropriate
- Work with cross-functional team and Finance to develop and update budgets, and manage program spend within approved budget
- Manage select external vendors (timelines, budgets, MSA/SOW documents, etc.) and integrate deliverables into program Gantt
- Support development of Governance and Executive presentations
- Provide support for the planning and preparation of documents to a quality standard required for Regulatory/Health Authority submissions
- Contribute to establishment and refinement of best practices, processes and procedures
Qualifications
- BS plus 8+ years’ experience in pharmaceutical/biotech R&D environment, or MS/MBA plus 6+ years in pharmaceutical/biotech R&D environment, including 4+ years as PM or equivalent
- Experience managing project teams through IND-enabling activities, pre-IND mtgs, IND submissions, and Phase 1 development.
- Proven expertise in drug development and registration, including early and late-stage clinical, nonclinical, CMC development, and regulatory interactions, submissions/reviews globally
- Highly motivated, proactive, detail-oriented and organized self-starter with strong communication, collaboration, interpersonal skills, and influence to accomplish work without formal authority and to ensure optimal team performance
- Excellent analytical skills and expert in facilitating team decision making; competent in the application of decision analysis methodologies and related tools
- Expert knowledge of project management principles and practices with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced dynamic environment (PMP certification is highly desired), and expert in project management software, e.g., Smartsheet
Work Location
The Associate Director, Project Management role is based in the US, with occasional travel.
Compensation
The annual base salary range for the this position is $115,000 -$170,000.
Individual compensation within this range will be determined based on a variety of factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge and location.
In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus. The company also offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a 401(k) plan, company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, generous paid time off, and a health and wellness program.
POSITION: Full-Time, Exempt
EEOC Statement: Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subdisary of Eli Lilly and Company believes in a diverse environment and is committed to equal employment opportunity for all its employees and qualified applicants. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.
Please note: We will not assign referral rights for any unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies.
Skills Required
- BS degree plus 8 or more years of experience in a pharmaceutical or biotech R&D environment
- Alternatively, MS or MBA degree plus 6 or more years of experience in a pharmaceutical or biotech R&D environment
- At least 4 years of experience as a project manager or equivalent
- Experience managing teams through IND-enabling activities, pre-IND meetings, IND submissions, and Phase 1 development
- Expertise in drug development and registration, including clinical, nonclinical, CMC, and global regulatory activities
- Strong communication, collaboration, interpersonal, organizational, and influencing skills
- Excellent analytical skills and expertise facilitating team decision-making
- Expert knowledge of project management principles and practices
- Expertise with project management software such as Smartsheet
- PMP certification
What We Do
Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company with a Research & Development innovation engine that aims to discover, develop and ultimately deliver impactful medicines to patients. Our programs span discovery-stage to late-stage development and cover a range of high-value indications in rare diseases and immuno-oncology. We are led by a management team with extensive R&D experience, providing direct guidance to our program teams to rapidly advance our candidates from research through all stages of development. We are headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts
