Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives

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Job Description
Are you looking for a patient-focused, innovation-driven company that will inspire you and empower you to shine? Join us as a Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives in our Cambridge office.
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 realize their potential through life-changing work. Certified as a Global Top Employer, we offer stimulating careers, encourage innovation, and strive for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our global teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.
Here, you will be a vital contributor to our inspiring, bold mission.
Objective / Purpose:
Takeda is a global, values-based, top ten biopharmaceutical leader committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to people worldwide. Takeda's R&D organization is a made up of diverse experts who enable Takeda's mission by embracing scientific advances and the emergence of data, digital, and technology to advance a highly innovative pipeline of investigational medicines intended to provide meaningful benefits to patients. The Office of the R&D Chief of Staff (CoS) leads and enables key priorities aligned with Takeda's R&D strategy. The leading of these priorities requires collaboration with experts across Takeda, effective strategic planning, and organizational savvy to influence levels of leaders across all R&D functions.
To be a leading organization of the future, Takeda has initiated a multifaceted effort aimed at preparing the organization for a digitally enabled future. A cornerstone of this effort is the Digital Dexterity program, which is the ability and ambition to embrace existing and emerging technologies to drive enhanced personal and business outcomes. As the driving leaders of the Digital Dexterity program for R&D, the CoS Office will collaborate across functions to:
ENGAGE the R&D workforce with urgency and energy in Digital Dexterity, INSPIRE digital curiosity, confidence, and experimentation across all R&D employees, and UPSKILL the organization to be leading in digital dexterity.
The Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives will be responsible for leading key pillars within R&D's Digital Dexterity program and other technology-enabled agility or productivity improvement initiatives. Specific areas of leadership remit in Digital Dexterity include defining and managing the strategy and tactics for maintaining a right-sized and engaged champions network and managing and communicating the R&D translation to value journey across five digital dexterity skills and their supporting tools. The Associate Director will play a pivotal role in enhancing personal and team effectiveness across Takeda's large R&D organization by facilitating a future-ready shift in mindsets and enabling the effective use of digital tools.
ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Lead and oversee R&D strategic initiatives related to digital dexterity, agility and other relevant R&D priorities, ensuring alignment with enterprise goals.
• Develop and implement innovative strategies to enhance translation of technology skills and tools into organizational value.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to identify and prioritize approaches that drive the program's mission forward, anticipating internal challenges and recommending processes for improvement.
• Collaborate across R&D functions and other Takeda Business functions, e.g., Global Data, Digital & Technology, to define strategy, objectives, and tactics for strategic initiatives.
• Manage across functions to achieve success measures while providing guidance, mentorship, and support to the program team and participants.
• Monitor and report on the progress of strategic initiatives, making adjustments as necessary to ensure success.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across various departments to foster collaboration and drive initiatives.
• Develop and implement comprehensive communication plans to ensure effective dissemination of program information to all stakeholders. This includes creating communication materials, coordinating with internal and external communication teams, and managing communication channels to ensure consistent messaging.
• Lead the planning and execution of R&D Champion engagement events across R&D functions and regions.
• Manage program advisory and team meetings.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and advancements, integrating best practices into program strategies and serving as a resource for best practices

EDUCATION, BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

• 8+ years of experience with advanced degree or 10+ years for bachelor's in a relevant field
• 5+ years of experience in a similar role within large organizational initiatives
• Experience with senior management and stakeholder presentations, engagement, and support
• Expertise in communications planning and execution including leadership communications, change communications, and digital transformation storytelling
• Experience in technology strategy and programs
• Strong strategic thinking and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Experience with setup, engagement, and planning of program meetings/governance bodies
• Direct experience with GenAI and automation, personal productivity, and collaboration tools

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
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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:
Boston, MA
U.S. Base Salary Range:
$153,600.00 - $241,340.00
The 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.
U.S. based employees may be eligible for short-term and/ or long-term incentives. U.S. based employees may be eligible to participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays, and well-being benefits, among others. U.S. based employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation.
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.
Locations
Boston, MA
Worker Type
Employee
Worker Sub-Type
Regular
Time Type
Full time
Job Exempt
Yes
It 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.