Commercial Project Management Launch Lead

Role and Responsibilities:

The Commercial Project Management Launch Lead is accountable for optimizing, embedding, and continuously evolving Summit Therapeutics launch execution and project management capability.

Reporting to the VP, Project Management and Process Improvement, this role operates as a strategic and operational partner to the Commercial launch team. The role also includes working and collaborating with project managers supporting Medical Affairs, CMC, and various cross-functional partners.

This role serves as Launch Integrator and is responsible for launch execution, managing and optimizing governance, decision frameworks for timely, informed decisions during critical launch windows. The role is expected to operate by shaping launch operational readiness.

Strategic Project Leadership and Governance

• Lead commercial team launch planning and execution for launch readiness of various sub team/s including Marketing and Market Research, Commercial Operations, Analytics, Sales, Market Access, Forecasting, and other functions as appropriate.
• Collaborate with Medical and CMC launch project managers and key partner functions to build integrated launch overview for new product launches, indication expansions, and lifecycle management.
• Establish and maintain dashboards, KPIs, and governance frameworks to monitor progress, identify risks and develop mitigation solutions, and drive accountability for the entire launch team.
• Facilitate strategic reviews, cross-functional planning meetings, and business reviews.
• Lead the planning and tracking of governance structure and meetings including, Promotional Review Committee (PRC), internal leadership meetings to support launch readiness.
• Drive operational scalability by implementing cross-functional processes, systems, and governance frameworks across launch ecosystem.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with leaders from various functions and cross-functional teams to ensure unified execution and prioritization.
• Standardize methodologies, tools, and performance metrics across the launch team.
• Support and align with other launch project management team members to enhance project management effectiveness through collaboration.

Operational Infrastructure & Process Excellence

• Advance launch management infrastructure by defining future launch deliverables, optimizing processes, developing SOPs, and adopting best practices.
• Contribute to launch management playbook.

Vendor Management and budget planning

• Manage relationships with key vendors and external partners to ensure high-quality, on-time, and on-budget delivery.
• Support and serve as back up for contract management: including NDAs, MSAs, SLAs, SOWs, etc.
• Support Budget: Track and manage spend, budget planning, accruals, and overall budget oversight.
  

Project management:

• Contribute to the development of robust project management tools and business processes that support governance, budget management, and the adoption of AI and other tools to simplify routine day-to-day project management activities.
• Partner with other project managers to develop periodic launch management dashboards, meeting materials and actively manage functional, sub-teams and work-streams meetings for effective launch management.
• All other duties as assigned
  

Experience, Education and Specialized Knowledge and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or business-related field; advanced degree (MBA, MS, PharmD) preferred.
• Minimum of 8+ years of project or program management experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry
• Minimum of 5+ years of direct project management experience supporting commercial functions.
• Strong experience of leading commercialization and launch activities in US and Ex-US, preferably with functional knowledge from commercial organizations.
• Proven track record leading commercialization and launch activities, preferably in oncology or specialty therapeutics.
• Strong understanding of pre-commercial and launch-stage requirements, including commercial, medical, regulatory, supply chain, and market access functions.
• Demonstrated ability to drive complex, cross-functional programs in fast-paced, high-growth environments.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, facilitation, and consensus-building skills.
• Expertise in project management tools, frameworks, and methodologies.
• Proven ability to translate complex data into executive-ready insights.
• Expertise in project management and process improvement methodologies (PMP, Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, Operational Excellence).
• Strong analytical mindset with understanding of strategic budget planning and alignment, vendor management with launch planning processes
• Change leadership in fast-paced, evolving environments
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive accountability without direct authority.