Executive Assistant, Research and Development

Are you an exceptional organizer who thrives in a fast-paced, international environment? Do you enjoy partnering with senior leaders, solving complex logistical challenges, and helping teams operate at their very best?

At Orion Pharma, we are committed to building a healthier tomorrow through scientific innovation. As our US Research & Development (R&D) organization continues to grow, we are looking for a highly capable Executive Assistant to our offices in Cambridge, MA, to provide essential support to our senior leaders and contribute to the smooth operation of our expanding R&D community.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of a global pharmaceutical company where your contributions enable scientific teams to focus on what matters most: bringing new therapies to patients.

About the Role

As Executive Assistant, you will be a trusted partner to senior R&D leaders, providing proactive administrative and operational support across a wide range of activities. You will coordinate key business processes, manage complex schedules, support meetings and events, and act as a central point of contact for internal and external stakeholders.

This role requires a highly organized professional who can anticipate needs, manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, and maintain strict confidentiality. Success will be driven by your ability to create structure, solve problems independently, and foster collaboration across a global organization.

You will work closely with a global network of R&D assistants, providing hands-on day-to-day administrative support, coordinating support activities, and balancing workloads to ensure efficient and consistent ways of working across locations.

This position supports teams across the United States and internationally. It requires regular on-site presence at the Cambridge (MA) office, with flexibility to work in a hybrid arrangement.

Executive & Administrative Support

• Manage complex calendars, coordinate meetings, and ensure timely follow-up on key actions.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements, including itineraries, accommodations, and logistics.
• Support expense reporting and reimbursement processes in accordance with company policies.
• Draft, edit, proofread, and format professional correspondence, reports, and presentations.

Event & Stakeholder Coordination

• Organize leadership meetings, workshops, scientific events, conferences, and team activities.
• Coordinate interactions with external collaborators, research partners, vendors, and service providers.
• Support confidentiality agreements (CDAs), scheduling, and meeting logistics for external engagements.
• Serve as a key contact for visitors, candidates, and business partners.

Business Operations Support

• Assist with onboarding activities for new employees, including coordination with HR, IT, and facilities teams.
• Support recruitment processes by scheduling interviews and coordinating candidate travel.
• Help track budgets, vendor contracts, and administrative expenditures.
• Coordinate procurement activities and support relationships with external suppliers and service providers.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of administrative processes and ways of working.

Why Join Orion Pharma?

At Orion Pharma, every role contributes to improving the lives of patients around the world. We believe that innovation happens when talented people work together in an inclusive, respectful, and empowering environment.

We offer:

• Meaningful work supporting the development of future medicines
• Opportunities for learning, growth, and career development
• A diverse and collaborative international culture
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Flexibility through a hybrid working model

Learn more about working at Orion Pharma on our careers site.

What we are looking for

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience supporting senior executives, preferably within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or other highly regulated industries.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Experience managing complex calendars, travel arrangements, meetings, and multiple concurrent priorities.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to delivering high-quality work.
• Proven ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative, service-oriented approach.
• Experience supporting international leadership teams in a matrix organization.
• Outstanding organizational, project coordination, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently while building strong partnerships across functions and geographies.
• Flexible and adaptable mindset with the ability to thrive in a rapidly evolving environment.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate needs, identify solutions, and take initiative.
• Project management skills and a growth mindset, with the curiosity and initiative to explore new technologies, AI-enabled solutions, and innovative ways of working.

How to apply 

If you are an experienced executive support professional who enjoys enabling leaders, connecting people, and making organizations run smoothly, we would love to hear from you, no later than November 8th, 2026. 

The expected annual base salary range for this position is $80,000–110,000 per year. Final compensation will depend on skills, experience, and job‑related qualifications.

 #LI-ORION

Orion Pharma’s pharmaceutical innovations are created within its R&D organization. We employ around 400 top professionals in the field of drug discovery and development. We work globally: in Espoo and Turku in Finland, in Cambridge and Nottingham in England and in Cambridge, MA, USA. Orion R&D and the Innovative Medicines business division are dedicated to making a transformation to become a global player in the pain and oncology therapy areas.

Orion Pharma is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company – a builder of well-being for over a hundred years.

We’re home to more than 4,000 Orionees around the world, and we’re proud to be known as a responsible employer and a great place to work. At Orion Pharma, people are truly valued and trusted, encouraged to grow, and supported by a culture where every voice is heard. We appreciate each other, strive for excellence, and build the future.

Together we develop, manufacture, and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Our extensive portfolio includes proprietary and generic medicines as well as consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by Orion Pharma are used to treat cancer, neurological diseases, respiratory diseases, and more.

We offer careers with a clear purpose: empowering people to live their lives to the fullest.

About Orion