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Job DescriptionAbout the role:
Takeda is preparing to launch several innovative medicines globally. We are looking for a leader who is highly collaborative and results-oriented to support a specific product launch and champion our Global Launch Excellence community. As the Global Launch Excellence Lead, you will work with a Product Strategy Lead (PSL) and Global Commercial Leads/Global Brand Leads to develop and monitor an integrated global launch plan that aligns with our asset and brand strategies. Your role will be key in facilitating cross-functional engagement with stakeholders across Clinical Development, Global Regulatory Affairs, Global Manufacturing Sciences, Global Communications, and Global Medical Affairs, as well as launch leads in the US and International Business Unit to ensure an on-time, quality launch.
Additionally, you will promote innovation and excellence in our global launch processes among our community of launch excellence professionals. The ideal candidate should have exceptional project management skills, outstanding communication abilities, excellent facilitation skills, and a proven track record of successful commercial launches on a global scale. This is a hybrid role based in Cambridge, MA.
How you will contribute:
- Planning: Support Global Launch Activation Workshops to define the integrated global launch plan. Oversee Launch Team Meetings and Commercial Sub-Team to track progress. Organize Launch Summits to prepare regions. Guide the annual integrated Commercial Sub-Team goal-setting process for the asset.
- Launch Timelines: Manage overall global launch timelines in line with asset and brand strategies, focusing on critical path tactics. Collaborate with the Global Program Manager (GPM) and regional launch leads to align timelines and tactics. Responsible for tracking detailed SPD functional tactics.
- Risk Management: Guide the team in identifying and mitigating risks, scenario planning, decision criteria, and milestone stage gates to ensure teams stay on track. Identify, communicate, and escalate program-wide interdependencies, issues, and key decisions to senior leadership and governance.
- Integration: Act as an integrator for the SPD functions and Commercial Sub-Teams, driving clarity and removing barriers to enable the operational execution of launch priorities.
- Reporting and Communication: Establish and track Launch Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Manage scheduled and ad-hoc program status reporting. Coordinate the development of impactful presentations to facilitate strategic planning and decision-making, as well as preparing launch status updates for key governance committees.
- Financial Oversight: Partner with the Finance representative and SPD functions to provide financial oversight of the brand budget. Monitor potential budget variances; proactively bring forward options for tradeoffs within the overall budget, timeline, and strategy.
- Team Ways of Working and Culture: Foster a positive team culture through expert meeting facilitation, team health checks, collaborative and values-based decision-making, clear ways of working and team engagement. Support the onboarding of new launch team members as needed.
- Continuous Learning: Facilitate After Action Reviews to identify and share key best practices and opportunities from launches.
- Community of Practice: Champion the Global Launch Excellence community to develop processes, tools, and standards to execute our future launch readiness. Drive continuous process improvement initiatives, integrating GPT and regional ways of working and best practices.
- Leverage Technology: Build and maintain tools to plan and track launch progress, enhancing team collaboration and agility.
Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:
- Education: BA/BS degree required; Master's degree or PMP certification preferred
- Experience: At least 12 years in pharma/biotech drug development or commercial in strategic or tactical roles supporting launch readiness, with at least 5 years in project/program management preferred.
- Technical Skills: Proficient with MS Office Suite, Teams, and project management software
- Industry Knowledge: Understanding of pharmaceutical development, regulatory requirements and commercial launch excellence
- Cross-Functional Knowledge: Understanding of essential global launch activities across key areas in cross-functional program team
- Organizational Skills: Exceptional planning and organizational abilities to manage competing priorities
- Agility: Self-motivated and adaptable professional, capable of handling multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with minimal oversight
- Risk Management: Proactive in identifying risks, proposing solutions, and delivering mitigation plans
- Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills to provide context, articulate views, drive clarity, and address barriers. Excellent facilitation skills
- Decision-Making: Ability to drive value-based decisions within a cross-functional, cross-cultural, global team structure
Preferred Qualifications:
- Leadership: Proven success in leading cross-functional teams and managing stakeholder relationships
- Influence: Ability to inspire and influence in a matrix environment to maximize launch success and address barriers
- Digital Tools: Experience with implementing digital collaboration tools, project management and use of AI
- Languages: Multilingual capabilities
- Global Experience: Experience with global launches
Working Conditions:
- Environment: Fast-paced with a large stakeholder base spanning countries and functions
- Travel: Up to 25% domestic and international travel may be required
- Hours: Flexible working hours to accommodate global time zones
- On-Site: Minimum in-person days per month required to enhance team collaboration
This position is currently classified as "hybrid" in accordance with Takeda's Hybrid and Remote Work policy.
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:
Cambridge, MAU.S. Base Salary Range:
$177,000.00 - $278,080.00The 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.
LocationsCambridge, MAWorker 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 required
- At least 12 years of experience in pharmaceutical or biotech drug development or commercial roles supporting launch readiness
- At least 5 years of project or program management experience
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Teams, and project management software
- Understanding of pharmaceutical development, regulatory requirements, and commercial launch excellence
- Understanding of global launch activities across key cross-functional program areas
- Exceptional planning and organizational abilities
- Ability to identify risks, propose solutions, and deliver mitigation plans
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent facilitation skills
- Ability to drive value-based decisions within cross-functional, cross-cultural, global teams
- Proven success leading cross-functional teams and managing stakeholder relationships
- Ability to influence in a matrix environment
- Experience implementing digital collaboration tools, project management tools, and AI
- Multilingual capabilities
- Experience with global launches
- Master’s degree or PMP certification
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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