Senior Director, Portfolio and Operations R&D CC and AI COE
PfizerWhy Patients Need You
Technology impacts everything we do. Pfizer’s digital and ‘data first’ strategy focuses on implementing impactful and innovative technology solutions across all functions from research to manufacturing. Whether you are digitizing drug discovery and development, identifying solutions, or making our work easier and faster, you will be making a difference to countless lives.
What You Will Achieve
The Senior Director, Portfolio and Operations is a strategic leadership role within Pfizer Digital, responsible for driving portfolio governance, operational excellence, and business operations across the organization.
This position ensures alignment of portfolio initiatives with enterprise priorities, optimizes resource utilization, and enables transparent decision-making. The role also oversees continuous improvement and communications for the R&D Creation Center and AI Center of Excellence, leads Digital-wide Operations Planning, and manages support for the Digital Capital Budget.
Reporting to the VP, Strategic Initiatives and Delivery, the Senior Director leads the Portfolio and Operations team of colleagues and provides horizontal leadership across all lines of business.
The responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Portfolio Governance & Strategy
Provide strategic oversight of portfolio governance and prioritization to ensure initiatives align with enterprise objectives and deliver maximum value.
Operational Excellence
Drive operational planning and continuous improvement to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and support organizational goals.
Financial Management
Oversee financial stewardship for portfolio and operations, including capital budget management, forecasting, and performance reporting.
Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
Lead transparent communication strategies and facilitate leadership engagement to ensure alignment and informed decision-making across the organization.
Leadership & Collaboration
Offer cross-functional leadership, fostering collaboration and capability development to enable successful portfolio delivery and operational execution. Lead team of portfolio managers and change management colleagues.
Team Culture
Cultivate an inclusive, high-performance team culture that promotes innovation, accountability, and engagement across all levels of the organization.
How You Will Achieve It
Portfolio Strategy & Governance
- Lead portfolio management team and oversee portfolio prioritization and governance processes, ensuring alignment with enterprise objectives and compliance with governance standards.
- Partner with category leadership and decision-analysis teams to evaluate portfolio performance, risks, and opportunities, enabling data-driven investment decisions.
- Implement processes for portfolio resource management, including dynamic funding and scenario planning to maximize value within budget constraints.
Operational Leadership
- Lead annual and operational planning cycles, integrating portfolio priorities with business objectives.
- Establish and monitor KPIs and milestones to track progress across programs and ensure timely delivery.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize workflows, reduce costs, and enhance operational efficiency.
Financial Management
- Integrate portfolio management with finance capital and operating budget processes for the portfolio, including forecasting, variance analysis, and reporting.
- In partnership with Finance Director, proactively identify financial risks and opportunities, providing recommendations to senior leadership for strategic adjustments.
Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
- Serve as a chief of staff to VP, Strategic Initiatives and Delivery, facilitating town halls, leadership team meetings, and cross-functional communications.
- Develop and execute communication strategies to ensure transparency and alignment across internal and external stakeholders.
Risk Management & Compliance
- Conduct risk assessments for portfolio initiatives and develop mitigation strategies.
- Ensure adherence to regulatory and compliance standards across all operational processes.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Provide horizontal leadership across multiple business units, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Mentor and develop team capabilities to support portfolio delivery and operational excellence
- Lead team of portfolio managers and change management colleagues.
Team Culture
- Foster Diversity and Inclusion: Champion initiatives that create a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated into decision-making.
- Empower and Develop Talent: Implement strategies for professional growth, recognition, and engagement to build a motivated and resilient team.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline required, advanced degree preferred.
- 12+ years of pharmaceutical, healthcare, or other relevant project management experience
- Exceptional interpersonal and engagement skills with the ability to establish relationships, influence decisions, and drive to business outcomes.
- Outstanding communicator, skilled storyteller, excellent at developing highly visual and effective content, and delivering presentations to a variety of audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to develop talent and build effective teams. Passionate about growing, coaching, and mentoring others.
- Experience managing large complex dynamic budgets.
- Strategic and creative thought partner with ability to lead in strong co-creation and collaboration with Digital and business partners across Pfizer.
- Experienced leading in large global distributed matrixed environments. Skilled at utilizing resources outside of direct authority and championing and executing cross-functional horizontal initiatives.
- Strong skills in analysis, critical thinking, planning, consensus building, facilitation, negotiation, and the ability to readily learn a new business area.
- Excellent organizational skills, detail oriented, able to analyze large volumes of data and quickly derive and communicate key data points and insights.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's degree
- Relevant pharmaceutical industry experience
- Candidate demonstrates a breadth of diverse leadership experiences and capabilities including: the ability to influence and collaborate with peers, develop and coach others, oversee and guide the work of other colleagues to achieve meaningful outcomes and create business impact
NON-STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE, TRAVEL OR ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS
- Travel expectations will vary but you will need to be capable of travel within the region and globally.
- Work Location Assignment: Flexible.
Last Date to Apply for Job: 11/18/2025
The annual base salary for this position ranges from $204,700.00 to $341,100.00.* In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 22.5% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.* The annual base salary for this position in Tampa, FL ranges from $184,200.00 to $307,000.00.Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.
Sunshine Act
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EEO & Employment Eligibility
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.
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