Strategy & Operations Lead—Medical Trial Enablement & Early Pipeline

Accountabilities

• Lead strategic initiatives on behalf of the GMAO CMO and Chief of Staff that strengthen Medical’s contribution to clinical trial planning, start-up, execution, and acceleration across the oncology portfolio, ensuring clear responsibilities and coordinated execution across Global, Regional, and LOC Medical teams.
• Lead integrated planning across GMAO clinical trial support activities, including milestones, decision points, dependencies, risks, deliverables, and measures of success.
• Maintain a forward-looking view of trial milestones and Medical support needs.
• Partner with Regional and LOC Medical leaders to confirm owners, preparation requirements, and resource capacity, and escalate gaps before they affect execution.
• Establish clear governance, roles, handoffs, escalation routes, and communication pathways for GMAO clinical trial support across Global, Regional, and Local Medical teams.
• Ensure appropriate Medical representation in key feasibility, country and site planning, and study execution forums, with clear expectations for input and timely communication of decisions to relevant Medical teams.
• Partner with Global Medical Leads to optimize meeting management and team effectiveness for GMA core and strategic teams for early pipeline program.
• Track Medical recommendations, requests, and escalations through resolution, ensuring decisions, rationale, and next steps are communicated back to contributing teams.
• Represent GMAO on digital innovation efforts to define and prioritize Medical requirements and enhance cross-functional impact on clinical trial execution.
• Continuously assess workflows and processes with cross-functional partners; identify and prioritize improvement opportunities; implement changes that reduce complexity and strengthen execution; and monitor adoption, outcomes, and realized benefits to inform further refinement.
• Develop executive-level updates and decision materials that provide transparent visibility to readiness, milestones, risks, dependencies, and required actions.

Dimensions and Aspects

• Communicates ideas and data clearly and persuasively, both verbally and in writing.
• Builds credibility, trust, and confidence as an effective team member within and outside the company.
• Distills complex concepts into clear, accessible, and actionable language.
• Maintains high standards of excellence and thrives in a dynamic, cross-functional environment.
• Leads complex, cross-functional projects from ideation through execution.
• Manages multiple priorities with attention to detail and strong organizational discipline in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborates proactively with a solution-focused mindset.

Education, Behavioral Competencies, and Skills

Required: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MPH, PhD, etc.) preferred. 5+ years of experience in medical affairs, clinical development, clinical operations, program management, or a related role within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare industry. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting executive-level content. Proven experience developing presentations for senior executives using Microsoft PowerPoint and related business communication tools. Strong analytical skills and the ability to synthesize technical or operational data into clear narratives. Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to build relationships with senior leaders and diverse teams.

Desired: Strong understanding of the drug development process, clinical trial lifecycle, and the Medical Affairs activities that enable study planning, start-up, enrollment, execution, and closeout. Experience partnering with R&D Operations, study teams, and/or Global, Regional, and Local Medical leads to align timelines, clarify deliverables, and drive cross-functional trial readiness. Experience establishing governance, integrated plans, communication pathways, and process improvements across global and country-level stakeholders. Experience working in a multinational setting with international affiliates. Proven ability to influence across a matrixed organization, lead through ambiguity, and navigate conflict diplomatically.

Additional Information: Requires approximately 10% travel, including overnight and international travel to other Takeda sites and meetings with external partners.