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Global Program Head, Neurology Development

Cambridge, Massachusetts Salary Range   USD 277,500.00 - 400,833.33
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At a glance

Bring your curiosity to a team where deep immunoscience meets cutting-edge innovation. Across oncology, rare diseases, neurology, and vaccines, you’ll work at the intersection of lab science and AI-powered discovery — all while collaborating across boundaries to turn breakthrough ideas into real-world impact. Whether you want to deepen your scientific expertise or grow as a leader, you’ll find the opportunity here.

Job Title: Global Program Head, Neurology Development

Location: Cambridge, MA

About the Job

Are you ready to shape the future of medicine? The race is on to speed up drug discovery and development to find answers for patients and their families. Your skills could be critical in helping our teams accelerate progress.

We are an innovative global healthcare company with one purpose: to chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. We’re also a company where you can flourish and grow your career, with countless opportunities to explore, make connections with people, and stretch the limits of what you thought was possible. Ready to get started?

The Neurology Development Global Program Head (GPH) is a key position that oversees mainly early development activities in the Neurology & Ophthalmology Development (NOD) and is responsible for shaping strategy as well as managing execution. This is a highly visible role that will work closely with the Research and Development Heads in the Therapeutic Area to build and expand the early portfolio in Neurology.  Unlike other GPH roles, this role is focused on multiple projects from IND-enabling studies to first in human studies and successful proof of concept trials. New programs come from the internal research pipeline and from in-licensing. The Early Development GPH is a critical contributor for the selection of projects to move forward and will drive execution of projects until they have achieved proof of concept. In some cases, the GPH may transition lead a later stage global program team (GPT).

At Sanofi we chase the miracles of science. Sanofi believes that the more we understand about disease pathogenesis in the human nervous system, the greater the chance we can produce life-changing therapies. Over the next five years, Sanofi plans to test in the clinic potentially disease-modifying treatments for disease such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculopathy (CIDP), Alzheimer's Disease (ALZ), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), as well as other CNS diseases.

Scientific excellence, integrative thinking and strong interpersonal skills will be required to succeed in this role. The Neurology Development GPH reports to the TA Head, NOD. The impact on the organization is extensive due to the ability to influence disease area strategy, and the network of collaborators from preclinical research to operational, regulatory and commercial functions.

Success in this role requires the ability to influence and lead at the highest possible level. The Neurology Development GPH will be a critical member of the NOD leadership team and will be joining at a key point in time with the opportunity to build and influence group. This role will require the ability to innovate and think creatively, engage multiple internal and external stakeholders, and make key decisions.

The GPH position requires achieving results through others and supporting the senior management team in achieving corporate goals. The GPH establishes the goals for the global project team (GPT) and participates in strategic planning for, and oversight of, the clinical and research activities of his/her area of responsibility. The GPH will be delegated such responsibilities as interaction with regulatory/health authorities, approval of protocols, informed consent documents, clinical study reports and product label. In addition, the GPH will be responsible for the communication strategy and scientific disclosures and travel authorizations, expense reports, and will interact with opinion leaders and consultants.

Sanofi‘s specialty care is mainly focused on four Therapeutic Areas: Rare and Rare Blood Diseases, Neurology & Ophthalmology Development (NOD), Immunology, and Oncology. We help people with debilitating and complex conditions that are often difficult to diagnose and treat. We are dedicated to discovering and advancing new therapies, providing hope to patients and their families around the world.

The NOD includes programs in Multiple Sclerosis, Neuroimmunology, Neurodegeneration, and Ophthalmology, with therapeutic modalities encompassing Small Molecules, Biologics, and Gene Therapy.  Sanofi has a large internal research team in addition to the Genomic Medicine Unit (GMU), which are committed to building the future pipeline in various neurological and ophthalmological diseases.

Main Responsibilities:

Scientific and technical Expertise

  • Has and maintains deep scientific, technical and clinical expertise in Neurology

  • Understands and keeps updated with the pre-clinical, clinical pharmacology and data relevant to the molecule of interest

  • Critically reads and evaluates relevant medical literature with deep understanding of the data and status from competitive products

  • Maintains visibility within the therapeutic area to maintain credibility with internal and external stakeholders

  • Oversees development planning, execution and budget

  • Owns the overall program strategy and leads the international cross functional team to meet program objectives

  • Participates in life cycle management strategy planning in collaboration with marketing teams

  • Proposes strategies for interactions with health authorities

  • Establishes project goals in alignment with functional resource allocation, goals and objectives

  • Responsible for generating support and implementation of clinical studies

  • Ensures operational plans are integrated across all functions

  • Is responsible for annual budget deliverables

Management and Career Development

  • Ensures that team members are adequately qualified and trained in the task they are required to perform. Including accountability and maintaining compliance training for direct reports

  • Works cross functionally to select appropriate team members

  • Sets team’s objectives, and works closely with direct reports to create individual performance and development goals

Regulatory responsibilities

  • Ensures clinical data meets all necessary regulatory standards

  • Supports registrations, label submissions and modifications

  • Manages Advisory Committee preparation and participation

  • Scientific data dissemination

  • Ensures timely submission and dissemination of clinical data

  • Supports the planning of advisory board meetings

  • Establishes and maintains appropriate collaborations with knowledge experts

In addition to the above activities the GPH ensures that all activities of the GPT are conducted in compliance with current regulations, laws, and guidance from FDA, EMeA, and CHMP, as well as with Sanofi’s policies and procedures.

About You

Basic Qualifications

Required Qualifications
•    Bachelor's Degree required. Medical Doctor preferable, or PhD in relevant area
•    10 years of business-related experience is required
•     6+ yrs of experience in drug development within a therapeutic area is required
•    Deep expertise in Early Development (Translational Medicine) is required
•    Strong leadership skills to manage international, cross-functional teams of highly skilled individuals
•    Experience in or demonstrated evidence for the capacity to lead and manage groups of professionals
•    Excellent communication skills
•    Fluent in English (verbal and written communication)
•    Travel up to 25% is required

Preferred Qualifications
•    Strong scientific background with deep understanding of drug development; background in clinical development for Neurology is highly preferred
•    Good networking ability in cross-cultural environment
•    Strong interpersonal, communication, presentation, and negotiation skills across all levels of the organization
•    In depth knowledge of global drug development activities including the development of other health care solutions along the whole value chain from research up to market access. Skilled in project and/or budget/resource management
•    Strategic thinking in combination with understanding science and technologies
•    Performance oriented with ability to work along agreed timelines and a focus on strategy and execution
•    Outstanding communicator. Excellent problem-solving, conflict-resolution and decision-making skills

Why Choose Us?

  • Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.

  • Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.

  • Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.

  • Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks’ gender-neutral parental leave.

Sanofi Inc. and its U.S. affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law.

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All compensation will be determined commensurate with demonstrated experience. Employees may be eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs, and additional benefits information can be found here.

Sanofi US endeavors to make our career center accessible to any and all users. If you are experiencing difficulty and need assistance applying online, please click here.

Pursue Progress. Discover Extraordinary.

Join Sanofi and step into a new era of science - where your growth can be just as transformative as the work we do. We invest in you to reach further, think faster, and do what’s never-been-done-before. You’ll help push boundaries, challenge convention, and build smarter solutions that reach the communities we serve. Ready to chase the miracles of science and improve people’s lives? Let’s Pursue Progress and Discover Extraordinary – together.

At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

Watch 'One day at Sanofi' and check out our Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives at sanofi.com

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Why work with us

  • Expand your horizons. Grow through curiosity, with support to move, learn, and lead in a culture that champions mentorship, mobility, and bold development.

  • Accelerate results with technology. Harness the power of AI and automation to push scientific boundaries and reimagine what's possible in drug discovery.

  • Impact through inclusive innovation. Help deliver better science and fairer outcomes by driving inclusive research that reaches more people, in more meaningful ways.

  • Turn patient needs into breakthrough science. Drive scientific breakthroughs that start with patient needs – and end in treatments that change lives.

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