
R&D
Where your curiosity drives the
miracles of
science
Early Development Therapeutic Area Head
Cambridge, Massachusetts Salary Range USD 202,500.00 - 292,500.00
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: Early Development Therapeutic Area Head
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.
The Early Development Therapeutic Area Head (ED TA Head) will lead all clinical operations activities in the therapeutic or business area. They are responsible for the strategic planning, execution, and oversight of clinical trials in the assigned area. They are part of the extended Leadership Team representing Clinical Science Operations (CSO) in the TA strategy and will be responsible for delivery of projects according to the defined strategy.
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?
Main Responsibilities
Responsible for providing input into the therapeutic area strategy and accountable for, with input and support from all applicable functions within the CSO, executing those plans. ED TA Head should challenge the teams and propose the optimal clinical operations solutions and scopes of work that create the most value for the project, team and the platform while also building in innovation to accelerate programs.
Builds a strong relationship with the Translations Medicine Unit (TMU) and relevant TA leadership, platform leadership and other key stakeholders (legal, procurement, etc.)
Ensures appropriate communications channels are maintained and reporting schedules adhered to. Key relationship manager for the TMU.
Responsible for routine reporting of the early development
Accountable for financial oversight of the therapeutic area.
Ensure CSO financial input is provided at early stages of projects.
Accountable for ensuring the study/program performance within the CSO and for driving the multi-disciplinary TA CSO leadership team according to project requirements & defined project objectives in order to create the most value for the project.
Transmits clear project requirements to the CSO functions.
People Management:
Sets team goals and provides performance reviews for individual and team performance.
Ensures development plans are in place for each team member. Manages resources across the team, ensures that appropriate resources are assigned for projects with the Therapeutic Areas.
Manages, leads and supports ED PLs on his/her team. Develops ED PLs to drive project strategy and optimize operational plans, develop and negotiate study/program budgets, timelines and other operational outputs in order to establish clear expectations.
In conjunction with the function leads within the CSO, builds study teams that are adapted to meet project’s needs/requirements.
Lead CSO TA Leadership Team meetings to address status (operational, budget & resource) and critical issues.
Foster a true, business minded, customer-oriented atmosphere and skill set for the project team allocated across functions.
About You
PhD or master's degree in Biochemistry or Pharmacology preferred having a minimum of 12 years in clinical research. Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Pharmacology or Nursing with a minimum of 15 years’ experience in clinical research in pharmaceutical industry.
Strong project management experience, transversal and strategic leadership capabilities, communication skills and a business acumen are required.
Ability to drive for a high performance cross-functional team that empowers and motivates individual members and the team as a whole.
Strong interpersonal skills required to effectively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders (physicians, scientists, project heads and managers from various disciplines) and to set and manage expectations clearly.
Proactively ensures targets and milestones are met; capitalizes on opportunities to exceed expectations. Serves as internal consultant and primary liaison with all groups outside of the CSO for projects.
Experience with digital tools, systems and platforms including GenAI and ML.
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.
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.
Meet Nils Libert, Associate Scientist
Meet Nils Libert, an Associate Scientist in Belgium, where he plays a key role in advancing groundbreaking research. Learn how his work helps drive innovation, uncover new scientific possibilities, and contribute to life-changing treatments that impact patients around the world.

"At Sanofi, we are building an R&D engine powered by the best science, digital innovation, and a commitment to transforming the lives of patients around the world."

Houman Ashrafian
EVP & Head of R&D
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