Pharmaceutical Sciences Team Leader – Director (M4)

Patient Delivery.  Team Leadership.  Impactful Science.

What you Will Achieve

As a Pharmaceutical Sciences Team Leader (PSTL) at the Director level, your primary focus will be delivery of medicines to patients through leadership of matrix teams and impactful science.  In addition, you will have the opportunity to drive initiatives that enable people development and advance business innovation and operational excellence, all focus areas of strategic importance to SMPS, PSSM and PGS co-development. 

You will lead multiple interdisciplinary Pharmaceutical Sciences Project Teams (PSPTs) and Pharm. Sci/Pfizer Global Supply Co- Development Teams (CDTs) and act as the single point of accountability for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PS) on the Global Product Teams (GPTs) for each assigned project.  The PSTL role covers End-to-End project (E2E) leadership from Lead Development through filing and approval in global major markets, achieved by aligning the Pharm Sci strategy and execution with those of the GPT for each project, and with PGS for programs in co-development.

The Director Level PSTL is expected to drive new Project Ways of Working (often as Pilot in Command) for multiple PSPTs/CDTs and achieve results through demonstrated excellence of Actionable Attitudes.

As a Director level PSTL, you will use your deep experience in drug development and your well-honed leadership skills to translate complex technical challenges and ambiguous situations into clear & creative options and well-thought-out team recommendations.  You will leverage your demonstrated strong influencing skills and your team’s use of innovative approaches and impactful science to shape the development strategy and timelines, anticipate proactively risks and costs, and communicate them clearly and transparently to Pharm Sci, PGS, GPTs, TA governance and stakeholders.

At the Director level, you will also be leveraging your organizational and leadership experience to enable SMPS to deliver on its strategic focus areas (enabling our People, advance operational excellence and drive innovation).  You will have a responsibility for mentoring and supporting the growth of colleagues on your team and across Pharm Sci, both formally and informally.  You will also identify and drive business innovation opportunities for SMPS, PSSM, and Co-development through your business acumen, leadership skills and expert knowledge of drug development.

How You Will Achieve It

The PSTL will:

• Lead and mentor the assigned PSPTs and CDTs, comprised of scientists from all key CMC disciplines, with responsibility for PS strategy development and execution for the assigned projects.  You will ensure deliverables are of high quality, on time & budget, and within the agreed risk profile.
• Represent PS as a member of the GPT, responsible for driving overall CMC strategy for the assigned projects, which include both internal and in-licensed medicines. 
• Work with key stakeholders in PSSM, Global Clinical Supplies (GCS), Global CMC, Commercial, Clinical, PGS, and other partner lines to define the product concept and lead the operational planning for assigned projects.
• Provide a single point of accountability for all PSSM aspects of the assigned projects, interacting as necessary with stakeholders at all levels of management and portfolio governance (inside and outside of PSSM), to convey project information and manage expectations. 
• Communicate project insights, CMC strategy and risks to all stakeholders clearly, succinctly and in a timely manner. 
• Be responsible for planning and forecasting team budgets and resources, working with PSSM project managers to develop plans in RAPID (Planisware) and then actively manage budgets, plans, and forecasts. 
• Work with Procurement and External Development & Manufacturing Solutions (EDMS) to manage interactions with 3rd party manufacturers and other vendors necessary for the projects.
• When relevant to assigned projects, the PSTL will work in partnership with the Business Development leads in out-licensing of projects or working with an external partner for in-licensing and/or co-developing a candidate.
• Act as an ambassador for PSSM, Co-Development and the GPT at internal PSSM governance meetings.  Represent PSSM viewpoints to governance bodies and other key stakeholders outside PSSM, including educating stakeholders on PSSM needs, opportunities, risks, and best practices.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts within PSSM and across the greater Pfizer through such activities as “Lessons Learned” exercises. 

The PSTL will leverage extensive project leadership experience and pivotal skills to contribute to and/or lead important SMPS and/or PSSM initiatives, including but not limited to:

• Enable our People (e.g. and mentoring other PSTLs and PS team members, recruitment and selection, supervision of part time PSTLs, training development & delivery). 
• Advance Operational Excellence (e.g. share & implement best practices, strengthen early and late-stage governance processes and business development activities). 
• Drive Innovation (e.g. drive efficiency through AI & digital tools, participation / leadership of Limited Duration Teams) or operational activities (e.g. designing & implementing new business processes, leading departmental meetings, help SMPS manage change with support from SMPS LT). 

To achieve all the above, ability to travel at least 20% is required. 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• BSc/MPharm/MEng or equivalent scientific, chemistry or pharmacy-based discipline, together with 12+ years of experience in CMC disciplines, or equivalent.  PhD is desirable. 
• 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.

Experience

• You will have sustained, outstanding performance of at least 1-2 y at Director level that you will leverage to maximize impact on portfolio and people leadership. 
• Experience in managing direct reports or participation in management teams is highly desirable.  Proven track record of the ability to mentor/support more junior colleagues either as a PSTL or in a previous role.
• Success in the PSTL role requires basic competency in the following PSTL pivotal skills: Adaptable leadership style, able to work with ambiguity, synthesize facts into a coherent & clear strategy and apply risk management, know the audience/understand customer needs, networking, calculated risk taking, orthogonal thinking, creating value using data to tell the story and negotiation.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in leading matrix project teams and gathering input from colleagues and management to address project-related issues.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and resolve complex multi-disciplinary problems and work with the team to develop options to support short & long-term goals and set direction for team even in ambiguous situations.
• Technical abilities should include a sound knowledge of the drug development process, an advanced technical knowledge within the applicant’s own discipline as well as a strong knowledge of other disciplines within and external to Pharmaceutical Sciences.
• Demonstrated ability in using high level of scientific judgement and business acumen to analyze risk and lead team through options/issues encountered in development.  High awareness of personal limits and a willingness to proactively consult others to ensure quality of judgement.
• Demonstrated influencing and negotiating skills; and proven skills in developing others within own functional area.
• Demonstrated skills in planning, scheduling, forecasting, including the use of relevant IT tools.  AI fluency is highly desirable. 
• Proven track record of leading strategic initiatives/LDT and associated delivery of impactful metrics-driven results. 
• A living example and a strong advocate of Pfizer’s actionable attitudes: progress over perfection, rise above, embrace uncertainty, challenge convention, anchor in trust and engage with compassion. 

 
Additional Information:

• This is a hybrid role requiring you to live within commuting distance and work on-site (the posting locations listed) an average of 2.5 days per week or more as needed
• Last Day to Apply: July 17, 2026

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $176,600.00 to $294,300.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 20.0% 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. This role is posted in multiple locations. If you are applying for the role in an secondary job posting location where pay transparency regulations apply, your Talent Advisor will share the local pay information with you during the first interview.

Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.

U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.

To learn more about acceptable and prohibited uses of AI during the recruitment process, please review our candidate AI-use guidelines available on Pfizer Careers.