Global Research Operation Manager/Director

PFx Biotech; Lisboa; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

PFx Biotech in Lisbon is seeking a Global Research Operations Manager/Director to build and run the operational backbone for world-class research execution across the portfolio. You will partner with scientific leaders, vendors, and cross-functional teams to ensure studies are planned, resourced, run smoothly, and documented with rigor.

You will lead defining scalable processes for study intake, prioritisation, resourcing, and cross-functional handoffs, while ensuring compliance, data quality,

Qualifications

• Experience managing complex R&D or PF portfolios with structured intake and roadmaps.
• Experience contributing to regulatory submissions (EU Novel Food) and dossier planning.
• Exposure to EU/US/China regulatory frameworks.
• Proven vendor/CRO/contract lab management for PF.

Responsibilities

• Build and run the operational backbone that enables world-class research execution across the portfolio.
• Own vendor/partner management: CROs/CMOs, academic collaborators, and platform vendors; negotiate scopes and timelines.
• Create and maintain integrated research plans, track milestones, and ensure on-time delivery of experiments and packages.
• Ensure data quality, reproducibility and compliance readiness with SOPs, ELN/LIMS workflows and audit trails.
• Manage research budgets and procurement, optimize spend and capacity, and support logistics.

Skills

R&D portfolio management

Vendor/CRO management

Project planning

Data governance

Budgeting & procurement

Tools

ELN

LIMS

Job description

Role basics

Job title Global Research Operations Manager/Director
Department / team Global Operations
Reporting to CEO/COO
Location Lisbon, Portugal
Contract type Permanent
Salary & benefits Competitive To be agreed

About PFx Biotech

Our mission is to unlock the power of biology using precision fermentation to develop next-generation sustainable bioactive protein ingredients for advanced nutrition applications, from infant formula, to elderly nutrition, sports nutrition, and nutraceuticals. The role As Global Research Operations Manager/Director, you will build and run the operational backbone that enables world-class research execution across your portfolio. You'll partner closely with scientific leaders, external vendors, and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure studies are planned well, run smoothly, and documented rigorously.

What you'll do

• Build and run research operations infrastructure: Set up scalable processes for study intake, prioritisation, resourcing, documentation, and cross-functional handoffs (e.g., R&D preclinical/clinical, translational, bioinformatics), ensuring speed without sacrificing rigor.
• Own vendor/partner management: Identify and qualify CROs/CMOs, academic collaborators, and platform vendors; negotiate scopes, timelines, and costs; track deliverables and performance; and maintain clear communication to keep studies on schedule.
• Project and portfolio execution: Create and maintain integrated research plans (timelines, dependencies, milestones, risks), run regular research cadence meetings, unblock teams, and ensure on-time completion of experiments and packages needed for leadership decisions.
• Ensure data quality, reproducibility, and compliance readiness: Implement SOPs, ELN/LIMS workflows, sample tracking, and data governance; standardise experiment documentation and audit trails; and support readiness for investor, partner, or regulatory diligence (e.g., traceability and validation where appropriate).
• Budgeting, procurement, and lab enablement: Manage research budgets and forecasting, purchase orders and inventory, and lab services (equipment maintenance, consumables, access); optimise spend and capacity so scientists can focus on experiments rather than logistics.

What we're looking for (must-have)

• Experience supporting or managing complex R&D or PF portfolios (multiple strains/targets/products) with structured intake, prioritisation, stage-gates, and executive decision forums, translating strategy into roadmaps, critical paths, and resourcing across biology, process development, analytics, and safety workstreams.
• Experience contributing to or supporting regulatory submissions (e.g. EU Novel Food) is a strong plus, building dossier plans that cover identity/characterisation, production process, compositional/specifications, proposed uses/use levels & intake, nutrition, allergenicity and safety, while managing submission mechanics and timelines under the applicable guidance/process.
• Exposure to global regulatory frameworks (e.g. EU, US, China) is a plus.
• Proven vendor/CRO/contract lab management for PF, SOWs, deliverables, change control and quality review, ensuring outputs are dossier-ready (e.g., compositional/impurity profiling, micro/residuals testing, stability, allergenicity work) and captured in a traceable documentation system aligned to the submission processes used for novel foods.

Why PFx Biotech

You’ll join a mission-driven team working at the intersection of biology, engineering, and nutrition—building technology that can make a meaningful impact at global scale. In this role, you’ll have high ownership, direct visibility with leadership, and the opportunity to shape how our research organisation operates as we grow.

Equal opportunities, safeguarding & data privacy

PFx Biotech is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to legally protected characteristics. Safeguarding: PFx Biotech is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful workplace. Where relevant to the role, pre-employment checks may be required in line with applicable legal requirements. Data privacy: We will process your personal data for recruitment purposes only and in accordance with applicable data protection laws in Portugal. By applying, you acknowledge that PFx Biotech may store and review your application materials during the hiring process.