Director, Program Management

Terrestrial Bio, Inc.; Walnut Hill (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Terrestrial Bio, Inc. seeks a Director of Program Management to lead cross-functional research, preclinical and clinical development programs.

You will translate asset strategies into executable plans with governance, transparency and accountability, partnering with leadership and external stakeholders. The role emphasizes strategy, structure, and disciplined decision-making, reporting to the Chief Development Officer and shaping the path for VX-201 and follow-on assets in a fast-moving biotech

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences or a directly relevant field.
• Advanced degree (PhD, MD, MBA) preferred.
• PMP, Agile, change management certification, or comparable project/program management credentials preferred.
• Experience with combination drug device development highly preferred.
• A blend of large biopharma and smaller, fast-moving biotech experience strongly preferred.
• Broad and comprehensive understanding of program and portfolio deliverables and management principles, including integrated project plans, dashboards, options analysis, strategic planning, business case generation, finance and resource management
• Leadership experience managing cross-functional teams with an ability to influence teams to prioritize activities and allocate resources to contribute to the development of operational strategy
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to build trust and drive alignment at all levels, including executive leaders, functional heads, and external partners
• Proven ability to operate as an execution owner, translating strategic direction set by others into a well-managed, on-track operating plan
• Demonstrated ability to bring programs to a successful outcome

Responsibilities

• Provide operational and strategic project management leadership to the cross-functional teams developing the lead asset VX-201 and relevant follow-on assets.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with scientific lead, internal departments and external partners to ensure the program remains on track
• Develop & deliver impactful presentations that effectively distill complex issues to critical points, and lead to increased understanding and optimized strategic planning & decision‑making
• Ensure integrated program plans including progress, timelines, opportunities to accelerate, risk management, and mitigation plans are clearly and regularly communicated across functions and with senior leaders.
• Identify barriers affecting strategic imperatives or achievement of goals and help cross-functional teams develop solutions to overcome these barriers.
• Identify opportunities for acceleration or increased probability of success and develop corresponding plans. Included are analyses of alternative scenarios to base case
• Use meeting management best practices, including waterfall and agile approaches to project management, to drive cross-functional communication, timely and effective decision‑making, and successful execution of program activities
• Help teams identify the best approach to resolve issues and make cross‑functional decisions
• Establish strong partnership with scientific leadership to shape the overall strategy, objectives and work plan for assigned program(s)
• Develop and maintain an integrated program plan (e.g., detailed Gantt, budget, resources, etc.) encompassing key program milestones and deliverables in alignment with program objectives
• Use meeting management best practices to drive cross‑functional communication, timely and effective decision‑making, and successful execution of program activities
• Proactively identify risks, gaps, and resource bottlenecks, and work with impacted teams and functional leadership to develop and implement mitigation plans

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Program execution

Agile methodologies

Executive collaboration

Resource prioritization

Education

Bachelor's degree in life sciences

Advanced degree (PhD/MD/MBA) preferred

Tools

PMP

Agile certification

Job description

About Terrestrial Bio, Inc.

Terrestrial is transforming the delivery of next-generation therapies, starting with GLP-1.

Terrestrial's proprietary Tacterra™ microarray patch (MAP) and applicator platform consists of a patch resembling an adhesive bandage, which is applied with a preloaded applicator and removed after a few minutes. Once applied, each patch delivers bioactive tips into the skin, which dissolve quickly into the body, rapidly releasing their therapeutic payload. Designed for self‑administration, the temperature‑stable Tacterra™ platform enables precise, controlled delivery of a wide range of therapeutics without medical sharps or refrigeration.

Terrestrial has generated strong clinical and in‑vivo proof of concept across multiple molecules. For more information, www.terrestrialbio.com.

Why this role

We are seeking an experienced and innovative Director, Program Management to lead cross-functional program management across our research, preclinical, and clinical-stage development programs.

Your role will bring strategy, creativity, structure, and vision, while ensuring that asset strategies are translated into executable program plans that are well-governed, transparent, and deliverable with clear accountability and disciplined decision‑making.

You will work closely with an interdisciplinary team, leadership, and subject matter experts on the program to develop, implement and manage program strategy, operations and processes to ensure alignment with corporate goals and timelines. As a highly visible member of the team, you will interact with both internal and external stakeholders.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, this new role is a critical member of the team and an opportunity to interact and impact at a pivotal point in the development of our programs.

What you'll do

• Provide operational and strategic project management leadership to the cross-functional teams developing the lead asset VX-201 and relevant follow-on assets.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with scientific lead, internal departments and external partners to ensure the program remains on track
• Develop & deliver impactful presentations that effectively distill complex issues to critical points, and lead to increased understanding and optimized strategic planning & decision‑making
• Ensure integrated program plans including progress, timelines, opportunities to accelerate, risk management, and mitigation plans are clearly and regularly communicated across functions and with senior leaders.
• Identify barriers affecting strategic imperatives or achievement of goals and milestones and help cross-functional teams develop solutions to overcome these barriers.
• Identify opportunities for acceleration or increased probability of success and develop corresponding plans. Included are analyses of alternative scenarios to base case
• Use meeting management best practices, including waterfall and agile approaches to project management, to drive cross-functional communication, timely and effective decision‑making, and successful execution of program activities
• Help teams identify the best approach to resolve issues and make cross‑functional decisions
• Establish strong partnership with scientific leadership to shape the overall strategy, objectives and work plan for assigned program(s)
• Develop and maintain an integrated program plan (e.g., detailed Gantt, budget, resources, etc.) encompassing key program milestones and deliverables in alignment with program objectives
• Use meeting management best practices to drive cross‑functional communication, timely and effective decision‑making, and successful execution of program activities
• Proactively identify risks, gaps, and resource bottlenecks, and work with impacted teams and functional leadership to develop and implement mitigation plans

Who you are

• Minimum of 15+ years of relevant experience, including 7+ years of project/program management experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech/medical device industry
• Bachelor's degree in life sciences or a directly relevant field, advanced degree (PhD, MD, MBA) preferred
• PMP, Agile, change management certification, or comparable project/program management credentials preferred
• Experience with combination drug device development highly preferred
• A blend of large biopharma and smaller, fast‑moving biotech experience strongly preferred
• Broad and comprehensive understanding of program and portfolio deliverables and management principles, including integrated project plans, dashboards, options analysis, strategic planning, business case generation, finance and resource management
• Leadership experience managing cross‑functional teams with an ability to influence teams to prioritize activities and allocate resources to contribute to the development of operational strategy
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to build trust and drive alignment at all levels, including executive leaders, functional heads, and external partners
• Proven ability to operate as an execution owner, translating strategic direction set by others into a well‑managed, on‑track operating plan
• Demonstrated ability to bring programs to a successful outcome

Compensation:

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $180,000 - $230,000. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors including experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

Onsite expectations:

The majority of our roles at Terrestrial are onsite, which allows us to meet both business and team needs. Candidates applying must be willing to be onsite 4-5 days per week.

Location:

Woburn, MA and our new, custom facility in Allston MA planned for Q4 of 2026.

At Terrestrial, we're bringing together exceptional talent to drive our product development forward. We value collaboration, curiosity, and a dynamic work environment. We aim to recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or veteran status.