Executive Director, Lifecycle Leader

Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. is seeking a Lifecycle Leader to shape the program vision, strategy and lifecycle plan across indications globally. This role partners with leadership and SMEs to build data-driven recommendations and drive decision-making in a complex biotech environment.

You will own delivery, coordinate cross-functional teams, align execution with the LCP, manage risks and resources, and report to the Executive Leadership Team while maintaining the enterprise-wide perspective.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline; advanced degrees highly desirable.
• 15+ years of biopharmaceutical industry experience with at least 5 years in Lifecycle Leader or Program Team Leader roles.
• Strong knowledge of drug development processes and experience with commercial launches.
• Experience working on program strategy teams.

Responsibilities

• Shape the program vision, strategic context, and lifecycle plan (LCP) across indications globally.
• Collaborate with leadership, SMEs, and the Program Manager to implement data-driven recommendations and decision making.
• Act as single accountable owner in cross-functional teams to ensure timely delivery and milestones.
• Oversee cross-functional integration to align with program strategy and LCP across commercial, development, and regulatory teams.
• Present options, assumptions, and risks to the Executive Leadership Team and ensure clear communication of trade-offs.
• Ensure team health and resources, mitigate risks, and manage financial stewardship for projects.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Program strategy

Communication

Change management

Drug development knowledge

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline

PhD/MD/MBA or equivalent preferred

15+ years of biopharmaceutical industry experience

Job description

Iovance Biotherapeutics aims to be the global leader in innovating, developing and delivering tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for people with cancer. We are pioneering a transformational approach to treating cancer by harnessing the ability of the human immune system to recognize and attack diverse cancer cells in each patient. The Iovance TIL platform has demonstrated promising clinical data across multiple solid tumors. We are committed to continuous innovation in cell therapy, including gene-edited cell therapy, which may be a promising option for patients with cancer.

Overview

The Lifecycle leader (LCL) is responsible for shaping the program vision, strategic context, and lifecycle plan (LCP) across indications globally. The LCL oversees the development and execution of the LCP in line with the company strategy. They are able to navigate complex program challenges, the commercial and development landscape and assess and prioritize development in future indications.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• The LCL is responsible for shaping the program's cross‑functional vision, strategic context, and lifecycle plan (LCP) for both current and future business opportunities.
• The LCL, in partnership with the Program Manager, will work with leadership & SMEs (subject matter experts) to build out appropriate internal ways of working to enable best practices around development of data driven recommendations, decision making and communication.
• As the single point of accountability in a cross‑functional team, the LCL ensures timely delivery and manages the associated execution plan and milestones, closely aligning them with the approved LCP.
• The LCL oversees integration across Iovance involving multiple stakeholders to ensure optimal program execution in line with program strategy and LCP.
• Collaborating with functional team leaders, the LCL fosters alignment across the different sub‑teams to ensure execution will achieve team and corporate goals (Commercial Team, Development Team, Regulatory Team etc.)
• Serving as a point of triage, the LCL facilitates clear decision‑making by incorporating cross‑functional input to address high‑impact issues. This involves co‑creating solutions to complex challenges in real time.
• The LCL leads the team in framing program needs and develops a range of options and recommendations for presentation to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). The LCL ensures transparent communication with senior leadership, highlighting relevant scenarios, assumptions, and risks to inform decision‑making and trade‑offs. The LCL also represents the enterprise mindset and ensures all relevant functional perspectives have been considered.
• The LCL ensures the inclusion of subject matter experts (SMEs) and situational members in discussions, guided by a predefined agenda set with guidance from the Program Manager.
• The LCL is accountable to the ELT for program recommendations and frames them within the context of the broader portfolio.
• The LCL is accountable for day‑to‑day management of the program to ensure all established deliverables with high program impact remain on track and in line with program strategy.
• The LCL is responsible for ensuring the health of the team, creating a highly functional environment with collaborative ways of working where debate and honest feedback are encouraged.
• Other responsibilities to consider: Risk identification and mitigation planning; ensuring financial stewardship of approved and recommended projects; clear communication throughout organization of key milestones, deliverables and progress; ensure appropriate resourcing of functions to achieve program goals and vision.

Additional Responsibilities

• May work with Development and Commercial Teams to define the disease area strategy and to execute a business plan with clear deliverables and resource needs. This includes defining priorities and an approach to leveraging external opportunities in close collaboration with Business Development and academic experts.
• Advocates on behalf of Iovance and effectively communicates scientific/medical/clinical concepts in both written and oral communication to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Must adhere to Iovance Biotherapeutics’ core values, policies, procedures, and business ethics.

Required Education, Skills, and Knowledge

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline; advanced or professional degree highly desirable (e.g., PhD, MD, or MBA).
• 15+ years of bio‑pharmaceutical industry experience with at least 5 years of relevant work experiences in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry as a Lifecycle Leader or Program Team Leader.
• Must demonstrate strong knowledge of the overall drug development process relevant to biotech/ pharmaceutical companies; commercial launch experience and a depth of experience with drug development is required.
• Experience working with or on program strategy teams required.

Preferred Education, Skills, and Knowledge

• Strong leadership skills from leading cross‑functional teams in a matrix organization, with highly collaborative instincts and a track record of resolving conflicts within the team.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with clinical scientists, biologists, manufacturing experts, as well as with regulatory and commercial colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• High degree of organizational awareness and understanding of change management and leading innovation.
• Possess significant depth and breadth of experience across phases of drug development that enable you to immediately bring considerable strategic value to a project.
• Possess understanding of drug development experience and understand what it takes to shepherd an asset through its lifecycle.

The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made upon request to enable individuals to perform essential functions. Please contact Human Resources to request an accommodation.

Physical Demands and Activities Required

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time.
• Must be able to move about inside an office and exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.
• Must have visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures, viewing a computer screen, and extensive reading.
• This position requires repetitive motion, substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Must be able to communicate with others to exchange information.

Mental

Clear and conceptual thinking ability; excellent judgment, troubleshooting, problem‑solving, analysis, and discretion; ability to handle work‑related stress; ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously; and ability to meet deadlines.

This job operates in a professional workplace or remote office environment and requires standard office equipment and keyboards. Employees who work remotely are expected to maintain their workspace and environment safely and free from safety hazards.