Senior Director, Corporate Strategy

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 212,000 - 333,000; Full time

Job summary

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. seeks a Senior Director, Corporate Strategy in the Boston/Cambridge area.

You will drive long-term strategy across therapeutic areas and geographies, guide scenario planning, and present strategic options to the Executive Team and Board. This role requires leading cross-functional teams, translating complex data into actionable recommendations, and shaping investment decisions in a dynamic global landscape.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in corporate strategy, portfolio strategy, or related roles in pharma/biotech.
• Proven track record leading complex strategy, growth, or corporate development initiatives.
• Experience in global, matrixed organizations and cross-functional teams.
• BA/BS required; MBA/PhD strongly preferred.
• Ability to translate qualitative and quantitative data into clear recommendations.
• Proven ability to lead scenario planning and assess strategic uncertainty.

Responsibilities

• Lead major components of Takeda's long-term corporate strategy across geographies.
• Direct enterprise scenario planning and strategic foresight across multiple scenarios.
• Frame complex decisions with clear alternatives and evidence-based recommendations.
• Develop executive summaries and materials for Takeda's Executive Team and Board.
• Conduct industry benchmarking and assess portfolio strategies and investment patterns.
• Evaluate business model evolutions including AI and digital health implications.
• Lead mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other corporate development opportunities.
• Coordinate cross-functional strategy projects addressing growth and market expansion.
• Support annual strategic planning to ensure coherence with long-term direction.
• Monitor biopharma trends and translate developments into actionable implications.
• Create concise, compelling presentations and executive communications.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Scenario planning

Executive communications

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical rigor

Education

MBA

PhD optional

Job description

Job Description

About the role

The Senior Director, Corporate Strategy is responsible for leading critical components of Takeda’s corporate strategy function, helping to ensure that corporate strategy, portfolio strategy, functional strategies, and enterprise resource allocation are all well aligned in support of scientific innovation, commercial excellence, and ultimately patient impact.

Reporting to the Head of Corporate Strategy, this role partners closely with senior leaders across Strategy & Portfolio Development, R&D, commercial BUs, finance, External Portfolio Innovation, and other business functions to evaluate enterprise priorities, frame strategic choices, and develop recommendations that support sustainable growth and competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving global healthcare landscape.

The role will lead major enterprise strategy initiatives, scenario planning, evaluation of strategic alternatives, industry and competitive benchmarking, and strategic assessments of acquisitions, divestitures, and other corporate development opportunities. The Senior Director will also play a central role in developing decision materials and strategic evaluations for the Takeda Executive Team and Board of Directors.

How you will contribute

• Lead major components of the company’s long-term corporate strategy across therapeutic areas and geographies, translating enterprise ambitions into clear strategic choices, priorities, and actions.
• Lead enterprise scenario planning and strategic foresight, evaluating alternative strategic pathways under a range of potential future industry, market, policy, geopolitical, scientific, and technology scenarios.
• Frame complex enterprise decisions by defining strategic alternatives, evaluating implications and trade-offs, and developing clear, evidence-based recommendations for senior leadership.
• Lead the analysis of major corporate strategic decisions and the development of executive summaries, evaluations, and decision materials for the Takeda Executive Team and Board of Directors.
• Conduct industry and peer benchmarking to assess relative performance, portfolio strategies, investment patterns, operating models, capabilities, and sources of competitive advantage.
• Evaluate the evolution of business models within biopharma and the broader healthcare ecosystem, including the strategic implications of artificial intelligence, digital health, new sources of scientific innovation, changing geopolitical conditions, healthcare policy, and emerging innovation ecosystems.
• Lead strategic evaluations of mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and other corporate development opportunities, including assessment of strategic fit, enterprise value creation, portfolio implications, risks, and strategic alternatives.
• Lead cross-functional strategy projects addressing enterprise growth, portfolio priorities, geographic and market expansion, capability requirements, and other high-impact strategic questions.
• Support annual strategic planning processes, ensuring that business unit, therapeutic area, portfolio, and functional strategies are coherent with the company’s long-term direction.
• Monitor global biopharma trends, competitive dynamics, capital-market developments, regulatory and policy changes, and potential disruptions, translating these developments into actionable implications for Takeda.
• Develop clear, concise, and compelling presentations, strategic narratives, and executive communications that enable informed decisions by senior leadership and the Board.
• Build alignment among senior stakeholders with differing perspectives, facilitating structured discussions around strategic options, assumptions, risks, and trade-offs.
• Apply AI, advanced analytics, and emerging technology tools to increase the speed, rigor, and range of strategic analysis while maintaining appropriate quality, judgment, and confidentiality.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in corporate strategy, portfolio strategy, management consulting, business development, investment banking, or related roles, with significant experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.
• Proven and progressive track record leading complex corporate strategy, portfolio, growth strategy, or corporate development initiatives.
• Experience working in a global, matrixed organization and leading cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• BA/BS degree required; MBA, PhD, MD, or equivalent advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Ability to structure and solve complex, ambiguous strategic questions and translate extensive qualitative and quantitative information into clear recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience leading scenario planning, evaluating strategic alternatives, and articulating the implications of uncertainty for enterprise choices.
• Strong understanding of the global biopharma industry, including R&D, commercialization, portfolio management, business development, market access, healthcare policy, and industry economics.
• Strong financial and business acumen, with an understanding of valuation, capital allocation, financial statements, risk-adjusted returns, and enterprise value creation.
• Ability to assess emerging technologies and external developments, including artificial intelligence, digital health, geopolitical change, regulatory developments, and evolving business models.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop succinct and compelling materials for executive leadership and the Board.
• Executive presence and credibility to advise, influence, and appropriately challenge senior leaders.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to build alignment across functions, cultures, therapeutic areas, and geographies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multiple high-priority strategy initiatives while maintaining analytical rigor, attention to detail, and responsiveness to changing priorities.
• Ability to translate strategy into measurable outcomes and support implementation, appropriately leveraging AI and technology to accelerate the achievement of results.
• Experience guiding and developing strategy professionals and raising the quality of analysis, problem-solving, and executive communication across a team.
• Based in Cambridge, MA, hybrid, with expected travel of approximately 15% globally.

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary

We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. We are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices.

For Location

Boston, MA

U.S. Base Salary Range

$212,000.00 - $333,190.00

EEO Statement

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations

Boston, MA

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time

Job Exempt

YesIt is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.