Senior Director, Corporate Strategy

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

Job summary

Takeda in Boston, MA is seeking a Senior Director, Corporate Strategy to guide long-term strategy across therapeutic areas and geographies. You will partner with R&D, commercial, finance, and external portfolio groups to frame strategic choices and drive sustainable growth while maintaining executive-level rigor and confidentiality.

Based in Cambridge with a hybrid work model and roughly 15% global travel, you will lead scenario planning, evaluate acquisitions and strategic development

Qualifications

• 10+ years in corporate strategy or related roles in pharma/biotech.
• Proven track record leading complex strategy, portfolio, or corporate development initiatives.
• Experience in global, matrixed organizations and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to structure and solve complex strategic questions and translate data into recommendations.
• Strong understanding of global biopharma industry, R&D, commercialization, policy, and economics.
• Executive presence to advise senior leaders.
• Based in Cambridge, MA with hybrid work and ~15% travel.

Responsibilities

• Lead components of long-term corporate strategy across therapeutic areas and geographies.
• Lead enterprise scenario planning and strategic foresight under various scenarios.
• Frame complex enterprise decisions with evidence-based recommendations for senior leadership.
• Develop executive materials and decision papers for leadership and Board.
• Conduct industry and peer benchmarking to assess performance and portfolio strategies.
• Evaluate evolving business models, AI and digital health implications.
• Lead mergers/acquisitions, divestitures, and other corporate development evaluations.
• Head cross-functional strategy projects addressing growth and expansion.
• Support annual strategic planning aligning BU, portfolio, and functional strategies.
• Translate strategic developments into actionable implications for Takeda.
• Create clear strategic narratives and executive communications.
• Build alignment among senior stakeholders across functions and geographies.
• Apply AI and analytics to accelerate strategic analysis with confidentiality.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Scenario planning

Cross-functional leadership

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Financial acumen

AI awareness

Biopharma knowledge

Education

BA/BS degree

MBA/PhD/MD preferred

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

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.

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

Yes

It 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.