Senior Director, Program Management

Ladders; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 265,000 - 315,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Professional development and coaching

Exposure to executive leadership

Job summary

Ladders, a leader in Pharmaceuticals & Biotech, seeks a Senior Director Program Management in San Francisco. This role will drive complex programs from planning through execution with a focus on structure, accountability, and measurable delivery.

You will collaborate with business leaders, delivery teams, and strategic partners to align priorities, manage dependencies, and keep initiatives on track in a life sciences environment. Hybrid work and development opportunities are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field; advanced degree a plus.
• 10+ years of program/project management experience required.
• 5+ years leading cross-functional teams in a matrixed organization.
• Experience in managing complex, multi-workstream programs in regulated industries preferred.
• Proven track record of delivering complex programs on time and within budget.

Responsibilities

• Lead and direct multiple cross-functional program teams through full lifecycle of initiatives
• Define program strategy, timelines, and resource plans to meet business objectives
• Partner across functions to ensure alignment on program priorities and decisions
• Implement risk management and contingency plans to keep programs on track
• Communicate status, priorities, and decisions to all stakeholders, including senior leadership
• Represent program progress and risks to the executive leadership team
• Resolve issues and conflicts within teams, escalating when necessary, and coach team members

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Risk management

Stakeholder communication

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field

Advanced degree a plus

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Senior Director Program Management to join the team of a leader in the Pharmaceuticals & Biotech space. This role will drive complex programs from planning through execution with a focus on structure, accountability, and measurable delivery. You will work across business leaders, delivery teams, and strategic partners to align priorities, manage dependencies, and keep initiatives on track. The position offers the opportunity to bring clarity to complex work and deliver outcomes that matter across the organization within a life sciences environment.

Location: San Francisco, CA - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $265,000 – $315,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Lead and direct multiple cross-functional program teams through full lifecycle of initiatives
• Define program strategy, timelines, and resource plans to meet business objectives
• Partner across functions to ensure alignment on program priorities and decisions
• Implement risk management and contingency plans to keep programs on track
• Communicate status, priorities, and decisions to all stakeholders, including senior leadership
• Represent program progress and risks to the executive leadership team
• Resolve issues and conflicts within teams, escalating when necessary, and coach team members

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field; advanced degree a plus
• 10+ years of program/project management experience required
• 5+ years leading cross-functional teams in a matrixed organization
• Experience in managing complex, multi-workstream programs in regulated industries preferred
• Proven track record of delivering complex programs on time and within budget

Benefits

• Hybrid work environment
• Opportunities for professional development and coaching
• Exposure to executive leadership and strategic decision-making
• Chance to work on complex, high-stakes projects in a regulated industry

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.