Associate Director, Strategic Business Operations - Remote

Associate Director, Strategic Business Operations

When you're part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, you'll do challenging work, and be part of a team that values performance, quality, and innovation. As part of a successful, growing global organization you will be encouraged to perform at your best. With revenues of $20 billion and the largest investment in R&D in the industry, we give our people the resources and opportunities to make significant contributions to the world.

PPD Evidera Real-World Data & Scientific Solutions within Thermo Fisher supports the pharmaceutical / biotechnology / medical device companies throughout the product lifecycle, from early pre-launch planning to launch and post-marketing management. Our focus is on helping our clients build economic and epidemiological evidence to demonstrate and support the value of their products, through analysis of large health administrative databases (e.g., medical claims, electronic health records, registries, etc.).

Position Summary

The Associate Director, Strategic Business Operations plays a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless execution and sustained excellence of the Real-World Data & Scientific Solutions (RWD&SS) business unit. Operating at the intersection of strategic project management and operational innovation, this role is accountable for delivering high-impact initiatives through disciplined execution, rigorous financial stewardship, and a relentless commitment to quality. The incumbent serves as a trusted partner to internal and external stakeholders, fostering proactive communication, early risk identification, and solution-oriented escalation. The Associate Director drives initiatives that elevate performance, enhance client satisfaction, and advance both the project-focused and long-term strategic objectives of the organization.

Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end management of complex projects, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and alignment with client expectations and internal quality standards. Alongside the senior scientific lead, serve as the senior project reference point, upholding quality and consistency across the project portfolio and fostering a culture of operational excellence. Develop and adapt comprehensive project work plans & methodologies to accommodate evolving priorities and stakeholder needs. Generate thorough risk mitigation plans to preserve project integrity and client trust. Ensure all project documentation and risk registers are meticulously maintained in line with regulatory and organizational standards. Collaborate cross-functionally to identify resource requirements, coordinate assignments, and ensure capacity aligns with delivery timelines. Provide strategic oversight on financial performance across projects, maintaining control within agreed margins and maximizing commercial outcomes. Support the alignment of project contributors by clarifying project requirements, deliverables, and strategic context where appropriate. Champion the delivery of high-quality, client-ready outputs by instilling a culture of accountability, excellence, and continuous improvement. Maintain a billable target of 65%. Contribute to planning and execution of cross-functional strategic initiatives that align with long-term business objectives, contributing to growth and innovation. Contribute to development of new processes / tools and implementation / change management as required. Contribute to the development of compelling, solution-oriented client proposals and presentations in collaboration with commercial and technical teams, ensuring alignment with both strategic goals and client needs. Through relationship development with key account contacts, plays a key role in ensuring contracts are renewed, amended, and expand YOY; responsible for sales target.

Qualifications

Education and Skills : Bachelor's degree or equivalent in life sciences, healthcare, business, or a related discipline; advanced degrees are advantageous. Minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in project delivery, ideally within a consulting, CRO, or life sciences environment. Demonstrated expertise in leading complex, cross-functional projects with global teams in a highly matrixed organization. Strong command of project management methodologies such as PRINCE2 and Agile; relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, PgMP, AgilePM) highly desirable. Proven track record of managing project financials, including budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and revenue recognition. Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to influence without authority. High proficiency in MS Office Suite, especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; experience with Salesforce, SharePoint, and project tracking systems preferred. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, and global environment; comfortable working across time zones and adapting to changing priorities. Fluency in English is required; additional languages are a plus. Willingness to travel internationally up to 10% of the time.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, every one of our 70,000 outstanding individuals has an exceptional story to share. Join us and contribute to our unusual missionempowering our customers to enhance the world's health, cleanliness, and safety! Thermo Fisher Scientific is an EEO / Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.