Sr. Program Manager

Sr. Program Manager

Houston, TX

The actual location of this job is in Houston, TX, US. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates and their families, if needed.

This is a fully site‑based role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and the technical precision needed to manufacture medicines to the highest quality and safety standards.

This role is primarily based on site. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and the technical precision needed to manufacture medicines to the highest quality and safety standards. We offer flexibility to work remotely for no more than 20% of your time. Requests are considered on a case‑by‑case basis, in line with business needs.

This is an office‑first role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and team alignment, enabling us to deliver our best work. You will work primarily in the office, with the flexibility to work remotely for 20% of your time (one day per week).

What you will get:

• An agile career and dynamic working culture.

• An inclusive and ethical workplace.

• Compensation programs that recognize high performance.

• A variety of benefits dependent on role and location.

The full list of our global benefits can be found here: https://www.lonza.com/careers/benefits.

What you will do:

• Be the interface between the Customer and Lonza to ensure execution and delivery according to Lonza and the Customer’s expectations  

• Understand the Customer’s needs and represent their interests by acting as their advocate on-site  

• Use all PM Standard Work processes to effectively manage projects  

• Fully accountable for all operational aspects in leading and motivating cross-functional project teams to deliver on all scope objectives with the highest level of quality  

• Manages the financial aspects of assigned programs. Actions include but not limiting to forecasting, invoicing, and revenue recognition. 

• Ensure Customer satisfaction throughout the life of the program through collaborative relationship management with AM/Sales  

• Act as PM Peer during Onboarding of new individuals  

• Develop and share best practices in PM tools and methodologies at local level 

• Ensure adherence to Global Program and Project Center of Excellence (PPM CoE) Standards, including maintenance of data integrity excellence in Planview.

What we are looking for:

• Bachelor's Degree in Life Sciences, Biotechnology, or related field

• 10 + Years of experience in science or CDMO industry inclusive of 4-5 years of experience in Program Management.

Matrix Management

• Ability to engage with individuals over whom you have no direct control, to form a cohesive team around a set of common project objectives. 

• Ensure a robust project governance is in place and provide clarity of roles, responsibilities & expectations of everyone associated with the project. 

• Demonstrate motivational skills and ability to build robust, long-lasting relationships, developing rapport and trust within the project teams. 

• Demonstrate a positive attitude fostering open dialogue and two-way communication within the team.   

Organization Skills

• Ability to successfully plan, organize and control all activities and processes which form part of the project plan.  

• Effectively manages the project plan via Planview in terms of timeline, risks, issues, OTIF and any other project related deliverables. 

• Ability to manage a high workload in a constantly changing environment using effective delegation, holding stakeholders and project team members accountable for their actions. 

• Goes beyond conventional planning and uses their business acumen to anticipate potential issues and hazards to avoid project delays 

Issue and Risk Management

• Proactively identify potential project Risks, identify the relevant Risk owner, assign level of severity and track using Planview.  

• Develop and manage a mitigation plan for all identified medium (yellow) and high level (red) Risks with the goal of preventing realization into Issues. Escalate in cases of delay or no progress. 

• If an Issue does occur, the PM demonstrates a strong analytical mind-set to quickly resolve any problems or conflict that may result. 

• Actively drive Issue resolution via Planview utilizing all available resources to develop a solution that is acceptable for both Lonza and the customer. 

Stakeholder Management and Situational Leadership

• Able to identify all stakeholders associated with a project, analyze their expectations, their influences and the level of support they will provide. 

• Demonstrate agile leadership and communication styles and adapt accordingly to suit the stakeholders, audience or situation. 

• Develop a tactical approach to engage with all stakeholders and efficiently manage any conflicts of interest that may arise. 

• Continually challenge the status quo. Embrace new ways of working to ensure successful team collaboration and project execution.  

Strategic Portfolio Management

• Lead the successful delivery of all products and services at the site level and be the internal customer advocate when strategic portfolio decisions are required. 

• Ensure conformance to PM Standard Work at all times.  

• Define portfolio KPIs to monitor progress towards strategic objectives. 

• Maintain a holistic view on portfolio risk and issue profile, supporting mitigation plans to ensure effectiveness. Promote transparency in communication during the escalation process. 

• Ensure Customer Lessons Learned are carried out according to plan across the portfolio with the output shared at the site and network level. 

• Promote a culture of best practice and internal lessons learned sharing at the site level and distribute findings across the network. 

• Ensure a high level of data quality across all PM systems and processes is maintained at all times

Empowerment and Development

• Engage and motivate the team by advocating the discipline of a good work-life balance, nurturing strong relationships and developing trust through open communication. 

• Empower the team by delegating authority and decision-making, sharing information and soliciting input. 

• Enable the team to be fully accountable for their respective areas of the program whilst always displaying a customer centric mindset. 

• Ensure personal development and growth opportunities within the team or in other disciplines outside of Program Management.  

• Coach the team through experience, whilst fostering a culture of continuous improvement. 

About Lonza

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you’re ready to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into viable therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences? Apply now.