Senior Director, Head of R&D of the Future (RDoF)

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Job Description

Role Purpose:

The Senior Director, Head of R&D of the Future, leads the strategy, integrated execution, and value realization of Takeda’s R&D of the Future (RDoF) program—a multi‑year transformation to build a differentiated, technology‑enabled R&D engine.

This role serves as a cross‑R&D integrator, driving alignment across R&D leaders on priorities and trade‑offs, enabling coordinated execution across initiatives, and ensuring measurable outcomes across transformation enablers (including data and technology). The Senior Director ensures program designs and new ways of working are scalable across R&D’s GCM‑aligned multi‑hub model, supporting consistent adoption and sustained performance across geographies.

Key Responsibilities:

1) Strategy, Outcomes, and Value Realization

• Lead the R&D of the Future strategy, including ambition, outcomes, and KPI framework across R&D functions and initiatives.

• Drive disciplined value realization by ensuring clear business cases, defined success metrics, leadership accountability, and ongoing ROI tracking.

• Establish performance reporting and management routines that maintain momentum and drive delivery through implementation and evolution of the program.

2) Senior Leader Alignment Across R&D and Enterprise Transformation

• Align the RDoF portfolio with broader enterprise transformation priorities through close partnership with enterprise transformation teams (e.g., GCM).

• Act as the primary integrator between R&D of the Future and R&D functional priorities, ensuring coherence, clarity, and mitigation of competing change demands.

• Influence senior R&D leaders to drive accountability for decisions, commitments, and outcomes across the program.

3) Governance, Decision Making, and Escalation (Portfolio “Control Tower”)

• Design and operate fit‑for‑purpose governance and escalation mechanisms that clarify decision rights and enable initiative‑level ownership within defined guardrails.

• Lead prioritization, sequencing, and tradeoff discussions across initiatives and functions to maximize delivery momentum and realized value.

• Proactively identify and address interdependencies and risks by mobilizing cross functional leaders.

4) Integrated Program Management and Cross Initiative Connectivity

• Set program direction, shared operating mechanisms, and common processes (e.g., governance, financial tracking, strategic priorities) to connect initiatives and enable consistent execution.

• Build and evolve a strong program management capability / PMO providing leadership visibility into progress, milestones, risks, and dependencies.

• Enable open communication and knowledge sharing across initiatives to avoid duplication and accelerate adoption of effective practices.

5) End‑to‑End Lean Process Redesign at Scale

• Lead end‑to‑end Lean redesign of priority R&D value streams to improve cycle time, quality, compliance, and productivity, integrating people, process, and technology into a coherent target state.

• Ensure redesigned processes support GCM aligned multi‑hub execution, balancing standardized core workflows, controls, and metrics with fit‑for‑purpose local adaptation.

• Partner with R&D Functions, Therapeutic Areas, and enablement leaders (including data and technology) to embed enabling capabilities and ensure scalable deployment.

• Establish operating rhythms (governance, KPI cadence, continuous improvement mechanisms) to sustain performance and consistency across hubs over time.

6) Change Leadership, Communications, and Adoption

• Champion adoption of new ways of working and enabling technologies across R&D through visible leadership engagement.

• Develop and deliver consistent communications to articulate strategy, progress, decisions required, and realized value.

7) People Leadership and Team Development

• Lead and develop the central R&D of the Future team, fostering accountability, collaboration, and an environment that enables high performance and growth.

Decision Rights:

This role leads and operates governance, performance management, and value tracking for the R&D of the Future portfolio; establishes operating guardrails; and drives prioritization, sequencing, and escalation to resolve cross‑functional and cross‑hub trade‑offs.

Initiative Leads retain accountability for day‑to‑day delivery within the governance and guardrails defined by this role.

Minimum Requirements / Qualifications:

Required:

• Substantial, progressive experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with a significant focus on R&D environments (e.g., Development, R&D Operations, Portfolio/Program Leadership, or R&D transformation roles).

• Demonstrated ability to drive complex program decisions, hold partners accountable, and build trust and influence across R&D.

• Experience leading multi‑initiative portfolios requiring prioritization, sequencing, and trade‑off management.

• Proven success driving large‑scale, cross‑functional transformation initiatives with measurable value realization.

• People leadership and team management experience.

Preferred:

• PhD in a scientific discipline is strongly preferred (or MBA/advanced degree with equivalent industry and leadership experience).

• Strong strategic and domain expertise in Development with digital, data, and AI fluency in an R&D environment.

• Experience integrating data and technology foundations into process optimization and redesigned ways of working.

• Track record of operating with an R&D‑wide perspective, coordinating priorities across functions and geographies.

• Advanced degree (or equivalent experience).

Work Model / Travel:

• Hybrid (Cambridge, MA): Based in Cambridge, MA with a hybrid working model aligned to business needs.

• Member of the R&D Operational Excellence Leadership Team, partnering with R&D leaders to drive alignment and accelerate transformation outcomes.

• Leads through a core team of 5–8 direct reports and significant indirect influence across a global, cross‑functional matrix.

• 10–20% travel to support global stakeholder engagement and multi‑hub deployment.

This position is currently classified as “hybrid” in accordance with Takeda’s Hybrid and Remote Work policy.

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. 

U.S. based employees may be eligible for short-term and/ or long-term incentives. U.S. based employees may be eligible to participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays, and well-being benefits, among others. U.S. based employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation. 

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

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