Project Director, Product Development

The application period for this position is closed

Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) was established in 1999 as a partnership between the public and private sector to discover, develop and deliver new antimalarial drugs at prices affordable to developing countries.

MMV is based in Geneva as an independent not-for-profit Swiss Foundation. It has an entrepreneurial modus operandi and has established a new business model through which it selects and manages its research and development portfolio.

MMV’s R&D portfolio is growing and we are looking for a talented person to join our evolving Product Development team. The Project Director will be responsible for successfully leading late-stage drug development projects with our partners, aimed at registering affordable antimalarial medicines with a stringent regulatory authority and advocating MMV’s mission.

The Director will fulfill the following tasks and responsibilities:

• Accountable for establishing and agreeing on a viable product development strategy internally and with partners
• Proactively manage the relationship with partners and represent MMV aligned positions with respect to strategy and implementation
• Responsible for preparing recommendations for MMV management and the Joint Steering Committee
• Produce and maintain a project plan and budget
• Accountable for delivering on project plans according to timelines, budget, operational procedures and quality standards
• Track the budget and provide latest best estimates on regular basis
• Participate in the identification and selection of CROs; review contract terms and follow-up on invoicing
• Contribute to the scientific review of the clinical data during the course of the trial and frame conclusions in the context of product development strategy
• Take an active role in advisory boards, meetings with regulators and with public health officials
• Provide drug development expertise to support the Access team in preparing for drug distribution and continue to be an active team member after product registration
• Ensure accuracy of all internal and external communications relating to the project/product

Essential qualifications and skills

• PhD in life sciences
• Minimum 10 years of drug development experience at a pharmaceutical or biotech company including first-hand drug registration experience
• Must have more than 5 years of experience in leading and/or managing complex projects in collaboration with other companies in a Project Leader or Manager position
• Experience in anti-infective therapeutic area desired
• Expertise in late-stage drug development with emphasis on regulatory and clinical aspects
• Experience in collaboration with market access groups to align product development strategy with unmet needs
• Broad working knowledge of pre-clinical, formulation, manufacturing and other aspects of drug development
• Fluency in English (oral and written)
• Strong strategic thinker with mature leadership and influencing skills
• Top class verbal and written communication skills with well-structured presentation skills appropriate for senior management forums
• Organisational and project management skills and fully versed in all relevant IT tools
• Willingness to travel approximately 10%

Interested applicants should send their CV and a covering letter giving reasons for their interest in the position to jobs [at] mmv [dot] org before 13 March 2013. Please refer to the following job code in the in the subject of your email: R&D-2013-1.