Director, Head of Program Management

Your experience includes…

• Bachelor’s in life sciences, engineering, business, or a related field with 15 years related experience or Masters with 13 years related experience or PhD with 10 years of related experience
• Significant experience in program management, program operations, or cross-functional development teams in a dynamic biotech or pharmaceutical environment
• Strong understanding of drug development from research through preclinical development, IND-enabling activities, regulatory submissions, and clinical development. It’s a bonus if you have commercial experience.
• Demonstrated ability to bridge science and business interests
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Being well-versed in program management principles, practices, and tools (including Office Timeline, Think-Cell, and Smartsheet/Microsoft Project)
• Thriving in a dynamic and rigorous work environment, coaching and mentoring
• It’s a bonus if you have your Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification or experience in genetic medicines

You are interested in…

• Building and leading a fit-for-purpose Program Management function that enables strong execution, transparent communication, and effective decision-making across the organization
• Guiding and empowering Program Managers to drive the development and management of integrated program plans (including timelines, assumptions, scenarios, risks, critical path, decision maps, goals, and budget drivers)
• Establishing and continuously improving program management capabilities, tools, and practices
• Partnering with Finance and Corporate Development to prepare for Portfolio Reviews
• Facilitating and contributing to the Programs/Portfolio goal setting & tracking, in line with enterprise goals
• Systematically monitoring program risks and trends across the portfolio. Ensuring timely escalation of issues and proposed mitigation strategies as appropriate
• Fostering an enriching and positive work environment, maximizing impact
• Promoting crisp, transparent, and timely communication, clear decision-making in accordance with Tessera’s decision-making model, and high‑performing program/alliance teams
• Evolving your role over time to meet Tessera’s business needs

About you: 

You are an experienced program management leader who brings strategic thinking, operational discipline, and a collaborative leadership style to complex drug development programs. You understand how to translate scientific and development strategy into clear, executable plans, and you are energized by helping teams make progress through structure, transparency, and effective decision-making.

You are comfortable working with senior leaders while also staying close enough to the details to understand risks, dependencies, tradeoffs, and the critical path. You know how to influence without authority, build trust across functions, and create alignment in a matrixed environment. You are an active listener and clear communicator who can synthesize complex information into practical recommendations that help teams and leaders make timely decisions.

You bring positive energy and a continuous-improvement mindset. You are motivated by the opportunity to build and lead a Program Management function that enables innovation, accountability, and high-quality execution in service of bringing meaningful therapies to patients.

Tessera leaders are empathetic and transparent coaches with a strong sense of integrity. They are committed to the growth and development of their teams, the organization and themselves.

Leadership Structure: 

All inquiries regarding the posted position should be directed to the Talent Partner (see below). Interested individuals must apply directly to be considered for the opening.  

John Pierciey, Vice President, Program Lead

John is the program lead for Tessera’s sickle cell disease (SCD) and alpha-1 antitrypsin programs.

Prior to joining Tessera, John spent more than 13 years at bluebird bio, where he held roles spanning research, manufacturing, process development, clinical, and corporate development. He led process development and clinical pharmacology characterization efforts for three gene therapy products from preclinical development through commercial launch, including treatments for β-thalassemia (Zynteglo) and SCD (Lyfgenia). John received a master’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania and bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Roger Williams University

Meet our Leadership Team and Board of Directors 

Meet your Talent Partner:

Ben Hoogheem – Senior Director, Head of Talent Management

As Head of Talent Management at Tessera Therapeutics, Ben leads Tessera’s talent strategy across talent acquisition, performance management, and talent mobility.

Ben began his career as an in vivo Pharmacologist, which gave him a lasting appreciation for the rigor, creativity, and collaboration that drive scientific discovery. That foundation continues to shape how he helps build organizations designed to enable science thrive.

Ben is focused on aligning exceptional people with bold science – creating the structure, clarity, and culture that empower teams to scale effectively and achieve meaningful impact.

Compensation:

The stated base salary range represents Tessera’s good-faith estimate for this role. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors, including but not limited to individual qualifications, years of relevant experience, internal compensation alignment, and external market data.

Tessera offers a competitive package of base and incentive compensation as well as a comprehensive benefits program designed to support the health, wellness, and financial security of our employees and their families. Benefits currently include group medical, vision, and dental coverage; group life and disability insurance; a 401(k) plan with company contribution; tuition reimbursement; and more.

This position is also eligible for an annual incentive bonus and equity grants as part of Tessera’s total rewards program.

Per Year Salary Range: $186,000 - $239,000 USD