Senior IT Project Manager

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join us as a Senior IT Project Manager at our Santa Monica, CA site.  You will work with the Information Technology team in supporting our efforts in this exciting new area of cancer immunotherapy.  This role will be a hands-on resource with reporting lines to Kite’s IT leadership and to Gilead’s IT PMO (Project Management Office).

The Senior IT Project Manager will lead multiple projects supporting various groups depending on the business priorities (Infrastructure as well as business areas such as R&D, Technical Operations, Commercial and G&A functions) from inception through completion, while adhering to project scope, schedule, quality and budget.  The Senior IT Project Manager must possess strong communication skills and must be savvy working with both technology and business partners across the organization in a collaborative way.

This individual will prepare project team and steering committee materials related to their assigned projects and ensure project work complies with established practices, policies, and processes. Project issues and risks must be identified and tracked and plans to resolve these issues must be developed and solutions executed.  The Senior IT Project Manager will also provide management oversight of contract project managers assigned to projects.

Responsibilities of the Senior IT Project Manager include, but are not limited to:

• Comprehensively develops and manages project budgets and drives financial accountability for delivery of all solutions
• Leads RFP/RFI process for projects as required and works closely across business and IT teams to drive effective selection of delivery and solutions partners
• Develops and actively manages project plans; manages resources, project schedules, and budget to meet deliverables; maintains all reporting requirements as needed
• Actively manages the execution of the project, including assigning tasks to project staff, managing project scope and project finances, and ensuring the quality of deliverables
• Integrates the work of large teams and multiple vendors to deliver project success
• Oversees all phases of the project, coordinating with business sponsors, vendors, and other relevant areas of IT throughout
• Ensures all deliverables and commitments are met and the project is in compliance with relevant standards and methodologies; contributes to the enhancement and evolution of these standards for Gilead/Kite IT
• Proactively leads and executes project risk management and mitigation
• Orchestrates activities across all internal and external constituents and works comfortably with Gilead IT leadership to escalate and manage delivery challenges
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD OR
• MA/MS and 6+ years of relevant industry experience OR
• BA/BS and 8+ years of relevant industry experience OR
• High School degree and 12+ years of relevant industry experience

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Ideal candidate will possess 8+ years of relevant experience and a BS in Computer Science OR an MS in Computer Science and 6+ years of relevant experience
• PMP certification preferred, but prior success on the job is most critical
• Prior experience with managing projects related to Qualified/Validated systems is strongly preferred
• Must be comfortable with ambiguity and have a strong ability to bring order and discipline to projects that engage many stakeholders and delivery partners
• Seasoned expertise in project management methodologies, tools, and techniques
• Prior experience in managing Oracle EBS implementation or integration is a must
• Experience in Pharmaceutical or Biotech industry preferred
• In-depth understanding of the SDLC and how to apply it to relevant projects
• Seen as an expert resource in the organization on project management
• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of IT functions and services
• Familiarity with many technologies, with particular focus on their capabilities and limitations
• Flexible, calm under pressure, highly communicative, and comfortable taking ownership in ambiguous situations
• Track record of successful integration across multiple and complex technologies and systems
• Strong collaboration, communication, and people management skills are a must