Senior Business Systems Manager-R&D IT

Senior Business Systems Manager-R&D IT

Requirements

• 12+ years’ relevant experience with High School Diploma or equivalent
• 10+ years’ relevant experience with AA
• 8+ years’ relevant experience with BS / BA
• 6+ years’ relevant experience with MS / MA / MBA
• Biological Sciences, Bioinformatics, Computer Science or a related discipline is preferred.
• Significant IT experience in a corporate or other relevant business environment, with a strong preference for experience in the biopharmaceutical or healthcare industry.
• Experience supporting IT business systems analysis, planning, budgeting and coordination of IT resources to support R&D needs in life sciences.
• Demonstrated experience in business process engineering and project management.
• Experience with IT integrations, cloud transformations, and understanding of data security and compliance issues in a scientific or healthcare setting.
• Direct experience or strong familiarity with drug discovery research and bioinformatics tools and technologies used in various therapy areas is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including scientists, researchers, and non-IT personnel, to translate scientific research needs into IT solutions.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage the gathering of business and user requirements, conducting thorough needs analysis to ensure alignment with scientific research goals and IT capabilities.
• Analyze initial business cases, including resource requirements, categorization, and prioritization, to support strategic IT initiatives in pharmaceutical research across therapy areas.
• Conduct assessments of current business processes, systems, and applications, recommending improvements based on business needs, industry trends, and best practices.
• Document business process flows for current and future states, ensuring clarity and efficiency in processes that bridge IT and research operations.
• Manage the documentation of user requirements and use cases, facilitating clear communication between IT teams and research scientists.
• Provide timely and appropriate analysis to development teams for the definition of functional requirements, ensuring technology solutions meet research needs.
• Collaborate on request for proposal (RFP) submissions and responses, evaluate vendors, and ensure contract readiness, including compliance with regulatory requirements like GxP and SOX.
• Participate in design reviews, contributing to the development of digital solutions that enhance drug development efforts.
• Oversee and manage the creation of test scenarios, ensuring comprehensive coverage of user requirements and system functionalities.
• Support user acceptance testing (UAT) by reviewing test results and collaborating with technical teams on issue resolution, ensuring solutions meet user expectations.
• Coordinate project roll-out and deployment, including defining implementation requirements, managing communications, and conducting end-user training.
• Conduct value affirmation analysis post-project implementation to assess the impact and effectiveness of IT solutions in supporting drug discovery and development.
• Manage enhancements and defect analysis, providing recommendations for resolution to maintain and improve digital solutions.
• Oversee vendor deliverables related to projects, ensuring quality and compliance with contractual agreements.
• Ensure all assigned work complies with established practices, policies, and processes, adhering to regulatory and other requirements to maintain the integrity and security of research data.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in technology environments relevant to pharmaceutical research, including familiarity with bioinformatics and computational biology platforms (e.g. Visiopharm, Genedata Profiler, DNA Nexus, etc.).
• Demonstrated understanding of design, solution development methods, and the Project Execution Process, including comprehensive knowledge of requirement specification, system/application design, development, configuration, and testing.
• Proven experience in applying best practices in IT project management, continuous improvement, and change management, with a preference for experience in highly regulated environments such as the biopharmaceutical industry.
• Experience with platforms critical to drug discovery Research and Development (e.g., Biovia, Benchling, Genedata, etc.) and a willingness to learn and adapt to new R&D IT systems as they emerge.
• Extensive knowledge of Agile methodologies and tools (e.g. Jira, Asana, etc.), with proven abilities to apply these in supporting IT solutions that meet both business needs and scientific research objectives.
• Thorough understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Service Life Cycle (SLC), with particular attention to their application in life sciences research IT projects.
• Experience in programming environments (e.g., Python, R) and cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS), especially those relevant to data analytics and computational research in life sciences is very desirable.
• Good understanding of IT security, quality, and risk management, particularly in the context of handling sensitive scientific data and PHI/PII is required.
• Strong troubleshooting skills with existing technologies and a strategic approach to managing integrations between various IT systems to optimize research operations.
• Ability to apply basic architectural principles in technology recommendations and decisions, with a focus on scalability and sustainability of IT solutions for research.
• Proficiency in applying UX principles to ensure that IT solutions are user-centric, facilitating seamless interaction for researchers and scientists.
• Keen awareness of emerging IT trends and technologies (e.g. GenAI, Precision Medicine, Digital Biomarkers, etc.), with a commitment to continuous learning, especially in areas relevant to biopharmaceutical research.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly grasp regulatory requirements, including GDPR, HIPAA, and others pertinent to the biopharma industry, and integrate compliance into IT solutions.
• Flexibility and adaptability to change, capable of transitioning smoothly between projects and contributing expertise as needed across various IT and research domains.
• Strong analytical skills, high attention to detail, excellent communication, and organizational skills, with the ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams in a research-driven environment.
• Willingness to travel as required to support project needs and facilitate collaboration across different research sites.