R&D Modernization Project Leader

Job title:

R&D Modernization Project Leader

Location:

Cambridge, MA

About the job

Join the engine of Sanofi's mission - where deep immunoscience meets bold, AI-powered research. In R&D, you'll drive breakthroughs that could turn the impossible into possible for millions.

Sanofi R&D is undergoing a significant transformation to accelerate innovation, increase productivity, and deliver breakthrough medicines to patients faster. To enable this ambition, Sanofi is establishing R&D Transformation, a new organization strategic modernization team within R&D Operations, designed to drive enterprise-level change through disciplined execution, operational excellence, and sustainable value realization.

R&D Transformation acts as a catalyst for change across the R&D organization, bridging strategic priorities with operational execution to ensure rapid adoption and lasting impact. Led by the Global Head of R&D Transformation, the organization is structured around three core pillars:

* Execution of strategic modernization initiatives:
Translating R&D strategic priorities endorsed by the R&D Leadership Team into actionable, end-to-end execution plans, ensuring speed, coherence, and seamless integration into business as usual.

* Process excellence:
Designing, simplifying, and continuously improving high-impact R&D processes to maximize productivity, reduce complexity, and enable organizational agility.

* Post-merger integration:
Leading R&D-wide integration efforts to unlock scientific, cultural, and organizational value from M&A transactions.

Within the R&D Modernization team, the Project Leader will independently lead enterprise-visible transformation initiatives, acting as both a catalyst for change and a trusted advisor to senior R&D leadership on execution strategy, rollout planning, and sustainable value realization. The R&D Modernization Project Leader will independently lead the strategic planning, execution, rollout, and monitoring of 1 to 3 high-impact R&D Modernization initiative(s) depending on complexity, with direct visibility to the R&D Leadership Team.

About Sanofi:

We're an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people's lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system - and innovative pipeline - enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives.

Main responsibilities:

* Strategic Execution Leadership

* Independently lead complex, high-impact modernization initiatives with direct RDLT visibility, translating strategic intent into actionable implementation frameworks.

* Structure ambiguous execution challenges and develop comprehensive rollout strategies that ensure sustainable adoption and measurable enterprise-level impact.

* Prepare and moderate executive-level discussions, including RDLT forums and cross-functional governance bodies.

* Challenge execution assumptions through data-driven analysis, scenario planning, and competitive benchmarking.

* Initiative Design & Delivery

* Lead 2-4 high-impact modernization work streams annually, from strategic framing through business-as-usual integration.

* Design and manage end-to-end execution frameworks, including governance, timelines, cross-functional resourcing, RACI, and decision-making processes.

* Translate strategic priorities into clear implementation plans for individual R&D functions (e.g., Research, CMC), with well-defined scope, objectives, success metrics, and accountability.

* Structure scenario analyses and strategic trade-offs that optimize implementation speed, adoption, and long-term value realization.

* Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

* Mobilize and engage senior leadership across R&D and cross-functional areas (e.g., People & Culture, Finance, IT) to drive alignment, sustain momentum, and deliver measurable impact.

* Demonstrate strong executive presence and facilitation skills, influencing senior stakeholders on execution strategy and change roadmaps.

* Build trusted relationships across R&D functions and cross-functional teams while seamlessly engaging with scientific and technical experts when required.

* Act as an integrator and connector, bringing together diverse teams and perspectives to drive coherent execution.

* Performance Monitoring & Value Realization

* Define and track KPIs to assess workstream effectiveness, ROI, and alignment with strategic objectives.

* Monitor performance against key milestones, proactively identifying risks and dependencies and implementing mitigation actions.

* Ensure measurable outcomes transition effectively into sustained business-as-usual operations.

* Report workstream progress to the Head of R&D Modernization for input into the central R&D Steering Committee, proactively communicating interdependencies across work streams.

* Change Integration & Adoption

* Ensure successful implementation of transformation impacts at local and site level, including…