Chief of Staff

The Chief of Staff serves as a partner and operational right hand to the US President & CEO, enabling effective leadership across the organization and ensuring seamless alignment with the Japan parent company. This role is central to driving governance excellence, organizational rhythm, and cross-functional execution across all functions of the US business.

The ideal candidate brings a blend of commercial pharmaceutical experience, exceptional organizational and project management skills, and a deep appreciation for Japanese business culture — ideally with direct experience working in or with Japanese organizations, or proficiency in the Japanese language.

Executive Governance & Meeting Management

• Own the end-to-end planning, preparation, and follow-up for all key governance forums, including the Executive Committee, Extended Leadership Team, Board meetings, and ad hoc leadership sessions
• Develop structured agendas in partnership with the CEO, ensuring alignment on priorities, pre-reads, and clear decision frameworks
• Drive rigorous follow-up on action items, decisions, and commitments arising from all governance meetings
• Serve as the connective tissue across leadership to ensure accountability and momentum

Japan Headquarters Alignment

• Coordinate and manage monthly reporting cycles to Japan headquarters, ensuring high-quality, timely, and accurate submissions
• Create clear traceability of key content and decisions made in the US governance for parent organization
• Act as a key liaison between the US affiliate and Japan HQ, facilitating clear communication, culturally sensitive messaging, and aligned expectations
• Navigate organizational and cultural nuances between the US and Japan to foster productive cross-border relationships
• Preferred:
  Leverage Japanese language proficiency to support direct engagement with Japan-based stakeholders

Strategic Planning & Project Management

• Support the CEO in translating strategic priorities into actionable plans with clear owners, milestones, and metrics
• Track progress against the US affiliate’s corporate, strategic and operational objectives; surface risks and opportunities proactively
• Lead or co-lead special projects and initiatives as directed by the CEO or Executive committee, often spanning multiple functions
• Apply rigorous project management methodologies to ensure on-time, high-quality delivery

Digital Operations & Knowledge Management

• Architect and maintain a digital platform (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, or equivalent) to centralize governance materials, project tracking, reporting, and leadership communications
• Drive adoption of digital tools across the leadership team to improve transparency, efficiency, and collaboration
• Design dashboards and reporting frameworks that give the CEO and leadership team real-time visibility into business performance and priorities

Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication

• Partner closely with Finance, Commercial, Medical, Regulatory, HR, and other functions to synthesize inputs, resolve roadblocks, and coordinate integrated planning
• Prepare high-quality executive communications, including PowerPoint presentations, briefing documents, and memos for internal and external audiences
• Support CEO communications — town halls, leadership updates, and external stakeholder messaging — ensuring clarity, consistency, and impact
• Represent the CEO’s office with professionalism and sound judgment across all interactions

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Life Sciences, or related field (advanced degree preferred)
• 12+ years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical industry
• Strong project management skills with experience managing complex, cross-functional initiatives
• Exceptional PowerPoint and executive presentation skills — able to synthesize complex information into clear, compelling narratives
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• High degree of organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Proven ability to work effectively with senior executives and across all levels of an organization
• Strong work ethic, personal accountability, and a bias toward action
• Demon…