Program Team Leader; Senior Director

Who We Are

At Neurocrine Biosciences, we pride ourselves on having a strong, inclusive, and positive culture based on our shared purpose and values. We know what it takes to be great, and we are as passionate about our people as we are about our purpose - to relieve suffering for people with great needs.

Neurocrine Biosciences is a leading neuroscience‑focused, biopharmaceutical company with a simple purpose: to relieve suffering for people with great needs. We are dedicated to discovering and developing life‑changing treatments for patients with under‑addressed neurological, neuroendocrine and neuropsychiatric disorders. The company's diverse portfolio includes FDA‑approved treatments for tardive dyskinesia, chorea associated with Huntington’s disease, classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, endometriosis
* and uterine fibroids*, as well as a robust pipeline including multiple compounds in mid‑ to late‑phase clinical development across our core therapeutic areas. For three decades, we have applied our unique insight into neuroscience and the interconnections between brain and body systems to treat complex conditions. We relentlessly pursue medicines to ease the burden of debilitating diseases and disorders because you deserve brave science.

For more information, visit , and follow the company on Linked In, X and Facebook. (
* in collaboration with Abb Vie)

The Program Team Leader (Sr. Director) is responsible for program strategy and achievement of development milestones from pre‑IND/First‑in‑Human through clinical development and commercialization. This leader provides vision, scientific leadership, and strategic direction for a multidisciplinary Program Team, ensuring seamless progression of assets across early, mid, and late‑stage development.

The role requires deep expertise in global drug development, clinical execution, risk management, and cross‑functional coordination and leadership. The Program Team Leader partners closely with functional heads, the VP, Program Team Leadership (direct manager), and the Chief Medical Officer (through reporting structure) and works with senior governance bodies including R&D Forum and Management Committee to drive key program decisions.

This position attracts senior‑level talent experienced in clinical development environments who can lead complex programs, influence across the organization, and deliver high‑quality outcomes aligned with corporate strategy.

This position is based out of our San Diego, CA, HQ campus full‑time (relocation support provided).

• Provides vision and leadership for a multidisciplinary Program Team; accountable for overall team performance, program outcomes, and delivery of high‑quality data packages to enable regulatory interactions and development milestones.
• Sets and drives global program strategy through development and execution of a comprehensive global Product Development Plan (gPDP) covering clinical, nonclinical, CMC, regulatory, and commercial considerations.
• Partners proactively with functional leaders to ensure appropriate resourcing, budgeting, scientific rigor, and operational execution to achieve program goals.
• Fosters a culture of innovation, accountability, and strategic thinking, enabling teams to meet or exceed milestones from early development through commercialization.

• Provides scientific and strategic direction to the team, including oversight of clinical strategy, study execution, data interpretation, and regulatory planning.
• Focuses team on high‑impact activities, ensuring clear prioritization, timely decision‑making, and effective issue escalation.
• Acts as the final decision‑maker at the Program Team level, using sound judgment to resolve cross‑functional challenges and quickly identify escalation pathways.
• Utilizes deep understanding of global drug development, clinical operations, and regulatory requirements to influence and guide strategic direction.
• Drives strategic discussions and recommendations with R&D Forum and Management Committee to secure alignment and approvals for major program decisions.