Senior Manager, Program Operations

The Senior Manager, Program Operations role is a cross-functional integrator responsible for enabling the execution and operational visibility of Upstream Bio's portfolio across all verekitug indications. This role is distinctly positioned at the Clinical Development Team (CDT) level, serving as the operational backbone for cross study-level coordination, dashboard management, and cross-functional reporting. It is not a clinical operations role; this individual does not own site management, monitoring, or CRO operational delivery.

Rather, they ensure that CDT-level work products, timelines, risks, and decisions are clearly synthesized, tracked, and communicated upward to the Asset (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). when required. A critical integration point for this role is alignment with the CMC Project Manager to ensure that drug supply planning, manufacturing milestones, and regulatory timelines are incorporated into the study-level and Asset-level plans and timelines.

The Senior Manager, Program Operations acts as a connective layer between operational execution and leadership visibility, translating Study Management Team (SMT) inputs into CDT and AT-ready reporting.

• Develop, own, and maintain the integrated development timeline across all indications, consolidating inputs from each Study Team into a single, coherent program-level view.
• Identify cross-indication dependencies, critical path activities, and schedule risks; proactively flag and drive resolution with relevant stakeholders.
• Partner with Study Team leads to ensure study-level timelines roll up accurately and consistently into the integrated plan.
• Serve as operational interface to Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) team – translating timeline and scenario planning into FP&A inputs for program financial modeling and budget assumptions.

• Serve as the operational lead for the Clinical Development Team (CDT), designing and running effective team meetings, agendas, and follow-through on action items and decisions.
• Facilitate alignment across functions (Clinical Operations, Regulatory, Translational Sciences, Biostatistics, Clinical Development, Supply Chain, CMC and Device Development) to ensure CDT work streams are coordinated and progressing.
• Act as the connective tissue between the CDT and Study Teams, ensuring information, decisions, and risks flow in both directions without duplication or gaps.
• Support the CDT Leads in preparing program-level updates and materials for the Asset Team and senior leadership.
• Maintain a program-level risk register; work with CDT members to identify, assess, and track mitigation plans for cross-functional and cross-indication risks.
• Work with CDT to escalates issues to the Asset Team with appropriate context and recommended paths forward.

• Maintain study dashboards and status reports that give CDT and Asset Team to real-time visibility into progress and milestones.
• Ensure decisions made at the CDT level are documented, communicated, and tracked to closure.
• Support preparation of governance materials for Asset Team or Development Program reviews.

• Establish and continuously improve CDT operating processes (e.g., meeting cadences, decision frameworks, tools, and templates) appropriate for a lean organization.
• Champion the use of project management tools and ensure consistent adoption across Study Teams to enable reliable roll-up into the integrated plan.

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, health sciences, or a related field; advanced degree preferred
• 6+ years of experience in clinical project management, clinical program management, or a related function within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company
• Demonstrated experience supporting cross-functional study management teams (SMTs) or equivalent forums in a Phase 3 or later clinical development and commercial context
• Strong proficiency in developing and maintaining integrated timelines, study dashboards, status reports, and risk registers across multiple concurrent programs
• Experience interfacing with CMC, regulatory affairs, and clinical operations functions in a program integration capacity
• Excellent organizational, communication, and facilitation skills; able to synthesize complex inputs into clear, actionable outputs
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a lean organization where clarity of role boundaries and proactive communication are essential

• Experience in respiratory or inflammatory disease clinical development
• Familiarity with Phase 3 global clinical trials, including multi-national site operations
• PMP certification or equivalent formal project management training
• Experience in a growth-stage or post-IPO biotech environment
• Proficiency with project management and study tracking tools (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project)

Upstream Bio is a clinical-stage biotechnology company, based in Waltham, MA,…