Research product team lead m/f/d

Research Product Team Lead m/f/d

As a Research Product Team Lead (m/f/d), you will lead a research product team or multiple teams within the Cardiovascular, Renal, and Immunology (CVRI) division. You will build and guide a fit‑for‑purpose research product team (RPT) to set the vision and strategic direction, ensuring the implementation of an aligned strategy across R&D and Pharma capability pools. Your accountability spans from the initiation of a product program (D1) through the confirmation of preclinical candidates (PCC).

YOUR TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Compose, shape, and maintain a motivated and high‑performing research product team(s) that flexibly evolves with project needs
• Lead the discovery of preclinical candidates from program initiation (D1) to preclinical candidate confirmation (PCC) across various therapeutic areas in line with research and portfolio
• Ensure efficient research product program planning and lean execution
• Drive and continuously develop the research product team strategy, vision, and purpose to validate scientific hypotheses and develop high‑value, innovative preclinical candidate/product profiles
• Focus the product team on developing and conducting critical experiments that lead to meaningful decisions for a differentiated product
• Drive strategic and quality decision‑making with the cross‑functional RPT
• Integrate data from various sources to form holistic evidence base for the asset
• Negotiate and secure resources from R&D and Pharma capability clusters to execute the product mission effectively
• Ensure appropriate consultation of experts and engage with the wider disease community to drive scientific, technical, and operational excellence
• Act as a VACC (Visionary, Architect, Catalyst, Coach) leader, holding team members accountable for their deliverables
• Manage program‑related decision powers and financial steering of product budgets
• Create outcome scenarios at data inflection points and present key evidence to governance bodies
• Participate actively in product team leader and disease communities to leverage collective experiences and knowledge
• Embody VACC leadership by guiding teams, removing roadblocks, shaping value‑creating systems, and coaching team members

WHO YOU ARE

• PhD, MD, and/or PharmD with long‑term relevant professional and academic experience, including several years in drug discovery and development in Cardiology, Nephrology, or Immunology
• Deep technical and scientific expertise in respective focus areas
• Several years of experience leading and managing cross‑functional global discovery teams
• Deep understanding of discovery and translational research, with experience in preclinical and early clinical development
• Experience in managing research budgets
• Successful track record of advancing programs from early discovery to preclinical development
• Situational leadership skills to build high‑performance teams in a highly matrixed environment
• Strong strategic mindset and business acumen with system awareness
• Proven entrepreneurial mindset and courage to challenge the status quo, striving for continuous improvement and innovation
• Excellent communication, networking, negotiation, and collaboration skills to engage stakeholders at all levels
• Ability to drive and influence decision‑making across the organization with strong stakeholder management capabilities
• Excellent presentation skills and the ability to hold people accountable respectfully
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and support technical research activities as needed
• Fluency in English is essential. Command of a second major European language, ideally German will be nice
• Applies VACC leadership behaviors, demonstrating self‑awareness,