Job Description for Research Project Manager
Harness Therapeutics is seeking a Research Project Manager to drive the planning, coordination, and execution of our research programs at the Babraham Research Campus in Cambridge, one of the UK’s leading biotech hubs. The role presents an excellent opportunity for a talented and dynamic individual to advance their career and join an evolving biotech that is focused on the development of RNA-targeted therapeutics in neurodegenerative disease. For more information, please visit https://www.Harnesstx.com/
The successful candidate will join the Programme Management & Operations Team and share responsibility for project management of the Harness’ pipeline projects at pre-candidate stage.
This role sits at the intersection of science and operations – you’ll partner closely with scientists, leadership, and outsourcing partners, to keep complex, multi-stakeholder research projects on track, on budget, and aligned with strategic goals.
Candidates must have experience working with cross-functional teams in an early-stage Research-focused environment, be expert in the use of standard project management tools (e.g. Smartsheet or MS Project) and a talent for developing and maintaining systems and processes to efficiently drive progress in a highly dynamic environment .
This is an outstanding opportunity for someone seeking a broad role across a pipeline of exciting and innovative projects with potential for disease modification in multiple devastating neurodegenerative diseases.
Key Areas of Responsibility
- Responsible for developing and maintaining detailed and high level project plans to support the execution of deliverables to agreed milestones.
- Support resource planning and prioritization across concurrent research projects
- Help establish and improve project management processes, tools, and best practices across the research organization
- Coordinate cross-functional communication between research scientists, CROs/CDMOs, and external collaborators
- Understands critical path activities, anticipates risks, and assists in creating contingency plans.
- Identifies issues and facilitates problem-solving, contingency planning, and decision-making.
- Communicates effectively and proactively to ensure thinking is ‘joined up’ within the team, and informs key stakeholders of status, issues, problems, and proposed solutions as appropriate.
- Owns the project tools (i.e. plans, budget, risk register, action & decision logs, meeting materials etc) and other key documents, ensuring team and stakeholder access to key information.
- Manages vendor and external partner relationships related to research activities (contracts, timelines, deliverables)
- Leads ad hoc workstreams as needed
Essential Skills and Qualifications
The ideal candidate for this role will have:
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably in life science (biology, chemistry, pharmacology, or related)
- Fluent English (oral and written)
- 3+ years of project management experience in biotech, pharma, or a research-intensive environment, working in a multidisciplinary environment or in a line function
- Strong understanding of the drug discovery/development process
- Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
- Strong communication skills — able to translate between scientific and operational/business language.
- Comfort working directly with scientists and interpreting technical/scientific content
- Advanced planning and tracking skills with attention to detail, capable of managing multiple activities/projects simultaneously, and experience with project management tools (e.g. Smartsheet or MS project)
- Well organised, excellent time management with respect to priorities and self-management
- Strong interpersonal skills and enthusiastic team player with demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships
- Action-oriented. Involves the right team members in the right situation at the right time
- Highly numerate and logical thinker
- Proactive problem solver who thrives on challenges and enjoys learning new things
Desirable but not essential:
- Higher degree or doctorate preferably in life science
- Specific experience of oligonucleotide-based therapies and/or drug discovery in the neurodegeneration space
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