Associate Director, Program Management

RhyGaze is a biotech company developing transformative gene therapies to restore vision in patients with blindness. Our programs target patients with blinding retinal diseases, and we are committed to bringing life-changing treatments to those in need.

As RhyGaze expands its portfolio and advances additional development assets, we are seeking an Associate Director, Program Management to provide leadership across one or more development programs and support portfolio execution. Reporting to the Program Management Lead, this individual will drive cross-functional planning and execution, facilitate governance and decision-making processes, and ensure alignment across internal teams and external partners.

The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution to help advance key corporate and development objectives. Serving as a trusted partner and deputy to the Program Management Lead, the Associate Director will represent the function when needed, provide leadership across assigned programs, and contribute to the continued development of RhyGaze's program management capabilities as the organization grows.

Program Leadership and Execution

• Support the planning, execution, and monitoring of one or more development programs across the RhyGaze portfolio.
• Partner with program teams to establish integrated development plans, timelines, budgets, and milestones.
• Drive cross-functional alignment and accountability to ensure achievement of program objectives.
• Identify interdependencies across programs and proactively manage competing priorities and resource constraints.
• Support portfolio-level planning activities and preparation of executive updates.
• Ensure program activities remain aligned with corporate objectives and strategic priorities.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Facilitate collaboration among Research, CMC, Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Finance, and external partners.
• Organize and lead cross-functional team meetings, ensuring clear documentation of decisions, actions, and follow-up activities.
• Track critical path activities and escalate issues appropriately to leadership.
• Ensure effective communication of program status, risks, opportunities, and key decisions across the organization.

Strategic Planning and Governance

• Assist in the development and maintenance of integrated project plans, dashboards, and portfolio reporting tools.
• Prepare materials for governance committees, leadership reviews, Board meetings, and investor updates as required.
• Support scenario planning and strategic decision-making by providing project analyses and recommendations.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of project management processes, tools, and best practices.

Risk and Issue Management

• Lead proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of program risks.
• Maintain risk registers and issue logs across assigned programs.
• Facilitate cross-functional problem-solving and decision-making to minimize schedule, budget, or operational impacts.
• Ensure risks and mitigation plans are clearly communicated to leadership and stakeholders.

External Partner Management

• Coordinate activities with CROs, CDMOs, consultants, academic collaborators, and other external partners.
• Monitor partner deliverables, timelines, and performance to ensure alignment with program objectives.
• Support contract oversight, budget tracking, and vendor performance reviews.

Operational Leadership

• Serve as a strategic partner to the Program Management Lead in managing day-to-day portfolio operations.
• Act as delegate for the Program Management Lead in internal governance meetings, partner interactions, and cross-functional decision-making forums as required.
• Provide leadership and continuity during periods of absence of the Program Management Lead.
• Provide program leadership across assigned assets while maintaining visibility across the broader portfolio to ensure alignment of priorities, resources, and timelines.
• Contribute to the evolution and scalability of RhyGaze's program management function as the company expands its development pipeline.
• Help establish a culture of accountability, collaboration, transparency, and operational excellence.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, Engineering, or a related field required; advanced degree (MS, PhD, MBA, or equivalent) preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or advanced therapy development.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in program or project management supporting drug development programs.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams in a matrix organization.
• Experience supporting development programs from preclinical through clinical stages.
• Experience working with CROs, CDMOs, consultants, and other external development partners.
• Experience in gene therapy, cell therapy, rare disease, ophthalmology, or other advanced therapeutic modalities preferred.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of drug development processes from preclinical through clinical development.
• Excellent project planning, organizational, and prioritization skills.
• Proficiency with project management and collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Project, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Jira, or similar tools.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, including development of executive dashboards, portfolio reporting, governance materials, and leadership presentations.
• Experience establishing and improving project management processes, governance structures, and portfolio reporting within a growing biotechnology organization.
• Experience supporting governance, stage-gate reviews, and cross-functional decision-making processes.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Comfortable operating in a lean and rapidly evolving biotechnology company.

Why Join Us

• Opportunity to help develop breakthrough therapies for patients with serious vision-threatening diseases.
• Work alongside a passionate, highly experienced team at the forefront of ophthalmology innovation.
• Meaningful impact in a growing biotech company.
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial culture where science and innovation drive decision-making.

The position is based in Philadelphia. Candidates are expected to be 3 days per week onsite.

Candidates needs legally able to work in the US (US citizen or US work permit).