Head of Project Management R&D, Innovation, NPI & Master Data (all genders)

Your Role: 

We are looking for a senior and strategic leader to take on the role of Head of Project Management LS DDIT R&D, Innovation, NPI & Master Data within our Life Science DDIT organization in Darmstadt, Germany. In this high-impact leadership position, you will own and drive the end-to-end project and portfolio management function across four critical domains: R&D, Innovation, NPI, and Master Data.

You will establish the required governance, coordinate project delivery, manage priorities and dependencies, and ensure effective execution across our portfolio. As a trusted partner to senior leadership, you will create portfolio-wide transparency, enable data-driven decision-making, and build a high-performing project management function that scales with the organization's ambitions.

This role sits at the heart of Life Science DDIT's strategic agenda, bridging leadership intent with operational execution across a complex, multi-initiative landscape.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Governance & Steering

Define, establish, and continuously evolve LS DDIT portfolio governance structures, frameworks, and ways of working across R&D, Innovation, NPI & Master Data

Create and own a consolidated view of all relevant initiatives, priorities, risks, and management attention points

Ensure clear and consistent visibility of portfolio status, dependencies, and strategic alignment across the organization

Drive portfolio-level prioritization in close collaboration with senior leadership and key stakeholders as part of our “R&D and Innovation Domain Forum”.

Project Delivery Leadership

Lead and oversee end-to-end project delivery across the portfolio, ensuring initiatives are executed on time, within scope, and aligned to strategic objectives

Proactively manage priorities, interdependencies, and resource constraints across concurrent initiatives

Establish and enforce delivery standards, escalation paths, and accountability mechanisms across the portfolio

Follow up on key actions, commitments, and open topics to ensure consistent and timely execution

Oversee and guide both internal and external project managers, ensuring consistent delivery standards, clear accountability, and effective performance across all engagements

Technology & AI-Driven Efficiency

Identify and leverage technology and AI solutions to automate repetitive project and portfolio management tasks, driving greater efficiency and freeing up capacity for higher-value activities

Evaluate, implement, and continuously improve PPM tooling and digital capabilities to enhance LS DDIT portfolio visibility, reporting, and decision support

Promote a culture of digital innovation within the project management function, encouraging the adoption of intelligent automation and data-driven ways of working

Stay current with emerging trends in AI-enabled project management and proactively assess their applicability within the Life Science DDIT context

Alignment with LS DDIT Portfolio Management

Ensure close and continuous alignment with the LS DDIT Portfolio Manager to maintain coherence between project-level execution and portfolio-level reporting

Collaborate on integrated portfolio views, joint prioritization exercises, and cross-domain dependency management

Contribute to a unified portfolio management approach across Life Science DDIT, ensuring consistency in governance, reporting, and decision-making processes

Prepare and facilitate portfolio and leadership discussions, structuring decision points and escalation topics with clarity and precision

Consolidate decision-relevant management information and ensure structured follow-up on agreed actions

Provide concise, insight-driven portfolio views to support senior leadership in strategic decision-making

Leadership Enablement & Organizational Impact

Act as a strategic and operational partner to the Life Science DDIT R&D, Innovation, NPI & Master Data leadership team, creating capacity for strategic priorities and organizational leadership

Build, lead, and develop a high-performing project management function, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

Translate leadership priorities and decisions into coordinated follow-up actions across the portfolio

Champion best practices in project and portfolio management, driving maturity and capability across the organization

Stakeholder Management

Orchestrate alignment across a broad set of stakeholders within Life Science DDIT and, where required, across other Life Science and Merck divisions and functions

Partner with R&D, Innovation, NPI, and Master Data domain leads to align portfolio priorities and ensure effective communication of progress and risks

Manage vendor relationships and external partners, ensuring delivery standards and contractual commitments are met

Who you are:

Required:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Informatics, Life Sciences, or a related field

Significant experience in senior Project & Portfolio Management roles, with a proven track record of leading complex, multi-domain portfolios at scale

Demonstrated experience in establishing portfolio governance frameworks and driving strategic execution across large organizations

Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence, align, and inspire senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams

Deep understanding of portfolio management frameworks, governance models, and decision-support methodologies

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills in both English and German, with the ability to present clearly to executive audiences

Proven ability to operate effectively in a complex, matrixed, and fast-paced environment

Preferred:

Experience in the Life Sciences, pharmaceutical, R&D, or healthcare industry

Familiarity with agile, hybrid, and traditional project delivery methodologies (Scrum, SAFe, PRINCE2, or similar)

Experience leading or building project management functions or Centers of Excellence (CoE)

Experience overseeing mixed teams of internal and external project managers

Knowledge of PPM tools and platforms

Familiarity with AI and automation tools applicable to project and portfolio management (e.g., AI-assisted reporting, intelligent scheduling, or workflow automation)

Department: LS-DI-RI Innovation, R&D & NPI

Role level: Manager Level 4