(AVP) Head of Late Stage Immunology

Position Overview

The Head of Late Stage Immunology reports directly to the Global Head of Immunology, Sanofi Vaccines R&D.   This role is strategic and operational with direct reports who represent Global Immunology (GI) leads on clinical stage project teams. Also, the requirement to strategize around outsourcing of critical late phase clinical trial analyses. The position interfaces and liaises across the value chain of Sanofi R&D from early product development to life cycle management.  

Primary Responsibilities

• Clinical Global Immunology Project Team (GPT) representatives, GI operations and project managers

• Liaise closely with Global Project Heads (GPH) and Global Clinical Development team

• Development and oversight of clinical testing strategy with the Global Clinical Immunology (GCI) team leads 

• Develop a sustainable and agile GI clinical outsourcing strategy that interfaces with Global Laboratory Operations and Support (GLOS) 

• Coordination with the early and clinical stage GI GPT leads in delivering strategies and execution plans for each project. Constructively challenge Immunology GPT members on the strategy and execution of project plans

• Ensuring end-to-end testing capabilities and efficiencies

• Work closely within GI: Heads of Preclinical Immunology, Clinical Experimental Immunology, GCI, Non-Clinical Safety, GI leaders worldwide 

• Work closely within Sanofi Vaccines R&D: Global Project Heads (GPH), leaders in Global Antigen Design (GAD), mRNA Center of Excellence and within each GPT to ensure that each investigational candidate is tested with the appropriate balance between exploration of immune characterization, appropriateness of down selection, then development and validation of assays for rigorous clinical testing

• Communicate key risks to Head Global Immunology, GPH/GPT and senior management of Sanofi Vaccines R&D

• Ensure that strategic objectives and priorities of GI, are articulated and accurately executed upon, with the strategic intent of the respective GPH/GPTs

• With the support of Global Head of Immunology, implement and optimize an operating model to promote an efficient GI project driven ecosystem, especially within clinical stage testing

• Ensure and maintain strategic external partnerships in order to consistently evolve the science 

• In close collaborations with the whole GI leadership team actively contribute, primarily to the science, to the rationalization of processes impacting our operations, to gain efficiencies and productivity in decision making and in execution.

This is a new strategic and dynamic role to the GI team that will partner closely with the GI leadership to achieve end to end coordination of immunological analyses and ensure excellence in clinical evaluation of lead vaccine candidates.  The role will liaise across the Sanofi R&D value chain with emphasis upon late-stage clinical development of candidates, thereby, formulation of pragmatic testing strategies for the global project teams via immunology leads and GPH. 

Main Responsibilities

Strategy and Leadership

• Accountable for guiding and developing the global project team immunology representatives 

• Contribute strongly to the development and oversight of the current and future clinical testing portfolio with emphasis upon the needs of the GPT, overall agility and competitiveness 

• Developing a cogent strategy for outsourcing of critical clinical analyses with partner organizations in collaboration of GLOS and clinical trials teams

• Strategically coordinate with the early stage/research immunology teams to ensure end-to-end communication and development of transferrable analyses in alignment with project goals

• Liaise and interface with all the groups in the value chain, from antigen design to clinical teams

• Input into the strategic objectives and priorities of Global Immunology in full alignment with the strategic intent of the respective global project teams

• Guarantee achievement of Project Key Milestones & Major Milestones that fall under function’s responsibility within the respect of budget and timelines

• Directly contribute to strategic decisions, as part of the function leadership team 

• Ensure active participation of the function to project decisions by empowerment of function GPT members and proactive alignment at the function level 

Engagement, Transformation and Culture

• Strong communication with the Global Head of Immunology to define, implement and optimize an efficient operating model, which promotes an ecosystem where the immune performance of lead candidates are tested with pragmatic and appropriate validated assays for rigorous clinical testing 

• Ensure harmonization of approaches across projects to implement end-to-end testing of the immune performance throughout early and clinical stage portfolio 

• Act as a leader or major contributor to specific strategic and transversal complex initiatives to support Sanofi Vaccine R&D ambition and challenge the status-quo

Essential Skills

• Ability to interact with people of differing cultural backgrounds and skills to achieve scientific and operational excellence

• Demonstrate strong commitment to scientific excellence and innovation

• Demonstrate interpersonal skills to ensure completion of targets and foster respect in the workplace

• Strong leadership that ensures the cross-group collaboration to achieve Sanofi R&D goals

• Guarantee the growth by developing leadership skills of direct reports

• In close collaboration with the GI department heads, identify and grow the talent pool for future GPT team members and make recommendations on high potential candidates

Other skills

• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills

• Proven track record and knowledge of R&D, assay development and validation in clinical trial analyses 

• Knowledge of project team dynamics and Agile methodology

• Strategic and operational thinking with a drive for continuous improvement and the ability to constructively challenge the status quo and propose innovative solutions

• Ability to motivate, engage, break silos, create teams to solve problems for the collective interest

• Good understanding of cross culture differences and diversities

• Entrepreneurial mindset with positive energy and strong sense of determination

• Problem-solver and decision-maker

• Strong Impact & Influencer

Education and background

• Effective Leader, with experience in pharma R&D and at least 5 years in vaccine development, with a strong knowledge of the value chain 

• MD degree or PhD in immunology, microbiology, virology or biochemistry

• Work experience both in early phase product development and clinical stage analyses 

• Strong track record and abilities to lead and manage teams

• Self-motivated and engaged individual who strive for results

• Excellent interpersonal and Communications skills in English 

Sanofi Inc. and its U.S. affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law.

#GD-SP
#LI-SP

At Sanofi diversity and inclusion is foundational to how we operate and embedded in our Core Values. We recognize to truly tap into the richness diversity brings we must lead with inclusion and have a workplace where those differences can thrive and be leveraged to empower the lives of our colleagues, patients and customers. We respect and celebrate the diversity of our people, their backgrounds and experiences and provide equal opportunity for all.