Astellas Canada – Rx Pod Lead (Digital Product Manager)
At Astellas, we strive to become a cutting-edge, value-driven life science
innovator. This means working at the forefront of healthcare change to turn
innovative science into VALUE for patients.
What sets us apart is our focus on patients, our pioneering innovation, our
collaborative culture, and the passion of our talented people.
Making a positive impact on patients’ lives is the purpose behind everything we
do. At Astellas, we are relentless in our pursuit of scientific progress and in
tackling unmet medical needs, demonstrated by our legacy in oncology, overactive
bladder and transplant and our impressive pipeline in women's health, blindness
and regeneration, genetic regulation, immuno-oncology, mitochondria and targeted
protein degradation.
About Us
We are a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan, with a team of
more than 14,000 managing operations in approximately 70 countries around the
world. We are in the Top 30 global biopharma company based on global revenues
and are predicted to be one of the Top 10 Cancer Drug Makers of 2024 by Fierce
Pharma.
In Canada, we are growing to meet the exciting opportunities realized by our
legacy brands and rich pipeline of innovative treatments.
We are looking for candidates who will thrive in our entrepreneurial and
empowering environment where talent and leadership flourish. Do your values
align with our Astellas Way - patient focus, ownership, results, openness, and
integrity? Then we would love to hear from you.
From the first day in role, everyone at Astellas has a responsibility for
creating a brighter future for patients around the world. We nurture exceptional
relationships with our employees to allow them to thrive, foster innovation, and
deliver exceptional business results. We work to create a culture where our
people feel empowered to pursue brave ideas and ambitious outcomes, to have the
confidence to be accountable for a higher standard of performance and embody a
competitive and solutions-oriented mindset.
Our expertise, science and technology make us a pharma company. Our open and
diverse culture is what makes us uniquely Astellas.
Purpose:
The Rx Pod Lead holds a strategically core position in Digital Health within
Astellas, responsible for growing and overseeing multiple value teams under the
HealthX hub. This role involves leading and managing these teams, steering the
Pod’s strategic and tactical goals, and ensuring alignment with the aspirations
of the HealthX leadership team. Essential duties include coordinating value
teams, developing and implementing roadmaps, coaching team captains, guiding
backlog grooming, leading Pod management standups and retrospectives,
consolidating value team statuses at the Pod level, and working closely with the
hub leadership team.
This individual will have a strong background in Digital Health product
development and significant experience in Digital Product Management. Digital
Health expertise will ground the individual in the HealthX hub, but their
knowledge and experience as a Digital Product Manager will enable them to
strategically input to the development of the Digital Product Management chapter
within the CDTO Office.
This is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of digital health at
Astellas. To be successful in the role the individual will need to work closely
with the Head of HealthX and the Digital Health Strategy Lead, champion and
develop growing interest in Digital Health across Astellas pharmaceutical teams
(early pipeline and strategic brands), balance priorities, manage internal and
external resources, and help develop world class digital health products for the
Rx business.
Essential Job Responsibilities:
This role is expected to work flexibly, as job responsibilities will evolve as
the hub and pod are established, grow and scope is refined. The role is expected
to be able to adapt based on evolving findings and learning and work according
to the overall direction of the Head of HealthX. Some of the expected core
responsibilities are outlined below.
Rx Pod Lead – HealthX / Digital Product Manager
- As a member of the HealthX management team, help establish, develop, and grow
the HealthX hub as the home of Digital Health product design and development
in Astellas.
- Support development and delivery of the overall strategy for Rx focused
Digital Health in Astellas.
- Help develop the ‘Digital Health playbook’ (innovation and development
framework) for within Astellas.
- Engage with strategic brands and early asset teams to integrate Digital
Health product opportunities into brand strategies, tactics, and operational
plans. Manage demand for support and engagement with HealthX Rx Pod and
support talent pipeline activities to deliver against these demands and the
wider HealthX strategy.
- Support definition of objectives and key results for the Pod including budget
tracking and planning.
- Set-up, lead, and guide Value Teams and team captains, assisting in the
planning and execution of tasks.
- Where appropriate and necessary, act as Value Team Captain for a team(s)
within the Rx Pod. As a digital product manager, define and own the product
strategy and roadmap, manage the end-to-end product lifecycle from ideation
and prototyping to deployment and post-launch optimization, driving clear
definition of product requirements, prioritized features, and an agile
development approach.
- Foster a Pod culture that values experimentation, ownership, progress, and
success, along with innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Drive a steady state of high performance, creating a unified team within the
Pod, ensuring everyone works together towards their objectives.
- Collaborate and coordinate with employees across all levels and functions to
prioritise and align Pod activities and deliverables.
- Facilitate meetings including brainstorming, problem identification, and
solution development discussions.
- Identify and address any risks or issues related to the Pod.
- Adhere to and promote the DigitalX operating model along with its processes
and policies.
- Offer input on people development and performance to relevant DigitalX
leaders.
- Report Pod progress to HealthX and wider DigitalX leadership.
- Champion, promote, and support development of world class Digital Product
Management capabilities for the enterprise in support of both internal and
external products. Help foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and
continuous improvement.
- Encourage and lead innovative approaches and solutions to drive best practice
in Digital Product Management with a focus on Digital Health product
development.
Qualifications
Qualifications Required:
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Minimum of 8-10 years related experience.
- Significant demonstrable experience and in-depth knowledge of digital product
management, including strategic thinking, strategy and road map creation,
program and project strategy and management in a related field (e.g.
pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices,
diagnosis, digital health or other healthcare industry).
- Specific product management experience in digital health and/or digital
therapeutics.
- Proven experience in leading a product management team and digital health
focused team(s).
- Proven experience in managing and executing digital health programs from idea
conception through development and ideally to launch. Experience in leading
front-end innovation phases of work to determine opportunity potential and
strategic product roadmaps.
- Experience with mobile app development and SaMD (Software as a Medical
Device) development.
- Experience in developing written requirements for technical designs following
early innovation explorations, with a strong ability to translate technical
and non-technical content to senior stakeholders.
- A genuine passion for providing value to patients through digital healthcare
innovations. Must be driven to make a positive impact in the healthcare
domain.
- A strong understanding of the healthcare industry, including healthcare
delivery systems, clinical workflows, healthcare challenges, and the digital
health environment and industry.
- Strong leadership, management, communication, collaboration, organization,
judgement, and interpersonal skills for working with diverse global teams,
functions, stakeholders, and senior leadership.
- Demonstrated experience of successfully sourcing, engaging, and working with
external partners/suppliers.
- Proactive problem solver who is adaptable to changes in technology and
regulations.
- Ability to tactically and proactively operate as a team leader and team
member, ability to adapt to address challenges and unknowns with structure
and an enthusiastic approach.
- Strong sense of ethics and responsibility, understanding the importance of
prioritizing patient safety, data privacy, and ethical considerations in all
decisions.
Qualifications Preferred:
- Experience in working in a global organization.
- In-depth experience and use of agile project management methodology and
tools.
Working Environment
Hybrid work arrangements (on-site/work from home) from certain locations may be
permitted in accordance with Astellas’ Responsible Flexibility Guidelines.
This position is remote and is based in Canada (Ontario).
Additional Information
Astellas Pharma Canada welcomes and encourages applications from people with
disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part
in all aspects of the hiring process.
Astellas Pharma Canada requires full Vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition
of employment. Reasonable accommodation to this policy may be granted for a
valid accommodation request under human rights legislation.
No telephone inquiries, in-person applications, or agencies please. While we
appreciate all applications, only candidates under consideration will be
contacted.
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