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