Director, CoE Strategy & AI Innovation

Director, CoE Strategy & AI Innovation

The Director, CoE Strategy & AI Innovation is the operational and innovation engine of BMS's Global Market Research (MR) Center of Excellence (CoE). This role is responsible for designing and operationalizing the CoE's operating model, building and governing the enterprise MR AI product roadmap, and ensuring that shared Market Research capabilities are built, adopted, and continuously improved across all Therapeutic Areas (TA) and Business Units (BU).

This leader establishes how the CoE functions in an advisory capability, defining how TA and BU teams engage CoE expertise, how standards are collaboratively developed and endorsed, and how AI-enabled research tools are governed and scaled. This role serves as the primary architect of the MR AI transformation, translating the vision of a capability-first, innovation-led CoE into a functioning operating reality.

The Director, Global Market Research CoE Strategy & AI Innovation reports directly to the Executive Director, Global Market Research, and serves as the CoE's primary internal integrator, reconciling requirements from TA and BU stakeholders, managing the AI product roadmap, and ensuring the CoE's enterprise-wide commitments are met with consistency and credibility.

Responsibilities:

• Build and Operate the Circle of Excellence Operating Model
• Own the MR AI Capability Roadmap
• Govern Platform Use and Quality
• Stakeholder Engagement and CoE Advocacy

Qualifications:

• Minimum 8 years of experience in Market Research, commercial insights, or a related analytics or strategy function within the pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare industry
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred
• Demonstrated experience designing and operationalizing a new function, capability, or center of excellence, including operating model design, governance framework development, and stakeholder adoption management in a matrixed environment
• Fluency in primary Market Research methodologies across qualitative, quantitative and longitudinal approaches, to engage credibly with expert TA MR practitioners and translate their capability needs into well-scoped platform requirements
• Proven experience as a Business Product Owner or product manager for an AI, analytics, or digital tool in a commercial or insights context
• Strong understanding of AI and advanced analytics applications within Market Research, including AI-assisted analysis, self-serve research tools, synthetic data, and rapid testing methodologies
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing stakeholder requirements and translate them into a coherent, prioritized capability roadmap
• Strong governance and operating model design skills; able to establish clear guardrails and engagement protocols that enable rather than constrain TA team autonomy
• Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to translate complex capability and technology decisions into clear, decision-ready recommendations for senior leadership
• Familiarity with global regulatory requirements for Market Research data usage, AI ethics, and privacy compliance

Key Competencies:

Capability Platform Ownership

• Proven ability to own and manage a capability or product roadmap end-to-end (from requirements intake through deployment and adoption)
• Translates diverse stakeholder needs into a coherent, TA-agnostic platform design

Governance Design and Enablement

• Experience designing governance frameworks that set clear guardrails without creating bureaucratic friction
• Builds operating models that give TA teams autonomy within a consistent, governed structure

AI and Technology Fluency

• Deep understanding of AI-enabled MR tools and their implications for research design, quality, and decision-making
• Able to evaluate emerging technologies and make credible build-versus-buy recommendations

Cross-Functional Influence and Stakeholder Management

• Demonstrated ability to align competing TA and BU stakeholder priorities into a coherent capability agenda
• Builds trust with expert practitioners by understanding their needs, not by asserting authority over their work

Operating Model and Change Management

• Skilled in standing up new functions including operating model design, stakeholder onboarding, and adoption measurement
• Creates enthusiasm for new shared capabilities in organizations where TA teams are accustomed to full autonomy

Executive Communication

• Connects CoE capability investments to commercial and patient outcomes in language that resonates with senior leadership
• Communicates platform governance decisions with clarity and without unnecessary complexity