Director, Product Pod Lead (Boston)

Job Description

The Product Pod Lead is a senior technology and product leader responsible for defining and executing the vision, strategy, and delivery of technology solutions that enable global R&D, Regulatory, or Global Development functions.

This role owns a portfolio of platforms and products—such as Regulatory Information Management (RIM), Clinical Operational, Clinical Data Products, and supporting integrations—and drives innovation to accelerate regulatory submissions, ensure compliance, and enhance operational efficiency. This role will coordinate with Business Systems Owners to identify value and business cases at the portfolio/pod level.

Product Strategy and Vision

• AI Native – Consistently challenge how processes and therefore products can evolve to exploit AI and drive towards the workforce and products of the future.
• Oversee a portfolio of products and services with end-to-end accountability for vision, backlog, budget, and lifecycle management, in collaboration with their product managers.
• Establish portfolio KPIs, success metrics, and performance dashboards to track value delivery.

Accountabilities

• Drive platform rationalization, data quality, and master data management strategies across Regulatory and Development functions.
• Lead cross-functional product teams (product managers, solution architects, engineers, data stewards, and external vendors) using Agile or hybrid methodologies.
• Oversee system implementation, integration, and enhancement projects ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and to quality standards.
• Ensure all systems meet regulatory requirements (21 CFR Part 11, GAMP 5, GDPR, FDA/EMA guidelines).
• Manage and mentor a team of senior product managers, business analysts, and technical leads.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, encouraging professional development and cross‑functional learning.
• Lead strategic vendor relationships within the portfolio, as applicable.

Core Elements Related to this Role

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate regulatory and R&D business needs into technology capabilities.
• Inspires trust and collaboration across business and IT teams.

Dimensions and Aspects

Technical/Functional (Line) Expertise

• Strong knowledge of data governance, master data management, and regulatory compliance.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills at the senior executive level.
• Demonstrated success in Agile product management, technology strategy, and vendor management.
• Experience with cloud‑based platforms (Veeva, Salesforce, AWS, Azure) and emerging technologies such as AI, NLP, and process automation.

Leadership

• Collaborate effectively with Product Managers, Business System Owners and key business stakeholders, Solution Architecture and other stakeholders on an ecosystem of products, platforms, analytics and microservices to give Takeda a modern footprint.
• Collaborate with the broader product management and enterprise on transformational initiatives.

Decision‑making and Autonomy

• Ability to evaluate and recommend the right technology platforms and software products to solve business problems.

Interaction

• Embeds with product teams as needed to ensure full transparency and no surprises, keeping product stakeholders up to date with the latest on delivery status, product risks and scope changes.
• Reconciles perspectives on portfolio strategy and priorities into a consensus that all stakeholders can support.

Innovation

• Stay on top of new trends in the industry and understand how these new technologies may be applied to the product roadmap.

Complexity

• Effectively convey the portfolio vision and other messages requiring action, in a way that brings people on board with the vision and builds their enthusiasm about fulfilling it.
• When required to evangelize the vision into target communities or ecosystems, represent the product or platform within that community in a way that ensures all ecosystem partners feel heard and well served by the product vision.
• Strong executive level presence and communications.

Education, Behavioral Competencies and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Life Sciences, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of IT leadership experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, or regulated life sciences industry.
• Minimum of 8 years of people leadership experience leading a medium to large organization and influencing senior‑level management and key stakeholders.
• Proven track record of driving business process transformation and organizational culture change as well as delivering on programs with complex business deliverables.
• Ability to set priorities, deliver on deadlines and develop workflow processes and tasks in an evolving, dynamic marketplace.
• Strong analytical skills and budget management.
• Previous organizational change management experience.
• Ability to demonstrate strategic and critical thinking, as well as problem solving skills.
• Track record of successful leadership, management, and development of small to medium, multi‑disciplinary dispersed teams. Strong judge of talent with the ability to make tough talent decisions.
• Deep expertise in Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Development, and R&D technology ecosystems (e.g., Veeva Vault RIM, CTMS, eTMF, QMS, IDMP, product master data).
• Proven track record of managing multi‑million‑dollar technology portfolios and delivering complex global programs.

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary

For Location: Boston, MA

U.S. Base Salary Range: $177,000.00 - $278,080.00

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors including qualifications, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications, or other professional licenses held, and the location of the applicant. The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.

U.S. employees may be eligible for short‑term and/or long‑term incentives. U.S. employees may also participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with company match, short‑term and long‑term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays, and well‑being benefits. U.S. employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation.

EEO Statement

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations Boston, MA

Worker Type Employee

Worker Sub‑Type Regular

Time Type Full time

Job Exempt Yes