Vice President, Program Management

Vice President, Program Management

Waltham, Massachusetts

At Kailera, we are bold, authentic and committed to our mission of developing therapies that give people the power to transform their lives and elevate their overall health. Rooted in an entrepreneurial spirit and a team-oriented culture, we are working together to advance Kailera's mission to advance novel therapies for obesity and related conditions. We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes collaboration, integrity, and excellence. As we expand, we seek the most talented individuals with diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences to join our team.

The Vice President, Program Management is accountable for the operational execution of Kailera's development programs, with a strong emphasis on late-stage development. Reporting to the Chief Business and Operating Officer, this leader will serve as the day-to-day engine of the program management function – ensuring that integrated plans are built, maintained, and executed with rigor. The Vice President will directly manage a team of three Program Managers (plus additional contract Program Managers) and serve as the cross-functional connective tissue that keeps teams aligned, milestones on track, and risks visible.

This role demands a leader who is equally comfortable driving detailed execution and operating at the strategic level alongside functional heads and senior leadership. The ideal candidate brings deep Phase 3 experience, strong team development instincts, and the discipline to build and sustain operational infrastructure in a fast-moving organization.

Required location: Waltham, MA (hub-based, onsite 3-4 days per week)

Responsibilities:

• Own integrated program management across Kailera's development portfolio across all programs, with primary accountability for Phase 3 programs
• Drive the evolution of Kailera's program management capabilities toward a portfolio-based framework, providing enterprise-wide visibility into milestones, dependencies, resources, risks, and strategic priorities
• Build and maintain comprehensive integrated project plans, timelines, and cross-functional dependencies
• Track and communicate program status, key milestones, critical path activities, and risks with clarity and consistency
• Ensure cross-functional teams are aligned on priorities, deliverables, and decision points at all stages of development
• Proactively identify risks and interdependencies; drive issue resolution with urgency and accountability
• Participate in Quarterly Business Reviews, providing program updates, highlighting key milestones, risks, and strategic considerations across the portfolio
• Partner closely with Clinical, Regulatory, CMC, and Medical Affairs to ensure Phase 3 plans are fully integrated and execution-ready
• Manage program timelines from Phase 3 initiation through NDA submission readiness, coordinating across all workstreams
• Ensure submission-enabling activities – data management, regulatory strategy, CMC milestones – are tracked as integrated components of the program plan
• Support the COO in shaping late-stage development strategy by providing operational perspective and risk intelligence
• Directly manage, mentor, and develop a team of three Program Managers and additional contractors, supporting cross-functional program teams
• Build a high-performing, accountable team culture with clear expectations, strong communication norms, and a commitment to continuous improvement
• Serve as a model for cross-functional collaboration and operational excellence across the organization
• Support the professional growth of each PM through coaching, feedback, and expanding scope of responsibility over time
• Emulate Kailera's culture and reinforce Operating Principles, ensuring that both program outcomes and the behaviors used to achieve them reflect the company's commitment to collaboration, accountability, transparency, and operational excellence
• Design and maintain program governance frameworks, review cadences, and reporting structures in alignment with the COO
• Build a world class program management office capability – develop and standardize templates, dashboards, and tools that drive efficiency and visibility across programs; this includes a communication discipline working with the program teams and helping to integrate across the key internal forums
• Ensure program documentation – integrated development plans, target product profiles, risk registers – is current, accurate, and decision-ready
• Drive meeting conduct, decision-making discipline, and lessons-learned processes with a focus on operational excellence
• Serve as a trusted partner and day-to-day interface for functional leads across Clinical, Regulatory, CMC, Commercial, and Finance
• Prepare and present program updates, milestone summaries, and risk assessments for senior leadership and governance forums
• Operate with influence rather than authority – building alignment and driving accountability across a matrixed organization
• Support the COO in representing the program management function at the executive level and in board-level discussions
• Collaborate with Program Leader / SVP Franchise Lead to align strategic objectives with execution plans, ensuring program teams remain focused on priorities, milestones, risks, and decision points
• Ensure all program activities comply with applicable regulations, ICH guidelines, and company policies
• Champion data-driven, transparent decision-making, and ethical business practices across the program portfolio
• Maintain robust risk management oversight and escalation protocols

Required Qualifications:

• 15+ years of progressive experience in biotech or pharma, with a strong focus on program management in clinical-stage organizations
• Demonstrated track record of driving Phase 3 programs with rigor – ideally through NDA submission – in both pharma and biotech settings
• Direct people management experience required; proven ability to build and develop high-performing PM teams
• Deep operational knowledge of integrated development planning, cross-functional execution, and governance infrastructure
• Experience in general medicine therapeutic areas (metabolic disease, cardiovascular, endocrinology, or similar) preferred; oncology-only backgrounds are less preferred
• History of succeeding in lean, fast-moving biotech environments – bringing structure and discipline without sacrificing speed
• Exceptional communication and facilitation skills; ability to distill complexity and drive clarity at all levels of the organization

Education:

• Advanced degree (MBA, MS, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent) preferred

Salary Range

$272,000 - $340,000 USD

For Full Time Roles: This range represents the company's good-faith estimate of the salary at the time of posting. Actual pay may vary based on experience, skills, qualifications, location, and internal equity. We also offer comprehensive health coverage, flexible time off, paid holidays, and a year-end shutdown. Enjoy a monthly wellness stipend, generous 401(k) match, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, disability and life insurance, plus annual bonus opportunities and equity grants—because your well-being and future matter to us.

Equal Employment Opportunity Information:

Kailera Therapeutics, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, creed, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age (40 and over), sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions, and lactation), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, reproductive health decisions, domestic victim status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.

E-Verify:

Kailera Therapeutics, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.