Head of Project Management

Head of Project Management

Location: Barcelona, Spain

About the Job

As Head of Project Management within Sanofi Business Operations (SBO) Medical, you will lead and develop a global team of 60–70 project managers across Bogota (Colombia), Hyderabad (India), and potentially Budapest (Hungary) and other Business Operations locations. Reporting to the Head of Stakeholder and Project Management, you will establish and drive a center of excellence in project management, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery of Medical Affairs and Market Access activities across all therapeutic areas and geographies.

Our Team

Our ambition: deliver best-in-class enterprise services enabling Sanofi to chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives. Sanofi has been building the foundations of enterprise services over the past few years. With the creation of the global business unit Business Operations two years ago, we have elevated our commitment to innovation and excellence.

An expert leadership team, passionate about leading high performance. We are building for the long term. We bring people together – many of them in our four hub locations around the world - which simplify processes, break down barriers and modernize the way we work in Sanofi.

Our critical success factors:

We have identified three key drivers:

1. Community - Building a vibrant team that will attract and engage talent, with four global hubs.

2. Excellence - Simplifying, standardizing and continuously improving processes to capture synergies, scale effects and productivity improvements.

3. Digitalization - Enabling transparency, data-driven decision-making support, agility and rapid innovation across Sanofi's entire value chain.

Scope & Organizational Impact

Team Size: 60–70 Project Managers across multiple international locations

Geographic Scope: Bogota (Colombia), Hyderabad (India), potentially Budapest (Hungary) and other BO locations

Therapeutic Scope: All disease areas within Medical Affairs and Market Access

Functional Scope: End-to-end project management across budget management, congress activities, medical affairs deliverables, and market access initiatives

Main Responsibilities

1. Project Management Leadership (35%)

Lead and develop a global team of 40–50 project managers across Bogota, Hyderabad, and potentially Budapest and other BO locations, ensuring excellence in delivery and operational performance
Establish and maintain a Project Management Center of Excellence, driving enterprise-wide standardization and economies of scale
Implement standardized project management methodologies, tools, and best practices (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid) to be applied consistently across portfolios and regions
Ensure consistent delivery quality across all geographies, therapeutic areas, and project types — from budget management to congress and events activities
Drive operational excellence and cost optimization through standardization, shared services models, and continuous improvement
Develop scalable project management frameworks adaptable to different project sizes, complexities, and therapeutic areas

2. Team Management & Development (25%)

Directly manage Team Leads based in Bogota and Hyderabad, providing clear direction, performance management, and development support
Provide coaching, mentoring, and structured performance feedback to build a high-performing, globally distributed team
Lead recruitment, onboarding, and capability-building initiatives to ensure the team is equipped to meet evolving business needs
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable culture across distributed teams spanning multiple time zones and cultures
Ensure adequate resource allocation, capacity planning, and workload balance across all locations
Support potential expansion of the team to Budapest and other BO locations as the organization scales

3. Stakeholder Collaboration (20%)

Partner closely with Account Managers to support the delivery of Medical Affairs and Market Access objectives across all therapeutic areas and geographies
Collaborate with Medical leads, HEVA, and Commercial teams to ensure project management capabilities are aligned with business priorities
Coordinate with the Global Meetings and Events team to anticipate and plan for congress activities and related deliverables
Support budget management processes, ensuring financial discipline and transparency across all managed projects
Serve as a key point of escalation and resolution for project delivery issues, maintaining proactive and transparent communication with all stakeholders
Ensure alignment between project management activities and the priorities of internal stakeholders across GBUs

4. Process & Governance (15%)

Develop and implement robust PM governance frameworks that ensure consistency in delivery, resource allocation, and risk management across all geographies and disease areas
Establish clear metrics, KPIs, and reporting mechanisms to track project delivery performance and drive accountability
Create and maintain project management tools, templates, and training programs to elevate capabilities across the organization
Drive continuous improvement initiatives, identifying and eliminating operational inefficiencies and duplication
Ensure compliance with Sanofi quality standards, regulatory requirements, and internal policies across all project management activities

5. Strategic Planning & Innovation (5%)

Contribute to the strategic planning and evolution of the project management function within SBO Medical
Identify opportunities for process improvement, automation, and digital enablement to enhance team productivity and delivery quality
Stay current with project management industry trends, emerging best practices, and innovations relevant to medical affairs and market access
Support business development initiatives by demonstrating the value and scalability of the project management function

About You

Experience & Expertise

• Minimum 8–10 years of project management experience in a multinational company (pharmaceutical, medical affairs, or medical communications is a plus)

Proven experience managing large, geographically distributed teams (30+ people preferred), including direct management of team leads across multiple countries
It is desired to have strong knowledge of Medical Affairs and Market Access activities, including budget management, congress and events planning, publication planning, and cross-functional medical deliverables
Demonstrated ability to build, scale, and lead operational capabilities including centers of excellence or shared service functions
Experience managing teams across multiple countries and cultures, with sensitivity to diverse working styles and regulatory environments
Proven track record of delivering operational excellence and cost savings through standardization and process optimization

Skills & Competencies

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization

Proficiency in project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid) and associated tools and platforms
Excellent organizational, planning, and prioritization skills in a complex, fast-paced global environment
Demonstrated ability to drive change and continuous improvement across distributed teams
Strong analytical mindset with experience establishing metrics, KPIs, and governance frameworks
Collaborative leadership style with a focus on team development, coaching, and performance management

Education & Certifications

Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MSc, or scientific discipline) preferred
PMP or equivalent project management certification highly preferred
Fluent in English (required); Spanish proficiency is a strong advantage given the Bogota team management responsibilities

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