Associate Director, Strategic Planning & Operations, Rare Disease

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies (U.S.)
Springfield, IL

The Associate Director, Strategic Planning & Operations will support the assets of varying lifecycle stages in the relevant therapeutic area portfolio. This role is crucial in driving operational excellence and innovation within our Global Medical Affairs organization, with a specific focus on the relevant therapeutic area programs. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping and implementing best practices and ensuring efficient medical affairs processes are in place. This position reports directly into the Director, Strategic Planning Lead, who in turn reports into the Medical Excellence & Operations Lead.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities Include:

Strategic Planning & Execution

  • Develop and implement strategic plans in partnership with Medical Strategy leadership to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness within the GMA organization for the relevant therapeutic area portfolio

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align global medical operations with overall business objectives and therapeutic area strategies

  • Act as point lead (in collaboration with commercial) to coordinate annual medical/brand plans for the relevant therapeutic area portfolio

  • Drive long-term planning for the CNS portfolio by managing a 1 to 3-year roadmap that supports strategic decision-making and cross-functional collaboration

  • Oversee end-to-end program management processes, including planning, tracking, and reporting across key initiatives

Operational Efficiency and Process Improvement

  • Identify opportunities for process improvement and lead initiatives to streamline GMA operations worldwide

  • Implement and optimize systems and tools to enhance productivity and data management within GMA

  • Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of global medical operations

  • Consider technology and AI to support workflow improvement

Cross-functional Collaboration

  • Foster strong partnerships with Global Clinical Development, Global R&D Evidence, Commercial teams, & finance to ensure alignment and efficiency in medical activities

  • Collaborate with IT and digital teams to implement and optimize technology solutions for global medical operations

  • Serve as a liaison between Global Medical Affairs and other departments to facilitate smooth operations and communication across regions

Budget Management

  • Develop and manage day to day aspects of budgets for global medical operations initiatives

  • Ensure cost-effective utilization of resources while maintaining high-quality outputs across all regions

  • Serve as a strategic thought partner who confidently challenges investment decisions, ensuring alignment with broader organizational strategy and long-term value creation

  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement of fiscal stewardship within the global team

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

  • Bachelors degree required, advanced degree in life sciences, pharmacy, or related field (Ph.D., PharmD) a plus

  • Minimum of 7 years of experience in Global Medical Affairs within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, with at least 3 years in operational roles

  • Proven track record in implementing process improvements and driving operational excellence on a global scale

Skills and Competencies:

  • Strong understanding of Global Medical Affairs functions and their interconnections with other departments

  • Technical knowledge in Veeva CRM, Veeva Vault, KOL Mapping Systems, etc.

  • Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple global initiatives simultaneously

  • Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence without direct authority across global teams

  • Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment

  • Innovative mindset with the ability to identify and implement creative solutions for global challenges

Competencies

Accountability for Results - Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change.

Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving - Make decisions considering the long-term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business.

Patient & Customer Centricity - Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders.

Impactful Communication - Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect. Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka.

Respectful Collaboration - Seek and value others' perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals.

Empowered Development - Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative.

Minimum $169,222.00 - Maximum $253,000.00, plus incentive opportunity: The range shown represents a typical pay range or starting pay for individuals who are hired in the role to perform in the United States. Other elements may be used to determine actual pay such as the candidate's job experience, specific skills, and comparison to internal incumbents currently in role. Typically, actual pay will be positioned within the established range, rather than at its minimum or maximum. This information is provided to applicants in accordance with states and local laws.

Application Deadline : This will be posted for a minimum of 5 business days.

Company benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, company provided basic life, accidental death & dismemberment, short-term and long-term disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, student loan assistance, a generous 401(k) match, flexible time off, paid holidays, and paid leave programs as well as other company provided benefits.

Come discover more about Otsuka and our benefit offerings; .

Disclaimer:

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the people assigned to this position. It is not intended to include every job duty and responsibility specific to the position. Otsuka reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Otsuka is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will be given consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, national origin, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation, if you are unable or limited in your ability to apply to this job opening as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting Accommodation Request ([email protected]) .

Statement Regarding Job Recruiting Fraud Scams

At Otsuka we take security and protection of your personal information very seriously. Please be aware individuals may approach you and falsely present themselves as our employees or representatives. They may use this false pretense to try to gain access to your personal information or acquire money from you by offering fictitious employment opportunities purportedly on our behalf.

Please understand, Otsuka will never ask for financial information of any kind or for payment of money during the job application process. We do not require any financial, credit card or bank account information and/or any payment of any kind to be considered for employment. We will also not offer you money to buy equipment, software, or for any other purpose during the job application process. If you are being asked to pay or offered money for equipment fees or some other application processing fee, even if claimed you will be reimbursed, this is not Otsuka. These claims are fraudulent and you are strongly advised to exercise caution when you receive such an offer of employment.

Otsuka will also never ask you to download a third-party application in order to communicate about a legitimate job opportunity. Scammers may also send offers or claims from a fake email address or from Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc, and not from an official Otsuka email address. Please take extra caution while examining such an email address, as the scammers may misspell an official Otsuka email address and use a slightly modified version duplicating letters.

To ensure that you are communicating about a legitimate job opportunity at Otsuka, please only deal directly with Otsuka through its official Otsuka Career website .

Otsuka will not be held liable or responsible for any claims, losses, damages or expenses resulting from job recruiting scams. If you suspect a position is fraudulent, please contact Otsuka's call center at: 800-363-5670. If you believe you are the victim of fraud resulting from a job recruiting scam, please contact the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at: , or your local authorities.

Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., and Otsuka Precision Health, Inc. ("Otsuka") does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs/resumes submitted by search firms to any Otsuka employee directly or through Otsuka's application portal without a valid written search agreement in place for the position will be considered Otsuka's sole property. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired by Otsuka as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Posted 2026-01-09

Recommended Jobs

Regional Sales Manager -Precision CNC Machine Tools

Gallin Associates
Elgin, IL

Regional Sales Manager – Precision CNC Machine Tools Territory: Southeastern United States Compensation: $140,000 base salary + commission Travel: Up to 50% The Opportunity We are p…

View Details
Posted 2026-01-09

Credit Analyst - To $80K - Oak Brook, IL - Job # 3661

Symicor Group
Oak Brook, IL

Credit Analyst – To $80K – Oak Brook, IL – Job # 3661 Who We Are The Symicor Group is a boutique talent acquisition firm based in Schaumburg, IL & Rockport, TX. Our nationally unique value propositi…

View Details
Posted 2025-11-27

Data Center Network Manager

Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT)
Springfield, IL

Are you looking for a rewarding career with an organization that values their staff? The Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) is seeking to hire qualified candidates with the opportunity to w…

View Details
Posted 2025-12-18

Client Service Manager

Gallagher
Rolling Meadows, IL

At Gallagher, we help clients face risk with confidence because we believe that when businesses are protected, they’re free to grow, lead, and innovate. You’ll be backed by our digital ecosystem…

View Details
Posted 2026-01-05

Class A CDL - Solo Company - .60+ cpm - Dry Van - No touch - Drop & Hook

Paradym Trucking
Chicago, IL

Paradym Trucking is searching for qualified CDL A Drivers with at least 12 months of driving experience that are interested in joining our team. If you're a driver looking for a new home that has gre…

View Details
Posted 2026-01-01

Senior Lead Software Engineer, Full Stack (Bank Tech)

Capital One
Riverwoods, IL

Senior Lead Software Engineer, Full Stack (Bank Tech) Do you love building and pioneering in the technology space? Do you enjoy solving complex business problems in a fast-paced, collaborativ…

View Details
Posted 2026-01-09

Training Enablement Consultant

Fusion92
Chicago, IL

ABOUT US: Fusion92 is building the future of marketing through an unparalleled, data-driven approach to solving our clients' toughest problems. We call ourselves a Marketing Transformation Partner f…

View Details
Posted 2026-01-05

Software Engineer III - Search Technologies, LLM, ElasticSearch, AWS

JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Chicago, IL

Job Description We have an exciting and rewarding opportunity for experienced software engineers to contribute your skills in enabling enterprise-wide content discovery.  As a Software Engineer …

View Details
Posted 2026-01-07

Technology Center Technician

Ingersoll Cutting Tool Company
Rockford, IL

Technology Center Technician Ingersoll Cutting Tools is one of the world’s leading suppliers of metal cutting tooling systems and an integral member of the IMC Group of Companies, a distinguish…

View Details
Posted 2026-01-09

Evening and Weekend Lifeguard - $300 Hiring Bonus

YMCA
Rockford, IL

Evening and Weekend Lifeguard - $300 Hiring Bonus Department: Lifeguard Location: Rockford, IL NEW HIRE SIGN-ON BONUS - $300 New lifeguard employees will be qualified to receive a sign-o…

View Details
Posted 2026-01-08