Director, PMO Lead - Strategic Enterprise

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across five continents. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

We are looking for a highly skilled PMO Lead to establish and run a robust Program Management Office for our Strategic Enterprise Account Management function. In this role, you will drive the operational framework and cadence that supports our most important customer relationships, ensuring visibility, accountability, and delivery across complex, cross-functional initiatives. You will support Strategic Accounts and senior leadership with structure and insights for growth, risk management, and customer experience.

Key responsibilities:

Program & Project Leadership

• Establish and lead the Strategic Accounts PMO to support initiatives such as customer growth programs, key account planning cycles, and continuous improvement efforts.

• Track, manage, and report on achievements and project achievements across strategic customer accounts.

• Develop tools, dashboards, and reporting templates to improve transparency and decision-making.

• Support the Head of Central Accounts in business planning, team communications, and follow-up on central initiatives.

• Drive preparation and execution of quarterly business reviews, leadership updates, and account strategy sessions.

• Anticipate issues, manage priorities, and ensure seamless coordination across functions and geographies

Cross-Functional Alignment

• Establish a clear governance structure at project kick-off to outline communication, blocking issue, and collaborator management strategy

• Act as a liaison between the SEAM team and internal collaborators (e.g., project management, supply chain, finance, quality).

• Coordinate and facilitate alignment meetings to proactively address customer needs and operational risks.

Process Optimization

• Design and continuously improve processes to support scalable growth of the Strategic Account function.

• Identify inefficiencies and recommend improvements across account governance, handling of blocking issues, and engagement with collaborators.

Partner Engagement

• Foster and sustain positive relationships with vital customers across the organization.

• Provide regular updates and reports on project status. Highlighting achievements and addressing concerns.

Risk management

• Ensure early alignment with collaborators and department heads on current and future state to identify potential risks / roadblocks to execution plan.

• Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies.

• Implement proactive risk management practices to minimize the impact of unforeseen issues.

Opportunities

• Leading a crucial priority for the Division

• Experience working closely with top-level management and collaborating with key team members

• Full overview of the business operation commercially and operationally

• Ability to craft and contribute to the program development

Key requirements:

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree or equivalent experience in Project Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Proven experience as a Project Manager, preferably in a senior role, with a successful track record of leading complex, cross-functional projects.

• Comfortable operating in a matrixed, global organization with multiple senior collaborators

• Strong program and collaborator management skills with a track record of delivering cross-functional initiatives

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and lead diverse teams.

• Outstanding communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills

• In-depth knowledge of project management principles, tools, and techniques.

• Experience in risk management and problem-solving in a dynamic environment.

• PMP or other relevant certifications are a plus.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Every day, Lonza’s products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world. The satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.