Data Science Strategy Director – Immunology Drug Discovery 784 views

They have an exciting role for a strategic & visionary leader looking to be at the forefront of Immunology Drug Discovery. The Data Science Director – Immunology Drug Discovery is recognized internally and externally to GSK as a strategic, collaborative leader accountable for evolving and executing an overarching and comprehensive data strategy in support of R&D goals focused on Immunology, both in Research and Early Development.

R&D has a business imperative to focus on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics, and advanced technologies, driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture to discover and develop new medicines. Developing new medicines that target the immune system requires R&D to have real-time, seamless access to data spanning multiple types in different immune cell types in health and disease, with and without drug treatment.

This role will provide single point accountability for defining the priorities and strategy for the delivery of unique and industry-leading internal and external datasets in immunology, ensuring a scientific, technical, and competitive advantage for R&D to strengthen and progress the immunological drug discovery and early development pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Matrix Leadership

• Accountable for design, development, and execution of data strategies aligned to R&D goals focused on immunology across drug discovery and early development
  • Includes membership of key stakeholder leadership teams (Research Units and Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Medicine).
• Accountable for engaging internal and external experts to design and deliver state-of-the-art data pipelines and products.
• Strategically partner with Research Unit heads platform groups, R&D Tech, and other departments to ensure alignment with business priorities to maximize collating evidence to inform data-driven decisions that enable the growth of the R&D Immunology portfolio.
• Lead multi-disciplinary matrix teams and partner with Project Leaders to ensure the right data is available to enable key decision milestones for project progression.
• Prioritize activities at the enterprise level and manage resources to time and budget.
• Exceptional competency to influence leadership.
• Exemplify GSK values and leadership expectations.

Scientific And Technical Leadership

• Proactively engage the internal and external scientific community in robust scientific dialogue to generate the insights needed to drive the relevant immunology data strategies that further scientific and medical understanding.

• Lead the partnership between DCS, and R&D Tech to plan data strategies:
  • Lead definition of data strategy scope and content (data sources/types) including oversight on the quality of the data, cost vs curation, and prioritization of emerging strategic and new sources internally and externally
  • Own the oversight on data sensitivities/security/access/legal considerations.
  • Provide thought leadership on data standards, ontologies (both content and metadata) and the processes/resources for on-going curation
  • Set the provisioning strategy and harness Scientific Analytics and Visualization for development and delivery of solutions for end-users to maximize using data for predictive science

• Design, manage, and lead SME workflows to deliver data curation processes with scientists from R&D and team members in DCS and R&D Tech.
• Drive the value creation, monitoring, and reporting of data assets.
• Govern the access/control policy for data.
• Provides guidance to relevant business lines on data stewardship and governance plans and processes that drive data generation and (re)use.

Business Development

• Identify and engage the external community as appropriate to identify beneficial opportunities and solutions for immunology data and technology gaps.
• Engage with external third parties and GSK internal partners (Business Development, Legal, Academic Liaison) to assess collaborative opportunities to ensure R&D is ahead of competitors in terms of accessing and utilizing critical data sets.
• Lead due diligence review of external data sets to support business strategies.
• Conduct all data discussions internally and externally in strict adherence to GSK policies and standards.

Basic Qualifications

• Masters or Ph.D. with significant (10+ years) in pharmaceutical industry drug discovery and development (R&D).
• Proven knowledge and understanding of drug discovery and early drug development, preferably in the Immunology area, including target identification and validation, preclinical drug development, biomarkers, and translational science.
• Broad understanding of applying advanced analytics including AI/ML to solve key questions in drug discovery and development to identify novel targets, progress new therapeutic assets, and deliver biomarkers and familiarity with one or more programming language e.g. R, Python, etc.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience analyzing data from molecular assays including but not limited to next-generation sequencing, flow cytometry, mass spectrometry proteomics, single-cell sequencing, microbiome sequencing, etc.
• Track record in developing and executing strategies (scientific &/or data) in support of R&D goals with clear business impact.
• Excellent presentation and influencing skills for internal and external audiences.
• Proven ability to think, plan, and lead strategically to contribute and influence global cross-functional, matrix teams of senior leaders.

Core Competencies

• Strong strategic mindset.
• Outstanding communication, influencing, and matrix leadership skills.
• Understand the entirety of drug discovery and early development including governance processes and portfolio decision making.
• Learning agility – able to rapidly and proactively acquire, integrate, and act on new information and knowledge then apply them in a constantly changing business environment.
• Enable and drive change for continuous improvement – influence/ lead directly to deliver results, anticipate and proactively look for new opportunities to constantly evolve and improve.
• Build and maintain relationships – work effectively with others, delegate appropriately, and foster a culture of trust and collaboration.
• Align resources (people and financial), objectives, and strategies behind a vision; identify resource gaps and proactively fill or manage.
• Flexible thinking – able to analyze internal and external environments and translate to strategic opportunities. Gain the support of others to implement the strategic vision.
• Demonstrate sound decision making and good judgment.
• Talent management – develop influencing/leadership skills in others by being a teacher, coach, and mentor.
• Self-starter is able to work autonomously and deal with high levels of ambiguity and organizational complexity.