Associate Director, Medical Project Management

Position Title: Associate Director, Medical Project Management (Project Manager III)
Location: Hybrid (Onsite Tuesday–Thursday) Mettawa, IL
Max Pay Rate: $89/hour (W2) or $86/hour with benefits (health, dental, vision, 401(k) with 2% match)
Contract Length: 6-months (with potential extension)

Orion Group is hiring an Associate Director of Medical Project Management, a strategic partner within Medical Affairs, who will support the Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR) organization and broader Value & Evidence (V&E) teams.

This role provides high-level program leadership across multiple therapeutic areas (TAs), driving execution of strategic business priorities, optimizing operational performance, and enabling enterprise impact.

The Director serves as a trusted advisor to TA leadership, collaborating cross-functionally to ensure alignment, execution rigor, and delivery excellence across global strategic initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Partnership

• Serve as a thought partner to HEOR Vice President on strategic direction and enterprise priorities.
• Define, clarify, and drive business priorities with focus and alignment.
• Represent leadership as a delegate in key meetings and forums when needed.

1. Program & Initiative Management

• Lead end-to-end project management for strategic HEOR initiatives, including annual planning, launch readiness, quarterly evidence generation reviews, and transformation projects.
• Establish initiative charters, milestones, metrics, and governance frameworks.
• Manage cross-functional interdependencies and ensure timely delivery of program outcomes.
• Proactively identify and mitigate program risks.

1. Operational Excellence

• Lead planning and execution of executive forums (NELT, XLT, planning sessions, offsites).
• Partner cross-functionally to drive annual HEOR planning processes and resourcing strategies.
• Monitor and report progress against HEOR strategic objectives and operational KPIs.
• Collaborate with commercial and medical project leads to ensure TA alignment.
• Partner with Portfolio and Resource Management teams to assess budget, headcount, and resource allocation.

1. Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop leadership communications, strategic presentations, and business updates.
• Ensure consistent and transparent communication flow across the organization.
• Strengthen collaboration across V&E pillars and medical/commercial partners to maximize impact.

1. Organizational & Talent Enablement

• Support culture-building initiatives and employee engagement strategies.
• Partner with V&E leadership to drive organizational effectiveness and team alignment.
• Ensure HEOR integration into enterprise operational planning and governance.

Required Skills & Core Competencies

• Enterprise leadership mindset with the ability to prioritize and influence at senior levels.
• Strong project and program management capabilities (PMP preferred).
• Strategic planning expertise paired with a bias for execution and operational effectiveness.
• Excellent communication, executive storytelling, and stakeholder influence skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage ambiguity, lead change, and drive complex initiatives.
• Deep understanding of cross-functional dynamics within pharmaceutical and medical affairs environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a scientific, healthcare, or business discipline required.
• Advanced degree (MS, MBA, PhD) preferred.
• PMP or related project management certification strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of pharmaceutical or life sciences experience with a bachelor’s degree
  (9+ with MS, 8+ with PhD).
• 3–4 years of project management or process improvement experience required.
• Experience managing large-scale strategic programs and cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with project management tools and performance tracking metrics.

 
 

Our role in supporting diversity and inclusion
As an international workforce business, we are committed to sourcing personnel that reflects the diversity and values of our client base but also that of Orion Group. We welcome the wide range of experiences and viewpoints that potential workers bring to our business and our clients, including those based on nationality, gender, culture, educational and professional backgrounds, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, and age differences, job classification and religion. In our inclusive workplace, regardless of your employment status as staff or contract, everyone is assured the right of equitable, fair and respectful treatment.