Job Description
At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. Purpose The Senior Director / Executive Director, COO Strategy and Operations for GPS Capabilities serves as the central operational leader supporting the (Associate) Vice President of GPS Capabilities in driving strategic execution, financial stewardship, and organizational effectiveness across the function. This role provides the connectivity between GPS Capabilities’ strategic vision and its day-to-day operational delivery, with a primary near-term focus on orchestrating the successful execution of the PV Affiliate Centralization initiative — a multi-year transformation to transition affiliate pharmacovigilance staff from commercial affiliate reporting lines into the Global Patient Safety organization. This leader will also support the broader GPS Capabilities pillars (e.g. GPS PMO, PV Data and Systems, International PV, and External Collaborations) by driving cross-functional alignment, resource planning, stakeholder communications, and leadership meeting governance. The role requires a rare blend of strategic thinking, operational rigor, change management expertise, and executive communication skills to ensure GPS Capabilities delivers against its commitments to Global Patient Safety, International Business Units, and enterprise leadership. Primary Responsibilities Affiliate PV Centralization Program Execution & Governance Serve as the day-to-day operational lead for the PV Affiliate Centralization initiative, managing the program timeline, milestone tracking, risk escalation, and cross-functional dependencies across a 24+ month phased implementation. Coordinate stakeholder engagement activities across twelve identified stakeholder groups, including International Business Unit General Managers, Country General Managers, affiliate PV staff, HR, Legal, Works Councils, and Finance, ensuring alignment with the approved stakeholder analysis and communication cadence. Drive change management execution in partnership with HR and organizational development, including workforce transition planning, role mapping, retention strategies, and cultural integration for approximately 40–60 affiliate PV FTEs across EMEA, APAC, LATAM, Canada, Japan, and other international markets. Prepare and maintain executive-level program dashboards, status reports, and decision documents for GPS Capabilities leadership, the SVP of Global Patient Safety, and International Business Unit leadership. Manage program governance cadence, including steering committee meetings, working group coordination, and escalation protocols to ensure timely resolution of issues and risks. Budget, Resource, and Vendor Management Own the GPS Capabilities operations budget, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources across internal teams, regional hubs, and third-party vendor partners. Oversee headcount planning and workforce management for GPS Capabilities, balancing internal staff and outsourced vendors to meet operational, compliance, and regulatory demands. Collaborate with Finance and Procurement to forecast resource needs, justify budgetary requirements, and manage vendor contracts and performance for case management and PV operations partners. Provide leadership for annual business planning activities, including coordination of timelines, templates, prioritization, and trade-off decisions. Strategic Planning and Cross-Functional Alignment Drive the creation and execution of the GPS Capabilities strategic roadmap, ensuring alignment with the overarching GPS-wide strategy and long-range business plan. Establish priorities and make strategic trade-offs in partnership with the GPS Capabilities leadership team to meet business objectives while managing financial and human resource investments. Foster connectivity between GPS Capabilities sub-functions, GPS Operations, Safety Science, CPQA, Tech@Lilly, Regulatory Affairs, Legal, and International Business Units to align strategic goals and execution. Support the AVP of GPS Capabilities on strategic initiatives including competitive benchmarking, business case development, and executive board pre-read preparation. Monitor external regulatory trends, industry direction, and peer company benchmarks for incorporation into GPS Capabilities s