Sr. Program Manager, Plasmid DNA / Cell and Gene Therapies (Client-Facing)

About this role

Bring more to life.
Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology?
At Aldevron, one of Danaher's 15+ operating companies, our work saves lives, and we're all united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact.
You'll thrive in a culture of belonging where you and your unique viewpoint matter. And by harnessing Danaher's system of continuous improvement, you help turn ideas into impact - innovating at the speed of life.
At Aldevron, we deliver world-class CDMO services that accelerate the development of groundbreaking therapies. Our mission is to be the engine of innovation for genomic medicine pioneers. As a member of our team, you'll help bring life-changing innovations to life - impacting millions around the world. We bring together deep scientific expertise, an unwavering commitment to quality, and a collaborative spirit to drive progress. Whether you're launching your career or bringing years of experience, we value the unique perspective you bring. Join us and become part of a mission-driven team advancing science and unlocking human potential - one discovery at a time.
Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible.
The Senior Program Manager, Plasmid DNA is responsible for leading Aldevron's most strategic and complex plasmid DNA programs, with a primary focus on marketed products, commercial supply, and late-phase clinical programs progressing through process validation, Process Performance Qualification (PPQ), regulatory readiness, and commercial launch.
This role serves as the senior client-facing program leader for assigned programs and integrates commercial agreements with technical and operational execution. The Program Manager ensures alignment across scope, schedule, quality, supply continuity, financial performance, regulatory expectations, and customer commitments throughout validation, PPQ, launch preparation, recurring commercial supply, and lifecycle management.
The Program Manager partners closely with Business Development, Legal, Contracts, Project Management, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Supply Chain, Technical Operations, Finance, and Executive Leadership to convert contractual commitments into executable plans, resolve complex issues, protect Aldevron's business interests, and build durable strategic client partnerships.
This position reports to the Vice President, North America Sales and is part of the Program Management Organization located in Fargo, ND and will be fully remote.
In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

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Lead Program and Project Execution: Lead highly complex, multi-program portfolios across strategic accounts, owning end-to-end delivery across multiple concurrent projects with significant revenue, risk, and cross-functional dependencies, ensuring alignment with timelines, budgets, and KPIs.

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Cultivate Strategic Client Relationships: Own and influence senior-level client relationships and account strategy, acting as a trusted advisor to client stakeholders, navigating escalations, and shaping program direction and long-term partnership outcomes.

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Internal Team Alignment and Development: Drive enterprise-wide alignment and decision-making, leading cross-functional teams through ambiguity, resolving competing priorities, and influencing outcomes across functions and leadership levels.

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Ensure Operational Excellence and Governance: Establish and maintain program governance structures, track project metrics, forecast capacity, and provide regular updates to senior leadership on project status, risks, and opportunities. Translate master service agreements, statements of work, supply and quality agreements, amendments, and change orders into executable operating requirements, and partner with Business Development, Legal, Contracts, and Finance to assess feasibility, manage scope change, support negotiations, and protect Aldevron's commercial and contractual position.

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Support Business Growth and Continuous Improvement: Responsible for overall program health, capacity strategy, business growth, including forecasting demand, identifying risks, leading proposals and renewals, and influencing account expansion and continuous improvement initiatives.

The essential requirements of the job include:

• B.S. or B.A. required. Advanced degree in scientific field strongly preferred (e.g. molecular biology, biology, biotechnology, biochemistry)

• Prefer 7+ years of experience in a client-facing role as a project, program, or account manager within the life sciences, with preference for 5+ years in a GMP-regulated CDMO environment

• Experience managing programs and contracts in a regulated biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or medical device related field required

• Working knowledge of plasmid DNA manufacturing and its use in cell and gene therapy, gene editing, mRNA, vaccines, or other genomic medicine applications; strong preference for late phase/commercial drug product experience.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to forecast risks and implement sustainable solutions.

It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in:

• An advanced degree in a scientific, engineering, legal, project management, or business discipline, or a program or project management certification such as PMP.

• Direct program leadership for commercial or late-phase plasmid DNA programs through process characterization, technology transfer, process validation, PPQ campaigns, regulatory inspections, commercial launch, recurring supply, or post-approval lifecycle management.

• Experience managing strategic accounts, cross-site programs, long-term supply agreements, capacity reservation models, demand planning, forecast commitments, pricing protections, change-order mechanisms, termination provisions, executive governance, or commercial supply continuity.
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