Associate Director, Integrated Biologics R&D Portfolio Lead 80-100% (m/f/d)

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.

The Integrated Biologics R&D Portfolio Lead is responsible for shaping, prioritizing, and advancing the R&D innovation portfolio to accelerate R&D impact and deliver measurable business value. The role operates at the intersection of science, strategy, operations, and commercial value creation, ensuring that investments, resources, and innovation efforts are focused on the opportunities with the highest strategic and financial impact.

Working in a highly matrixed environment, the R&D Portfolio Lead navigates ambiguity, drives alignment without formal authority, and enables innovation delivery from ideation through implementation and value realisation. The role serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, combining strong business acumen, advanced stakeholder management, and innovation insights to influence decision-making and portfolio direction.

Key responsibilities:

Portfolio strategy & prioritization

- Translate R&D and business strategy into a balanced portfolio of initiatives, investments, and innovation opportunities
- Establish portfolio prioritization frameworks, governance and process based on strategic fit, value, risk, feasibility, and resource requirements
- Leverage technology trends, competitive intelligence, market insights, and external innovation signals to identify areas where R&D investment should be increased, accelerated, redirected, or reduced, ensuring a robust and future-ready innovation portfolio + network beyond R&D (SM, CD consolidate inputs… -> actionalable)
- Support leadership in making data-driven investment and resource allocation decisions
- Continuously assess portfolio performance and recommend adjustments to maximise value delivery

Innovation insights

- Identify emerging scientific, technological, market, and industry trends that could influence R&D strategy and competitive positioning
- Generate actionable innovation insights through external scouting, benchmarking, competitive intelligence, and collaboration with internal experts
- Translate innovation opportunities into strategic options, business cases, and investment recommendations
- Support development of long-term innovation roadmaps and strategic growth opportunities

Business value & financial acumen

- Build and evaluate business cases, investment proposals, and portfolio recommendations.
- Quantify value creation opportunities, including productivity improvements, cost reduction, revenue growth, risk mitigation, and customer impact.
- Partner with R&D, Finance, Business and Operations stakeholders to assess ROI, financial viability, and strategic trade-offs.
- Establish KPIs and value realization metrics to track outcomes and benefits realization.

Stakeholder management & executive influence

- Build trusted relationships with senior leaders across R&D, Operations, Commercial Development, Finance, and external partners
- Drive alignment among diverse stakeholders with competing priorities and perspectives
- Facilitate executive discussions, strategic workshops, and governance forums
- Influence decision-making through structured problem solving, compelling communication, and evidence-based recommendations
- Act as a translator between scientific, technical, operational, and business communities

Portfolio governance & decision support

- Establish governance processes that improve transparency, accountability, and decision quality
- Develop executive-level portfolio reviews and performance reporting
- Prepare strategic recommendations for leadership teams and governance bodies
- Ensure decisions are supported by robust analysis, insights, and risk assessment

Core competencies

Business acumen

- Strong understanding of business strategy, value creation drivers, and financial performance
- Ability to build and challenge business cases, investment decisions, and portfolio trade-offs
- Deep understanding of how R&D activities translate into commercial and operational value

Advanced stakeholder management

- Ability to influence senior stakeholders without formal authority
- Strong executive presence with outstanding communication and facilitation skills
- Proven ability to align diverse stakeholder groups around common objectives
- Skilled in navigating organizational complexity and competing priorities

Innovation insights & capability building

- Strong strategic thinking and innovation mindset
- Ability to identify emerging trends and convert insights into actionable opportunities
- Experience translating scientific and technical developments into business implications and strategic recommendations
- Drive capability building and foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning across the R&D network

Portfolio & program leadership

- Expertise in portfolio management, prioritization, and governance
- Ability to balance short-term delivery with long-term strategic objectives
- Strong systems thinking and end-to-end perspective

Execution excellence

- Ability to structure complex and ambiguous problems
- Strong analytical and decision-making capabilities
- Results-oriented mindset with a focus on measurable outcomes, delivery excellence and value realization
- Brings structure and clarity to uncertain situations

Qualifications & experience

Education

- Ph.D., Master's degree, or equivalent experience in Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Engineering, Business, or related discipline

Experience

- Significant experience in portfolio management, strategy, innovation, consulting, business transformation, or R&D leadership
- Experience in strategic and/or management consulting is highly desirable
- Proven track record of leading complex cross-functional initiatives within matrix organizations
- Demonstrated experience developing business cases, investment strategies, and portfolio recommendations
- Strong understanding of R&D, product development, manufacturing, and commercialization processes
- Experience engaging with senior leadership and facilitating strategic decision-making
- Demonstrated ability to drive outcomes through influence rather than direct authority

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.

Lonza is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a qualified individual with disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The actual location of this job is in Visp, Switzerland. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates and their families, if needed.