Senior Manager - Talent Acquisition

About PharmaEssentia

PharmaEssentia is a growing, global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to Better Science, Better Lives. We are building our U.S. organization and are looking for people who want real impact and the opportunity to build. If you are energized by creating something meaningful alongside a mission-driven team, we would like to meet you.

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition is a hands-on recruiting partner who works with business leaders to turn hiring needs into a clear, proactive talent strategy. This role combines full-cycle recruiting for specialized pharma and biotech positions (commercial, medical, clinical, legal, and data/analytics) with strategic consultation to hiring managers. The Senior Manager anticipates needs before requisitions open, shapes search strategy and market positioning, and holds hiring teams to a consistent, high-quality interview and decision process. The role also makes practical use of AI tools to increase speed, quality, and reach, while applying sound judgment, fairness, and human oversight to every hiring decision.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic, Proactive Hiring Manager Partnership

• Act as a trusted talent advisor to hiring managers and senior leaders, anticipating hiring needs through regular business reviews and workforce planning conversations rather than waiting for requisitions.
• Lead intake strategy sessions to define role scope, level, success profile, must-have versus nice-to-have criteria, and realistic timelines, using AI tools to draft role profiles and search strategies, and push back constructively when expectations do not match the market.
• Advise on compensation positioning, role leveling, and offer strategy using current market data and internal equity considerations.
• Provide candid, data-informed talent market insights, including candidate pool size, competitor activity, and sourcing feasibility, leveraging AI-supported market mapping and analytics so leaders can make informed decisions.
• Design and coach hiring teams on structured interview processes, including role-specific focus areas for each interviewer, scorecards, and debriefs aligned to company values, and equip them with AI-assisted interview guides and tools that make the process faster and more consistent.
• Maintain regular cadence with hiring managers through status updates, pipeline reviews, and concise candidate summaries that highlight strengths, risks, and fit, using AI tools to draft and refine these materials while validating accuracy.
• Build proactive talent pipelines for hard-to-fill and future roles, including niche, senior, and leadership positions, using AI-assisted sourcing to identify and engage passive talent at scale.

Full-Cycle Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Operations

• Own a portfolio of searches end to end, from intake through offer and close, with a focus on specialized, commercial, medical, and leadership roles.
• Run proactive, creative sourcing strategies, including AI-assisted Boolean search development, direct outreach, networking, referrals, and talent community development, to reach passive and diverse candidates.
• Deliver an exceptional candidate experience with timely, personalized communication, clear expectations, and a compelling story about the company's mission and growth.
• Partner with HR, Finance, and business leaders on headcount planning, requisition approvals, and annual and quarterly hiring forecasts.
• Maintain and continuously improve the applicant tracking system, TA processes, and standard operating procedures, ensuring data integrity and consistent practices. Evaluate and pilot emerging AI and automation capabilities in the ATS, LinkedIn Recruiter, and enterprise tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and build repeatable prompts, templates, and workflows that help the team work faster.
• Contribute to employer branding, including employee value proposition messaging, LinkedIn content, and career-site and job posting quality.
• Report on key recruiting metrics, such as pipeline health, time to fill, source effectiveness, and quality of hire, using AI-supported analytics and dashboards, and provide regular updates and recommendations to the Director of Talent Acquisition and HR leadership.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws, EEO requirements, and company policies throughout the hiring process, including responsible AI use: validating outputs, protecting candidate and company data, and keeping people accountable for hiring decisions.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 8+ years of progressive talent acquisition experience, including corporate or in-house recruiting; experience in biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success partnering strategically with senior leaders and hiring managers, including influencing decisions and managing expectations.
• Proven track record filling specialized, senior-level, and hard-to-fill roles using proactive, direct sourcing.
• Hands-on experience using AI and automation tools in recruiting (for example, AI-assisted sourcing, outreach, content creation, or analytics), with a mindset of continuous experimentation.
• Proficiency with an applicant tracking system and LinkedIn Recruiter; comfort with recruiting data and dashboards.
• Strong knowledge of interviewing best practices, compensation concepts, and employment regulations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare concise, executive-ready candidate summaries and updates.

Preferred

• Experience recruiting for commercial, medical affairs (including MSL), legal, regulatory, or data and analytics roles in a pharmaceutical or biotech environment.
• Experience building or scaling a talent acquisition function in a growing organization, including process design and system implementation.
• Experience designing recruiting workflows, prompts, or automations using tools such as Microsoft Copilot or similar platforms.

The expected base salary range for this position is $140,454 to $182,000. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education and geographical location. Market and organizational factors are also considered. In addition to base salary and a competitive benefits package, successful candidates are eligible for short-term and long-term incentives.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Partnership: Anticipates business needs, consults with confidence, and influences leaders with data and clear recommendations.
• Proactivity and Ownership: Takes initiative, builds pipelines ahead of need, and drives searches to closure.
• AI and Technology Fluency: Curious and practical about adopting new tools, and thoughtful about risk, bias, and data privacy.
• Market and Business Acumen: Understands pharma and biotech talent markets, compensation dynamics, and company growth priorities.
• Communication: Delivers concise, polished messages to candidates, hiring managers, and executives.
• Builder Mindset: Comfortable improving processes and creating structure in a fast-growing environment.
• Integrity and Discretion: Handles confidential information with sound judgment and professionalism.

Work Environment

This is a hybrid position based in Burlington, MA, with in-office expectations to be defined by the company. Occasional travel may be required for candidate events, conferences, or team meetings. The role works in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and may require flexibility to partner across time zones.
PharmaEssentia is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

At PharmaEssentia, our goal is to treat as many people with cancer as possible. That means challenging the status quo with better science that leads to better lives. By joining our team, you will not only expand your own possibilities, but you will contribute to expanding options for people with cancer.

https://us.pharmaessentia.com/careers/