Japan Project Head - Vaccines
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's, MBA, PharmD, PhD, MD
Tokyo, Japan
In Person
Biology & Biotech
About the job
Requirements
- A strong scientific and academic background, preferably with a good understanding of vaccines or similar therapeutic areas.
- Overall 10 years of experience, including more than 5 years in development.
- More than 3 years in a direct or transversal leadership role leading a cross-functional team in Japan in a multicultural, international project environment.
- Strong understanding of managing budgets, resources, timelines, and decisions for complex projects.
- Knowledge of the Japan environment and regulations, ideally with prior exposure to Japanese health authorities.
- Ability to create and maintain effective connections with global functions, including R&D, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and supply, clinical, and medical teams at headquarters.
- The person should be at ease interacting with local and global stakeholders in English and Japanese.
- The position requires strong leadership and good communication skills.
Responsibilities
- Develop the integrated development strategy and plan for the vaccine project in Japan, aligned with global project strategy and Sanofi R&D strategy and business objectives, and ensure effective execution toward licensure and launch.
- Serve as a member of the Global Project Team, ensuring understanding and alignment of the global vaccine development strategy and priorities.
- Collaborate with Global Project Team members and global functions to develop Japan project strategy and timelines.
- Integrate Japan activities across the local functions required to meet project objectives, including R&D, manufacturing and supply, franchise and commercial, regulatory, and enabling functions.
- Set up and lead the Japan team to execute Japan activities for licensure.
- Lead the Japan team in assessing project risks, developing risk management and mitigation plans, gaining consensus, and supporting their implementation.
- Maintain financial visibility and acumen regarding the project budget.
- Ensure the global team understands and integrates Japan's needs and specificities.
- Manage communication and alliances with third parties, including partner companies, academic groups, and joint ventures, when applicable to vaccine R&D activities.
- Maintain mechanisms to capture and share knowledge, leverage learning, and implement improvements within the project team.
- Drive execution of the new vaccine project through functional team members and associated sub-teams, and act as a leader, mentor, and coach for the team.
- Structure the vaccine development and licensure project organization in collaboration with partners when required.
- Decide on team composition in collaboration with functions and platforms, and ensure project execution within timelines and budget while delivering information and data for project decisions based on company objectives.
- Drive projects through stage-gate milestones according to aggressive but realistic timelines.
- Set project objectives in partnership with functions, define and track the project budget and headcount, and participate in arbitration of these resources with the relevant functions and platforms.
- Identify project issues, develop resolution plans, and escalate them to relevant governance committees.
- Propose recommendations from the Japan Project Team to the Global Project Team and from the Global Project Team to senior management governance committees, based on calculated risks and defined decision rights.
- Develop effective working relationships with significant internal and external influencers and ensure alignment and coordination with major stakeholders, including external partners.
- Represent the project as its ambassador and main Sanofi Vaccine R&D point of contact in Japan, and communicate the new vaccine project to relevant internal and external parties.
Desired Qualifications
- Prior R&D knowledge from previous roles; vaccine therapeutic-area experience is strongly preferred.
- A Ph.D. in a scientific field, MD, or PharmD with vaccine development experience in R&D or other disciplines such as industrial operations, regulatory affairs, marketing, R&D, or project management; a BS, MS, or MBA and prior project management experience are also beneficial.
- Experience and an existing network in Sanofi ComOps, R&D, regulatory affairs, or medical functions.
- Technical understanding of vaccine or pharmaceutical R&D, regulatory, commercial, or clinical development activities needed for vaccine development in Japan.
- Critical thinking, including challenging the status quo, anticipating risks, and proposing solutions or mitigation plans.
- Transversal communication and networking, effective international communication and collaboration, and knowledge of project management, planning, and budget structure.
About the company
Sanofi is a global pharmaceutical and biotechnology company that develops, manufactures, and sells prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, and vaccines. Its products span immunology, oncology, rare diseases, and vaccines, addressing unmet medical needs through a strong focus on research and development. Sanofi's core product model relies on large-scale R&D, strategic partnerships, and licensing to bring new therapies to markets, with revenue generated from product sales and collaborations. The company differentiates itself by leveraging its global reach, diverse portfolio, and emphasis on patient-centric solutions, safety, and quality to navigate regulatory environments in developed and emerging markets. The company’s goal is to improve health outcomes and quality of life for people worldwide by delivering innovative treatments and vaccines that meet unmet medical needs.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Paris, France
Founded
1973
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- July 10, 2026 FDA approval of Sarclisa Escena created the first on-body cancer injector.
- June 13, 2026 FDA accelerated approval expanded Tzield into recently diagnosed stage 3 T1D.
- Q2 2026 sales grew 17.8% at CER, with Dupixent and Beyfortus leading.
What critics are saying
- Texas sued Sanofi on February 19, 2026 over provider bribery and Medicaid fraud.
- Sanofi sued Pfizer and Moderna on July 15, 2026, extending costly mRNA patent warfare.
- Dupixent concentration makes 2030s patent loss an existential revenue shock.
What makes Sanofi unique
- Dupixent reached €5.2 billion quarterly sales in Q2 2026 across nine indications.
- October 1, 2026, Sanofi and Regeneron added four long-acting antibodies to their Alliance.
- Sanofi's 61-project pipeline spans immunology, rare diseases, vaccines, neurology, and oncology.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Professional Development Budget
- Parental Leave