Job Title: Program Manager - IT Digital Project Management (Life Sciences)
Location: St louis / Lenexa, MO
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced IT Digital Program Manager to lead and coordinate large-scale digital transformation initiatives across manufacturing and laboratory environments within the Life Sciences / Pharmaceutical domain.
This role will oversee the end-to-end implementation and coordination of multiple digital workstreams, including:
- Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)
- Electronic Batch Records (EBR)
- Infrastructure & Digital Plant enablement
- System integrations across OT/IT environments
The role requires strong program governance, cross-functional coordination, vendor management, and financial oversight, ensuring successful delivery aligned with business, quality, compliance, and operational goals.
Key Responsibilities
Program & Project Delivery
- Lead and manage multi-workstream digital programs across manufacturing, quality, laboratory, and infrastructure domains.
- Drive end-to-end program delivery from planning through deployment and stabilization.
- Ensure alignment of project execution with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and operational needs.
- Develop and maintain integrated program roadmaps and milestones.
Workstream Coordination
- Coordinate execution across key digital initiatives including:
- LIMS implementation and integration
- Electronic Batch Record deployment
- Digital Historian integration
- Infrastructure and connectivity enablement
- System integrations across enterprise and plant systems
- Act as the central coordination point across IT, OT, Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, and vendors.
- Ensure dependencies across workstreams are actively managed.
Financial & Resource Governance
- Manage program budgets, forecasts, and financial tracking.
- Ensure financial transparency, cost control, and benefit realization tracking.
- Drive vendor cost optimization and contract alignment.
- Coordinate resource planning across global and local teams.
Stakeholder & Vendor Management
- Interface with senior business and site leadership.
- Manage system integrators and technology vendors to ensure delivery commitments.
- Facilitate executive steering committee updates and governance forums.
Compliance & Quality Alignment
- Ensure program delivery aligns with GxP, CSV, data integrity, and regulatory expectations.
- Support validation, documentation, and audit readiness activities.
Risk & Issue Management
- Proactively manage risks, escalations, and cross-team issues.
- Ensure mitigation plans are defined and executed.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 10+ years experience in IT project/program management.
- Strong experience delivering digital or manufacturing IT projects.
- Experience working within Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical, or regulated manufacturing environments.
- Demonstrated experience managing large, cross-functional programs.
- Strong financial and budget management experience.
- Experience managing global or multi-site projects.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience implementing LIMS, MES/EBR, Digital Historian, or similar manufacturing systems.
- Understanding of IT/OT convergence environments.
- Familiarity with GxP, validation, and regulated IT systems.
- PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management certification.
- Exposure to Smart Manufacturing / Industry 4.0 initiatives.
Key Skills
- Program & portfolio management
- Cross-functional coordination
- Financial & budget governance
- Vendor & contract management
- Risk & escalation management
- Strong communication and leadership skills
- Ability to operate in global, matrix organizations
Success Measures
- On-time and within-budget delivery of digital programs
- Successful coordination across workstreams
- Strong stakeholder satisfaction
- Compliance and validation readiness
- Financial governance adherence