Operations and Key Initiatives Lead

At Pfizer, our purpose is breakthroughs that change patients’ lives and our colleagues make this happen. All over the world, our colleagues work together to touch millions of lives.

The Director, Operations and Key Initiatives Lead runs studio and team operations and owns the cross-studio work that would otherwise land on makers and pillar leads: operating cadence, team operations (onboarding, resourcing logistics, FTE and contractor administration, vendors, tooling and budget tracking), enterprise initiatives, leadership artefacts, and the connective tissue between the studio and the wider Pfizer Digital system. The role supports the whole team — product, engineering, and innovation — so Spark and studio-led products keep moving while the organisation around them changes.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own studio and team operations: operating rhythm, onboarding and offboarding, resourcing and hiring logistics, FTE and contractor administration, vendor management, tooling, and budget tracking — so makers can stay on the work.
• Lead studio-level initiatives that cut across pillars (operating model, leadership reviews, enterprise programmes, major events, and time-bound campaigns).
• Translate DLT / Digital requests into the smallest viable studio response; shield product and engineering from undifferentiated administrative load.
• Own the studio’s external narrative with Scott Gavin: plans, status, risks, and decision papers that are honest and short.
• Build and run a light operating cadence (forums, artefacts, follow-ups) that people actually use; kill ceremonies that do not earn their time.
• Line-manage the Sr. Manager, Product & Studio Operations; set the standard for how FTE administration, vendors, and logistics get done.
• Coordinate dependencies with sibling platforms, governance, finance, and HR so hiring, funding, and risk topics do not stall delivery.
• Spot portfolio-level conflicts (duplicate work, unclear owners, political traps) and surface them early with a recommended call.
• Model studio culture in enterprise settings: pace, candour, and respect for craft.

QUALIFICATIONS:

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Technology, or related field.
• Strong experience in leading operations and complex, cross-functional initiatives in a digital, product, consulting, or equivalent environment.
• Demonstrated judgement operating next to senior leaders: what to escalate, what to close quietly, what to refuse.
• Excellent structured communication — written and verbal — with executives and with delivery teams.
• Experience running team operations and coordinating people, vendors, budgets, and timelines without becoming a bottleneck.
• Comfort with ambiguity and with organisations in the middle of an operating-model change.
• Ability to lead a small operations function and still do hands-on initiative work.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• MBA or equivalent.
• Chief-of-staff, studio operations, or digital programme leadership experience.
• Healthcare, pharma, or other regulated-industry experience.
• Familiarity with product organisations (roadmaps, pods, dual-track discovery/delivery).
• Previous management consulting experience in a top firm is a plus.

NON-STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE, TRAVEL OR ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to travel to Pfizer offices, vendor offices and other team meeting locations when required. Initiative work can require off-hours around leadership deadlines.

 
Work Location Assignment: Hybrid

Purpose 

Breakthroughs that change patients' lives... At Pfizer we are a patient centric company, guided by our four values: courage, joy, equity and excellence. Our breakthrough culture lends itself to our dedication to transforming millions of lives.  

Digital Transformation Strategy

One bold way we are achieving our purpose is through our company wide digital transformation strategy. We are leading the way in adopting new data, modelling and automated solutions to further digitize and accelerate drug discovery and development with the aim of enhancing health outcomes and the patient experience.

Flexibility  

We aim to create a trusting, flexible workplace culture which encourages employees to achieve work life harmony, attracts talent and enables everyone to be their best working self. Let’s start the conversation!  

Equal Employment Opportunity 

We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce is crucial to building a successful business. As an employer, Pfizer is committed to celebrating this, in all its forms – allowing for us to be as diverse as the patients and communities we serve. Together, we continue to build a culture that encourages, supports and empowers our employees.

DisAbility Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and we encourage you to put your best self forward with the knowledge and trust that we will make any reasonable adjustments necessary to support your application and future career. Our mission is unleashing the power of our people, especially those with unique superpowers. Your journey with Pfizer starts here!

To learn more about acceptable and prohibited uses of AI during the recruitment process, please review our candidate AI-use guidelines available on Pfizer Careers.