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Director, Vector Product Champion

Director, Vector Product Champion

locationSeattle, WA, USA
PublishedPublished: 9/27/2025
Leadership / Executive Board
Full Time
$212,670 - $257,706

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us.

The Director, Vector Product Champion is accountable for leading an interdisciplinary technical team of scientists and engineers to manage the technical life cycle of Cell Therapy clinical and commercial products. This role is responsible for developing and executing the CMC strategy for assigned products, managing key technical risks, and ensuring technical alignment with stakeholders.

As a key member of the CMC and Global Operations (GO) Team, the Product Champion will deliver technical projects aligned to the brand strategy and Global Product Strategy (GPS) goals. Success is measured maintaining supply continuity, meeting project milestones, achieving regulatory approvals, and delivering on process robustness goals. Depending on workload and complexity, the Product Champion may manage one or more products.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead a cross functional matrix team (CTTO, Development, Analytical, Quality, External Manufacturing, and Regulatory) to create an integrated technical product roadmap.
  • Develop CMC technical strategy for life cycle or pipeline programs; secure stakeholder endorsement at governance forums.
  • Partner with matrix team leads to build project schedules, charters, budgets, and resourcing plans.
  • Define and drive global process control strategies, including risk-based parameter classification, lifecycle justification of ranges, and Continued Process Verification (CPV) alignment.
  • Develop end-to-end project to portfolio execution, focused on supply stabilization, business continuity projects, and pipeline launch programs.
  • Represent CTTO in regulatory discussions and serve as a technical leader for INDs, and BLAs.
  • Participate in global change control management to ensure product quality, compliance and supply.
  • Author, review and approve regulatory CMC submission sections.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives to improve lifecycle management and process robustness.
  • Actively manage technical risks & risk register, charter priority projects to manage high risks to the brand, and support business continuity initiatives.
  • Escalate risk and develop contingency plans through proactive stakeholder engagement.
  • Provide leadership updates on brand strategy, technical risk and the overall health of priority projects.

Qualifications & Experience:

  • B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, or related discipline with:
  • 15+ years (B.S.), 15+ years (M.S.), or 12+ years (Ph.D.) of experience in biologics or cell therapy process development, tech transfer, or GMP manufacturing support.
  • Direct experience in participating on and leading technical project teams in a highly matrixed environment.
  • Proven track record managing and influencing external partnerships (CDMOs/CMOs) to achieve strategic outcomes.
  • Knowledge of CMC regulatory, drug substance & drug product manufacturing, and analytical testing requirements is strongly preferred.
  • Strong knowledge of ICH guidelines, control strategies, and validation lifecycle frameworks.
  • Ability to effectively utilize project management and Lean Six Sigma tools is a plus.
  • Experience authoring and defending regulatory submissions (INDs, BLAs, variations).
  • Excellent interpersonal, collaborative, team building and communication skills.
  • Ability to influence senior stakeholders and align cross-functional teams on complex technical and strategic issues.
  • Approximately 10-20% travel.
  • Demonstrated capability in implementing challenging goals, objectives and practices in a complex and ambiguous/matrix environment
  • Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical content into strategic recommendations for leadership.

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If you come across a role that intrigues you but doesn’t perfectly line up with your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be one step away from work that will transform your life and career.

Compensation Overview:

Devens - MA - US: $212,670 - $257,706
Seattle - WA: $218,630 - $264,926


The starting compensation range(s) for this role are listed above for a full-time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility) may be available. The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills, where the job is performed, the employee’s work schedule, job-related knowledge, and experience. Final, individual compensation will be decided based on demonstrated experience.

Eligibility for specific benefits listed on our careers site may vary based on the job and location. For more on benefits, please visit https://careers.bms.com/life-at-bms/.

Benefit offerings are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect and may include the following: Medical, pharmacy, dental and vision care. Wellbeing support such as the BMS Living Life Better program and employee assistance programs (EAP). Financial well-being resources and a 401(K). Financial protection benefits such as short- and long-term disability, life insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection and survivor support. Work-life programs include paid national holidays and optional holidays, Global Shutdown Days between Christmas and New Year’s holiday, up to 120 hours of paid vacation, up to two (2) paid days to volunteer, sick time off, and summer hours flexibility. Parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military leave. Family care services such as adoption and surrogacy reimbursement, fertility/infertility benefits, support for traveling mothers, and child, elder and pet care resources. Other perks like tuition reimbursement and a recognition program.

Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers
With a single vision as inspiring as “Transforming patients’ lives through science™ ”, every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture, promoting global participation in clinical trials, while our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.

On-site Protocol

BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs. The occupancy type that you are assigned is determined by the nature and responsibilities of your role:

Site-essential roles require 100% of shifts onsite at your assigned facility. Site-by-design roles may be eligible for a hybrid work model with at least 50% onsite at your assigned facility. For these roles, onsite presence is considered an essential job function and is critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, and a positive Company culture. For field-based and remote-by-design roles the ability to physically travel to visit customers, patients or business partners and to attend meetings on behalf of BMS as directed is an essential job function.

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to adastaffingsupport@bms.com. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

BMS cares about your well-being and the well-being of our staff, customers, patients, and communities. As a result, the Company strongly recommends that all employees be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and keep up to date with Covid-19 boosters.

BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

Salary range

  • $212,670 - $257,706