Manager of Projects Zymergen, Inc.
Emeryville, CA

Job Description

Manager of Projects (MP)

The MP is accountable oversight and successful cross-functional delivery of a portfolio of Zymergen projects (strain improvement, products or discovery projects). A successful MP possesses the scientific, technical, leadership, and cross-functional management skills to oversee large and complex programs. MPs provide oversight from initial scoping work to delivery of project goals and objectives on time and to a high level of quality. The MP is an ambassador and role model for the Zymergen cross-functional project delivery. The MP may also be accountable for selected infrastructure and process improvement projects to enable project delivery.

Key accountabilities:

* Oversee technical leads (TLs) of Zymergen projects (agent and principal)
* Ensure that projects have well-defined scope and robust project plans
* Identify gaps in current Zymergen capabilities across programs and work to close these
* Identify risks to time, cost, value across the portfolio and look for trends across programs
* Identify new technologies that improve methods and processes for project delivery
* Partner closely with BD directors to ensure clear and accurate technical updates to clients
* Monitor progress of projects and ensure resourcing matches program requirements
* Provide clear and accurate project updates to key cross-functional stakeholders & executive management that are fit for purpose
* Work with key cross-functional leadership partners to evolve and improve the service offerings to projects.

Job level:

Senior Scientist/Associate Director level role with a PhD in a scientific discipline or equivalent in engineering and 10+ years of industry experience.

People Management:

Support, grow, and nurture reports across a broad range of professional development categories.

* Mentor on communication skills including mentoring reports in communicating with leadership, clients, and working with stakeholders outside the department.
* Mentor on project management skills including how to plan/design, execute, and close out technical projects.
* Establish clear job profiles, expectations, metrics, and development plans. Work together on individual career development plans and discuss progress and feedback with reports on a regular basis.
* Foster cognitive diversity in the workplace by creating opportunities for informal coaching and mentoring across the team and training people to become more aware of their biases.
* Promote a safe work environment by ensuring adherence to safety regulations and best practices, encouraging the team to proactively identify and report issues, escalating issues to leadership, and working with EH&S and relevant stakeholders to resolve program-specific issues.
* Maintain employee work schedules including assignments, job rotation, training, vacations and paid time off, telecommuting, and solve for absenteeism.

Communication:

Communicate status and issue updates regularly with projects leadership.

* Work with leadership to develop and adjust communication channels to ensure key stakeholders receive the correct information in a timely manner.
* Update leadership on personnel issues e.g. leaves of absence, career growth, or logistical issues.
* Work across functions with peers in other groups to ensure high levels of collaboration around shared work and goals.
* Review technical documents (presentations and reports) for external and internal communication.

Hiring & training

Work with leadership to ensure the team has the appropriate resources and skill sets to complete projects and improve processes.

* Identify gaps in staffing or team expertise within the portfolio. Work with leadership to fill in gaps including guiding talent identification and managing the hiring work streams with HR.
* Participate in various employee training programs for new hires and existing staff.

Technical Skills include:

* PhD in biological sciences
* Coding/databases (applied to Biology)
* Statistics/quantitative methods (applied to Biology)
* Understanding of metabolic engineering
* Understanding of synthetic biology approaches
* Understanding of automation (applied to Biology)

Leadership & management Capabilities include:

* Proven experience in managing & oversight of complex synthetic biology projects
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills
* Proven negotiation, collaboration, and interpersonal leadership skills
* Conceptual, analytical and strategic thinking with proven decision-making capability
* Ability to influence strategically across all levels of the organization
* Maturity around complex problem solving and dealing with ambiguity
* Can manage flexibly and understand when and how to change tacks or focus to meet goals
* Is goal orientated and works hard to get things done
* Has a personal organization system that allows her or him to attend to many tasks at once
* Able to tailor communication style to any audience from executives to research associates
* Knows when to speak and when to listen
* Can represent the public face of Zymergen to clients, conferences, and be in a position to develop communication plans for the work completed