Head, Data & AI Enablement

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Job Description

OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE:

Takeda Pharmaceuticals is seeking an innovative and strategic leader to join its R&D Data, Digital & Technology (DD&T) organization as the Head of Data and AI Enablement. This pivotal role is instrumental in empowering Takeda’s R&D teams to unlock the full potential of data and cutting-edge AI technologies, driving transformative advancements in research and clinical development. The ideal candidate will serve as a catalyst for innovation and value realization, leveraging scalable ecosystems, AI-powered analytics, and emerging technologies to accelerate scientific discovery, improve decision-making, and enhance operational efficiency, all while maintaining compliance excellence.

Through a commitment to data and technology as strategic drivers of innovation, this leader will be pivotal in advancing Takeda’s mission to deliver transformative therapies and improve the lives of patients worldwide. If you have a passion for harnessing the power of data and AI to revolutionize research and development, this is a unique opportunity to drive impactful change.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

AI-Driven Transformation:

• Spearhead the deployment and integration of advanced AI and machine learning capabilities across workflows, embedding tools such as LLMs and generative AI into critical processes such as clinical protocol generation, molecule prediction, and trial optimization.

• Continuously explore and integrate emerging technologies, ensuring Takeda remains at the forefront of innovation while tailoring solutions to address evolving R&D challenges.

• Position AI and generative models as fundamental enablers of data-driven decision-making and empower researchers to uncover transformative insights that drive meaningful patient outcomes.

Data-Driven Innovation:

• The Head of Data and AI Enablement will play a critical role in fostering a culture of data-driven innovation by building capabilities that unlock the full value of Takeda’s diverse data assets, institutional knowledge, and insights.

• Drive the development of tools, workflows, and integration solutions that eliminate data silos, improve accessibility, and enhance agility across R&D while enabling compliance with regulatory standards such as HIPAA and GxP.

• Implement and oversee fit for purpose data governance frameworks that focus on unlocking scientific agility and enabling advanced analytics, ensuring reliable data integration, accessibility, quality, and compliance while empowering R&D teams to derive actionable insights.

• Enable seamless access to high-quality data and deploy advanced analytics and AI technologies to position Takeda’s data resources as drivers of discovery, trial optimization, and future therapeutic innovation.

• Transform Takeda’s data into a foundational pillar for R&D excellence by delivering scalable platforms and integrating emerging technologies to maintain a competitive edge and foster scientific breakthroughs.

Technical Leadership:

• Acts as a change agent to promote innovative ways of working and fostering collaboration across R&D DD&T, R&D, Global DD&T, external technology partners.

• Drive Technical Excellence: Lead the advancement of internal technical capabilities by fostering innovation and embedding AI-powered technologies like generative AI and large language models into R&D workflows, ensuring solutions align with Takeda’s scientific priorities.

• Architect and Deliver Scalable Solutions: Design, develop, and oversee the delivery of robust, scalable internal solutions that integrate data and AI to unlock insights, enhance decision-making, and drive efficiency across research, clinical, and regulatory functions.

• Elevate Technical Skillsets: Serve as a mentor and coach to elevate technical expertise within Takeda’s teams, enabling cross-functional stakeholders to embrace data engineering, AI methodologies, and advanced analytics tools in their workflows.

• Leadership in Data-Driven Innovation: Act as a strategic technical lead across R&D by continuously exploring and integrating cutting-edge technologies to address R&D challenges and ensure Takeda remains at the forefront of data and AI innovation.

• Ownership of Mission-Critical Deliverables: Take accountability for technical success by ensuring high-quality execution and alignment of all internal solutions, establishing rigorous processes and standards that meet regulatory requirements and business impact goals.

Resource Management:

• Manage budgets and resources efficiently to prioritize and achieve technical milestones.

• Ensure adherence to compliance, security, and IT governance standards while fostering an environment of continuous improvement and adaptability.

DIMENSIONS AND ASPECTS:

Leadership:

• Demonstrated ability to work across functions, regions and cultures

• Functional level leadership with the ability to inspire, motivate and drive results

• Excellent communicator, able to persuasively convey both ideas and data, verbally and in writing

• Proven skills as an effective team player who can engender credibility and confidence within and outside the company

• Ability to distil complex issues and ideas down to simple comprehensible terms

• Demonstrates leadership presence and confidence

• Embraces and demonstrates a diversity and inclusion mindset and role models these behaviors for the organization

• Builds teams across functions and geographies with individuals who have the right skills and experience to deliver on key organizational initiatives.

• Invests time in helping others to enhance their skills and perform at a higher level

Decision-making and Autonomy:

• Decision making responsibilities: Provide input to highly complex decisions that impact the functional area. Accountable for decision making for designated function. Ability to seek diverse input from multiple constituents and stakeholders to drive innovative solutions. Ability to incorporate feedback and ensure decisions are implemented swiftly to yield flawless execution 

• Accountable for providing input to and implementing vision and strategy for designated scope

Interaction:

• Effectively navigates the changing external and internal environment and leads others through change by creating and inspiring and engaging workplace

• Cultivates a broad network of relationships throughout Takeda, with affiliates and external partners, in the industry and area of expertise.

• Effectively represents function in negotiations with the ability to resolve conflict in a constructive manner

• Ability to build strong relationships and collaborate effectively with other interfacing Takeda functions

• Leadership experience within global, matrixed organizations with a focus on pharmaceutical R&D or healthcare innovation.

• Ability to work across diverse teams, such as research scientists, clinical development experts, and regulatory professionals, to ensure effective adoption of digital and AI solutions.

Innovation:

• Strategic thinker with a robust understanding of long-range planning for scalable and adaptable technological solutions.

• Commitment to innovation and staying ahead of technology trends to deliver transformative solutions.

• Passion for Takeda’s mission of improving patient lives and advancing therapeutic innovation.

• Forward thinking with the ability to recommend, influence and implement organizational change and continuous innovation

• Comfortable challenging the status quo and bringing forward innovative solutions

• Ability to take risks implementing innovative solutions, accelerating time to market

• Identifies opportunities and anticipates changes in the business landscape through an understanding and ongoing assessment of the environment affecting the business.

• Role models respect and inclusion, creating a culture that fosters innovation

Complexity:

• Ability to work in a global ecosystem (internal and external) with a high degree of complexity

• Deep expertise required

• Ability to see and understand broader, enterprise level perspective 

EDUCATION, BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

• Master’s Degree is required; a PhD in a relevant field such as Data Science, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Engineering, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related discipline is highly preferred.

• Specialized Training: Formal education or certification in software engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative AI, data engineering, or related technologies.

• Business Acumen: An MBA or equivalent experience in strategy, management, or leadership is a plus, particularly for candidates with strong technical backgrounds.

• Minimum of 15 years in progressive leadership roles within Digital, Data, Technology, or R&D environments in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare sectors.

• Experience leading high-performing cross-functional teams across data science, AI development, software engineering, and operations.

Technology and AI Delivery:

• Proven track record of delivering AI and Data Solutions that drive documented value

• Proven track record in deploying large language models (LLMs), generative AI systems, and other advanced technologies to solve complex challenges in R&D functions such as molecule prediction, trial design optimization, and clinical protocol generation.

• Hands-on experience in identifying, piloting, and scaling emerging technology solutions for research, clinical, and regulatory workflows.

• Proven ability to drive AI-powered innovation and develop strategic roadmaps that align emerging technologies with organizational goals.

• Experience in translating novel AI applications into actionable insights that create tangible business value for R&D and broader organizational objectives.

Software Development and DevOps Practices:

• Experience in delivering custom software solutions for complex R&D needs, leveraging both internal and external resources.

• Expertise in implementing DevOps practices to drive efficient development-to-operations transitions and ensure automation across workflows.

Data Enablement & Capability Building:

• Strategic Data Leadership: Proven ability to design and implement scalable data strategies that unlock the value of diverse data assets, eliminate silos, and drive decision-making in R&D, clinical, or regulated environments. Extensive experience building and managing Data Engines and enabling self-service analytics through intuitive, AI-powered tools accessible to scientific and clinical teams.

• Knowledge Integration and Governance: Expertise in integrating diverse data sources, surfacing organizational knowledge, and implementing governance frameworks to ensure compliance with global regulatory standards (e.g., HIPAA, GxP) while maintaining data accessibility and quality.

• Collaboration and Innovation: Strong track record of partnering across cross-functional teams (e.g., scientists, clinicians, regulatory professionals) to deliver impactful solutions, leveraging emerging technologies like NLP and generative AI to address evolving R&D needs.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Hybrid role, based in Cambridge, MA

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary

We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. We are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices.

For Location:

Boston, MA

U.S. Base Salary Range:

$208,200.00 - $327,140.00

EEO Statement

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations

Boston, MA

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time

Job Exempt

Yes

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