Senior Director NPD PMO, AWM

Senior Director, NPD PMO, Advanced Wound Management (AWM)

Life Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living.

Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused on the repair, regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue. We exist to restore people's bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose 'Life Unlimited'. Our 18,000 employees deliver this mission every day, making a difference to patients' lives through the excellence of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global business units of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT and Advanced Wound Management.

Role Overview

Smith & Nephew is seeking a Senior Director, NPD PMO to lead and develop a New Product Development (NPD) Program Management Office (PMO) within its Advanced Wound Management (AWM) business. This leader will be responsible for executing all aspects of the NPD portfolio, ensuring operational excellence across people, processes, and governance.

The role requires expertise in a wide range of medical products, including software applications, cloud computing, advanced wound dressings, negative pressure wound therapy consumables, and devices. Collaboration with R&D, Marketing, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory Affairs is essential to drive innovation, compliance, and successful product launches.

The Senior Director, NPD PMO will demonstrate a proven track record of delivering innovation and organizational leadership in the medical device industry. The role reports to the Head of Global NPD PMO and will be based in Hull, UK or Andover, MA, USA.

What will you be doing?

• Establish and lead the NPD PMO with a focus on People, Process, and Governance, including:
  • PMO Talent Development
  • Program Management Processes & Best Practices
  • NPD Portfolio Governance aligned with Industry Standards
• Define and implement quantitative and qualitative KPIs to measure NPD performance, serving as the domain expert in performance analytics.
• Drive NPD process improvements, such as a demand management program that prioritizes programs based on predefined KPIs, including return on R&D investment, productivity, resourcing, and business value.
• Ensure portfolio alignment with business and functional KPIs.
• Develop a pipeline of globally effective and diverse leaders while fostering a high-performance culture.
• Define NPD Program Leadership requirements, ensuring PMO talent meets industry benchmarks, particularly in Agile Product Development within an FDA-regulated environment.
• Promote an inclusive and collaborative culture, providing coaching and feedback across the Global PMO.
• Benchmark NPD capabilities against global industry standards.

What will you need to be successful?

• Education:
  • Bachelor's degree required.
  • Advanced degree in Science, Business, or Engineering preferred.
• Experience:
  • Director level experience in managing NPD operations & PMOs in a global context.
  • 10+ years in people management.
  • Hands-on experience in establishing large-scale PMO/NPD Portfolio Governance.
  • Expertise in Agile Product Development in an FDA-regulated environment.
  • Demonstrated industry knowledge of Product Development Methodologies (e.g., AAMI TIR45: 2012, Scaled Agile) through certifications and tangible results.
  • Proven ability to attract and develop global talent.
  • Experience leading high-performing teams in a matrixed environment.
  • Strong team player with interdepartmental collaboration skills.
  • Expertise in organizational change management and transformation programs.
  • Ability to define and align future visions with business strategies.
  • Executive-level presentation skills and a collaborative mindset.
  • Commitment to continuous learning and skill development.
  • Strong strategic and tactical awareness, with the ability to zoom in and out as needed.

You. Unlimited.

We believe in creating the greatest good for society. Our strongest investments are in our people and the patients we serve.

• Inclusion, Diversity and Equity: Committed to Welcoming, Celebrating and Thriving on Diversity, Learn more about our Employee Inclusion Groups on our website (https://www.smith-nephew.com/)
• Your Future: Generous annual bonus and pension Schemes, Save As You Earn share options.
• Work/Life Balance: Flexible Vacation and Time Off, Paid Holidays and Paid Volunteering Hours, so we can give back to our communities!
• Your Wellbeing: Private Health and Dental plans, Healthcare Cash Plans, Income Protection, Life Assurance and much more.
• Flexibility: Hybrid Working Model (For most professional roles).
• Training: Hands-On, Team-Customised, Mentorship.
• Extra Perks: Discounts on Gyms and fitness clubs, Salary Sacrifice Bicycle and Car Schemes and many other Employee discounts.

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Smith+Nephew provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.