Associate Director, IT Business Relationship Management - Operations

About the Job

We are seeking a forward-thinking and strategically minded leader to drive innovation and modernization across our Operations technology landscape. This role will serve as a thought partner to senior Operations and IT leadership, continuously monitoring emerging trends in laboratory technologies such as LIMS, process automation, and sample management. By benchmarking industry best practices and facilitating cross-functional collaboration, the successful candidate will shape a cohesive technology vision and translate insights into actionable strategies, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of diagnostic and operational excellence.

A critical component of this role is the development and execution of multi-year capability roadmaps that advance the maturity of Operations. The individual will align these roadmaps with enterprise strategy, regulatory expectations, and architectural standards, while prioritizing investments through a transparent, value-driven framework. This includes maintaining a dynamic roadmap that informs annual planning and budgeting cycles, while accounting for complex interdependencies across functions such as R&D, Operations, and cybersecurity to ensure integrated and scalable outcomes.

In addition, this role will take ownership of the operational performance and lifecycle management of core platforms supporting Operations, including LIMS, process automation, and sample management systems. The candidate will define platform strategy, governance, and release management while ensuring systems are secure, compliant, and optimized for performance and user experience. Leveraging ITIL-based practices, the role will also drive operational excellence across the technology portfolio, managing costs effectively and promoting standardization, data governance, and interoperability to enable long-term scalability and resilience.

Key Responsibilities:

Thought Leadership

Monitor emerging trends in lab technology (LIMS, process automation, sample management)

Benchmark industry best practices across lab diagnostics domains

Advise senior Operations and IT leaders on strategic opportunities, risks, and modernization pathways

Facilitate cross-functional forums to align on Operations technology strategy and innovation priorities

Translate insights into actionable recommendations and investment proposals

Capability Roadmaps

Develop multi‑year roadmaps to advance the capabilities of Operations

Align roadmaps with enterprise strategy, regulatory requirements, and architectural standards

Prioritize investments using a transparent, value‑based framework

Maintain a living roadmap that guides annual planning, budgeting, and sequencing of initiatives

Ensure roadmaps reflect cross‑functional dependencies (e.g., R&DOperations data flows, cybersecurity)

Platform Run Ownership

Serve as platform Run owners for core Operations systems (LIMS, process automation, sample management)

Define platform vision, governance, and release strategy

Manage platform lifecycle (for non-custom development), upgrades, integrations, and vendor relationships

Ensure platforms are secure, compliant, scalable, and optimized for user experience

Drive standardization, data governance, and interoperability across Operations systems

Operations Technology Operations

Drive ITIL-base process excellence for the Operations technology portfolio

Manage Operations technology investments and costs in line with IT budget

Comply with FMI's attendance policies

Qualifications

• Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related field required; advanced degree (MBA, MS) preferred

• Minimum of 8+ years of progressive experience in IT, digital, or operations technology roles within regulated industries (e.g., healthcare, life sciences, diagnostics)

• 4+ years of management experience

• Demonstrated experience with laboratory systems and technologies, including LIMS, process automation platforms, and sample management solutions

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), Information Systems, Engineering, or Life Sciences

• 10+ years of experience in laboratory diagnostics, biopharma, or healthcare environments with a strong focus on Operations technology

• Deep expertise in LIMS platforms (e.g., Thermo Fisher SampleManager, LabWare, LabVantage) and modern lab automation ecosystems

• Experience leading large-scale digital transformation or modernization initiatives within regulated environments

• Proven track record of developing and executing multi-year technology roadmaps aligned to business strategy and regulatory requirements

• Strong understanding of IT governance, system lifecycle management, and vendor management practices

• Experience operating within ITIL-based service management frameworks, including incident, problem, and change management

• Familiarity with regulatory and compliance standards (e.g., FDA, GxP, HIPAA, GDPR) and their impact on technology platforms and data management

• Experience driving cross-functional initiatives and influencing senior stakeholders across Operations, IT, R&D, and cybersecurity

• Solid understanding of enterprise architecture principles, data governance, and system integration/interoperability practices

• Demonstrated ability to manage technology budgets, prioritize investments, and deliver measurable business value

• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate complex insights into actionable recommendations

• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with experience facilitating executive-level discussions and decision-making forums

• Strong familiarity with cloud-based platforms and architectures (AWS, Azure) supporting laboratory and data-intensive workloads

• Demonstrated experience implementing data governance frameworks, including master data management and data quality programs

• Experience establishing platform governance models, including release management, product ownership, and lifecycle optimization

• Proven ability to design and operationalize value-based portfolio management frameworks and investment prioritization models

• Advanced knowledge of cybersecurity principles as applied to laboratory and operational technology environments

• Experience integrating complex systems across R&D, Operations, and enterprise platforms (e.g., ERP, data platforms, analytics)

• Track record of building and leading high-performing, cross-functional teams in a matrixed organization

• Strong executive presence with experience influencing C-level stakeholders and presenting to governance boards or steering committees

• Certification in ITIL, TOGAF, PMP, or relevant industry frameworks is a plus

• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies applied to laboratory or operational processes

• Understanding of HIPAA and the importance of patient data privacy

• Commitment to reflect FMI’s values: Integrity, Courage, and Passion

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of Boston, MA is $184,110 - $216,600 per year. The salary range is commensurate with Foundation Medicine’s compensation practice and considers factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, external market conditions, criticality of role, and internal equity. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for Foundation Medicine's benefits.

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