Chief of Staff

Overview

The Chief of Staff serves as a partner and operational right hand to the US President & CEO, enabling effective leadership across the organization and ensuring seamless alignment with the Japan parent company. This role is central to driving governance excellence, organizational rhythm, and cross-functional execution across all functions of the US business.

The ideal candidate brings a blend of commercial pharmaceutical experience, exceptional organizational and project management skills, and a deep appreciation for Japanese business culture — ideally with direct experience working in or with Japanese organizations, or proficiency in the Japanese language.

Responsibilities

Executive Governance & Meeting Management

• Own the end-to-end planning, preparation, and follow-up for all key governance forums, including the Executive Committee, Extended Leadership Team, Board meetings, and ad hoc leadership sessions
• Develop structured agendas in partnership with the CEO, ensuring alignment on priorities, pre-reads, and clear decision frameworks
• Drive rigorous follow-up on action items, decisions, and commitments arising from all governance meetings
• Serve as the connective tissue across leadership to ensure accountability and momentum

Japan Headquarters Alignment

• Coordinate and manage monthly reporting cycles to Japan headquarters, ensuring high-quality, timely, and accurate submissions
• Create clear traceability of key content and decisions made in the US governance for parent organization 
• Act as a key liaison between the US affiliate and Japan HQ, facilitating clear communication, culturally sensitive messaging, and aligned expectations
• Navigate organizational and cultural nuances between the US and Japan to foster productive cross-border relationships
• Preferred: Leverage Japanese language proficiency to support direct engagement with Japan-based stakeholders

Strategic Planning & Project Management

• Support the CEO in translating strategic priorities into actionable plans with clear owners, milestones, and metrics
• Track progress against the US affiliate’s corporate, strategic and operational objectives; surface risks and opportunities proactively
• Lead or co-lead special projects and initiatives as directed by the CEO or Executive committee, often spanning multiple functions
• Apply rigorous project management methodologies to ensure on-time, high-quality delivery

Digital Operations & Knowledge Management

• Architect and maintain a digital platform (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, or equivalent) to centralize governance materials, project tracking, reporting, and leadership communications
• Drive adoption of digital tools across the leadership team to improve transparency, efficiency, and collaboration
• Design dashboards and reporting frameworks that give the CEO and leadership team real-time visibility into business performance and priorities

Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication

• Partner closely with Finance, Commercial, Medical, Regulatory, HR, and other functions to synthesize inputs, resolve roadblocks, and coordinate integrated planning
• Prepare high-quality executive communications, including PowerPoint presentations, briefing documents, and memos for internal and external audiences
• Support CEO communications — town halls, leadership updates, and external stakeholder messaging — ensuring clarity, consistency, and impact
• Represent the CEO’s office with professionalism and sound judgment across all interactions

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Life Sciences, or related field (advanced degree preferred)
• 12+ years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical industry
• Strong project management skills with experience managing complex, cross-functional initiatives
• Exceptional PowerPoint and executive presentation skills — able to synthesize complex information into clear, compelling narratives
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• High degree of organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Proven ability to work effectively with senior executives and across all levels of an organization
• Strong work ethic, personal accountability, and a bias toward action
• Demonstrated commercial background (sales, marketing, market access, or business development)

Preferred

• Experience working within or alongside a Japanese company or parent organization
• Proficiency in Japanese (business-level or higher strongly preferred)
• Familiarity with Japanese business culture, governance norms, and reporting expectations
• Experience implementing or managing digital collaboration platforms (e.g., Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Smartsheet, AI Tools, or similar)
• Experience in a Chief of Staff, Strategy, or Business Operations role

Competencies

Competency - Description 

• Cross-Cultural Agility |Bridges US and Japanese ways of working with respect and effectiveness |
• Influence Without Authority|Drives alignment and accountability across functions without direct reporting lines|
• Communication Excellence |Crafts clear, concise, and impactful messages for diverse audiences |
• Digital Fluency |Leverages technology to drive efficiency and organizational transparency |
• Execution Discipline |Follows through rigorously; closes the loop on commitments |
• Executive Presence |Represents the CEO’s office with professionalism and sound judgment |

Additional Information

The base salary range for this full-time position is $285,000 - $300,000. Individual pay is determined by several factors, which include but are not limited to: job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. The range does not include the comprehensive benefits, bonus, long-term incentive, applicable allowances, or any additional compensation that may be associated with this role

EEO

Shionogi Inc. is an equal opportunity employer supporting individuals with disabilities and veterans. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment opportunities based on valid job requirements without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, ancestry, citizenship, disability, genetic information, status as a disabled veteran, a recently separated veteran, Active Duty Wartime or Campaign Badge Veterans, and Armed Forces Service Medal Veterans, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. It is the policy of Shionogi Inc. to undertake affirmative action for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements to recruit a diverse pool of protected veteran and individuals with disabilities applicants and to ensure that our employment practices are, in fact, non-discriminatory.

If you are qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access this website to apply for a vacancy as a result of your disability. You can request accommodations by calling 973-307-3550 or by sending an email to ShionogiHR@shionogi.com.

Japanese pharma company specializing in infectious disease and pain treatments with strong R&D focus. Headquartered in Osaka, Japan.

shionogi.com