Director, Product Strategy & Innovation

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Director, Product Strategy & Innovation

Company: GSK

Location: London, United Kingdom; Wavre, Belgium; Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Bangalore, India; Siena, Italy; Stevenage, United Kingdom; Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States; Warsaw, Poland

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Strategy & Innovation (within Clinical Operations)

Date Posted: April 27, 2026

Experience Level: Director (10+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drives innovation within Clinical Operations Platforms & Innovation (CP&I) to redefine clinical research operationalization.

• Acts as the business product owner, collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver next-generation data acquisition and clinical trial solutions.

• Identifies opportunities for simplification and optimization within the clinical trial technology ecosystem and patient/site workflows.

• Focuses on delivering measurable value, efficiency, and acceleration across GSK's clinical trial portfolio.

• Utilizes a unique blend of domain knowledge, process expertise, product management, and technology acumen to ensure successful product delivery and adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role sits within GSK's Global Clinical Operations (GCO) organization, specifically within the Clin Ops Platforms & Innovation (CP&I) group. The "Product Strategy & Innovation" title, combined with responsibilities like defining and leading programs, building/buying/collaborating on novel solutions, and driving adoption, strongly indicates a focus on Revenue Operations or GTM Operations principles applied to the clinical development lifecycle, aiming to improve efficiency and speed to market for therapies. The emphasis on "product owner" and "delivering innovation solutions" suggests a strategic, operations-focused role that bridges technology, process, and business outcomes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead a program of work to redefine clinical research operationalization through innovation.

• Identify and champion opportunities for innovation to accelerate Global Clinical Operations (GCO) activities.

• Serve as the business product owner for innovation solutions, working collaboratively with technology teams, domain experts, data engineers, and business subject matter experts (SMEs).

• Deliver innovation solutions aligned with the GCO vision for next-generation data acquisition and future-state clinical trials.

• Engage in discovery and brainstorming to identify transformative simplifications within the GCO technology ecosystem, including system consolidation and workflow enhancement.

• Leverage product development experience and clinical trial knowledge to pinpoint areas for optimization and efficiency gains.

• Manage product development budgets and ensure Return on Investment (ROI) commitments are met.

• Drive the adoption of new processes and products rolled out across the organization.

• Identify and maximize opportunities for development and value realization.

• Work hands-on with teams to explore, test, iterate, and validate potential solutions for stakeholders and customers.

• Manage key stakeholders across cross-functional teams, including functional heads and department leads, to deliver innovation and value.

• Engage regularly with senior stakeholders to ensure tooling adoption and that solutions effectively address business problems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly outline a strategic product management function within operations, emphasizing cross-functional collaboration, value realization, and adoption. This aligns with typical Revenue Operations or GTM Operations roles that focus on optimizing processes, implementing technology, and driving business outcomes through strategic initiatives. The mention of "ROI commitments" and "maximizing opportunities" highlights a business-impact orientation crucial for operations leaders.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum requirement includes enterprise-grade product launches with measurable adoption and impact.

• Proven track record of helping to launch successful products to market, ideally in consumer-facing environments, with demonstrated success in scaling deployments to thousands of users.

• Experience in prototyping and solution exploration using platforms such as VS Code and Copilot, Lovable, or similar tools to facilitate collaboration with engineering teams and accelerate development cycles.

• Proven experience in leading and developing high-performing teams to drive business transformation, with a focus on coaching, mentoring, and fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

Required Skills:

• Deep understanding of the clinical trial landscape and Product Development methodologies.

• Strong systems-thinking capabilities.

• Product management discipline and technology acumen.

• Experience leveraging data analytics, business intelligence, or machine learning to improve enterprise planning, operational efficiency, and strategic decision-making.

• Demonstrated experience with software products, predictive modeling, and applied ML/AI algorithms to solve complex business challenges.

• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge and application of systems thinking principles to holistically analyze and optimize interconnected processes across large-scale organizations.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts and strategies to diverse audiences, including technical teams, business stakeholders, and executive leadership.

• Broad knowledge of Pharma industry processes, particularly within R&D, clinical development, or drug discovery, and familiarity with the regulatory, scientific, and operational challenges unique to the sector.

• Proven ability to lead and navigate cross-functional teams through complex, multi-phase projects—from early ideation and conceptual design to full-scale delivery and implementation.

• Demonstrated ability to build consensus and influence directly and indirectly across matrixed organizations, translating complex problem statements into actionable solutions with measurable business value.

• Demonstrated ability to engage, influence, and collaborate effectively with senior stakeholders to align priorities, drive business impact, and deliver measurable outcomes.

• Strong ability to align business needs and expectations across senior and executive teams, chart the course, and translate these into tangible outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred qualifications highlight a critical need for strategic thinking, cross-functional influence, and deep industry knowledge, which are hallmarks of senior Revenue Operations or GTM Strategy roles. The emphasis on translating complex problems into actionable solutions with measurable business value is a core tenet of operations leadership.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase examples of successful product launches, emphasizing scalability and user adoption metrics (e.g., number of users, impact on key performance indicators).

• Provide case studies demonstrating the application of systems thinking to analyze and optimize complex, interconnected processes within large organizations.

• Illustrate experience with prototyping and solution exploration using tools like VS Code, Copilot, or Lovable, highlighting how these tools accelerated development cycles and facilitated collaboration.

• Detail projects where data analytics, business intelligence, or machine learning were leveraged to drive enterprise planning, operational efficiency, or strategic decision-making, with quantifiable results.

Process Documentation:

• Document examples of business process reengineering or optimization projects, clearly outlining the "before" and "after" states, the methodologies used, and the resulting improvements in efficiency, cost savings, or speed.

• Detail product management frameworks or methodologies applied to bring products from ideation to market, including how user needs were gathered, prioritized, and translated into product features.

• Illustrate how predictive modeling or ML/AI algorithms were applied to solve complex business challenges, including the data used, the model developed, and the business impact achieved.

• Showcase experience in managing product development budgets and demonstrating ROI for implemented solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Director-level role in product strategy and innovation within operations, a portfolio should demonstrate not just project completion but also strategic thinking, process improvement methodologies, and tangible business impact. The focus should be on showcasing how strategic initiatives translated into measurable operational efficiencies and advancements, akin to demonstrating ROI in Revenue Operations or GTM Operations projects.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Poland (Warsaw): PLN 408,750 - PLN 681,250 gross annually.

• Other Locations: Salary ranges will vary by country based on market rates for the role. Specific compensation will be discussed during the recruitment process for locations where ranges are not displayed.

Benefits:

• Statutory benefits in accordance with Polish law.

• Private healthcare.

• Additional paid days off.

• Life insurance.

• Private pension plan.

• Fully paid parental leave.

• Care of family member leave.

Working Hours:

• Standard 40 hours per week.

• The company promotes an agile working culture, encouraging exploration of flexibility opportunities with the hiring team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range for Poland is detailed. For other international locations, it's crucial to research local market rates for Director-level roles in product strategy, innovation, and operations within the pharmaceutical/biotech sector. Factors like cost of living, industry demand, and GSK's compensation philosophy in each region will influence the actual range. The benefits package is comprehensive and aligns with industry standards for large multinational corporations, offering a strong value proposition for operations professionals seeking stability and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Biopharma / Pharmaceutical. GSK is a global leader focused on preventing and treating disease through innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines.

Company Size: Large enterprise (GSK is a multinational corporation with a significant global presence).

Founded: GSK has a long history, formed through mergers of pharmaceutical companies, with a continuous presence in drug development and healthcare innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Product Strategy & Innovation group is described as a "small and responsive innovation group" seated within CP&I (Clin Ops Platforms & Innovation) and part of GCO (Global Clinical Operations).

• This suggests a lean, agile team designed for rapid ideation and execution, likely reporting into a broader clinical operations or R&D innovation leadership structure.

Methodology:

• Data-driven approaches: Emphasizes data analytics, business intelligence, and ML/AI for decision-making and operational improvements.

• Systems thinking: A core principle for understanding and optimizing interconnected processes across the organization.

• Agile and iterative development: Encourages exploring, testing, iterating, and validating solutions with stakeholders.

• Product management discipline: Focuses on defining product roadmaps, managing development cycles, and ensuring adoption and ROI.

• Focus on innovation: Actively seeks novel solutions to redefine clinical research operations.

Company Website: https://www.gsk.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes innovation, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration, which are key elements for success in operations roles. The "small and responsive" nature of the innovation group suggests an environment where individuals can have a significant impact, while being part of a larger, established organization. This duality is common in GTM Operations or Revenue Operations teams that drive strategic change within larger corporate structures.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Director, Product Strategy & Innovation. This is a senior leadership role responsible for defining and executing strategic initiatives that impact clinical operations globally. It requires a blend of strategic vision, operational expertise, and leadership capabilities.

Reporting Structure: The role sits within the CP&I group, part of GCO. It likely reports to a senior leader within CP&I or GCO, such as a VP or Head of Innovation/Platforms. The Director will manage product development initiatives and likely lead a small team or work with cross-functional project teams.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the speed, efficiency, and effectiveness of GSK's clinical trials. By driving innovation and adopting new technologies and processes, the Director will contribute to accelerating the delivery of life-saving medicines to patients, which has significant strategic and financial implications for the company. The focus on ROI and adoption ensures that operational improvements translate into tangible business value.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership: Opportunity to shape the future of clinical operations at GSK by defining and leading innovative product strategies.

• Cross-functional Influence: Develop strong relationships and influence across R&D, technology, and commercial functions, broadening understanding of the pharmaceutical value chain.

• Technology & Innovation Expertise: Deepen expertise in emerging technologies (AI, ML, data analytics) and their application in clinical research operations.

• Product Management Mastery: Further hone product management skills in a complex, regulated industry, leading to potential advancement into broader product leadership roles or executive positions within operations or R&D.

• Team Leadership Development: Opportunity to mentor and develop teams, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, preparing for larger leadership responsibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential, especially for operations professionals aiming for senior leadership. The blend of strategic product ownership, operational execution, and technological innovation is highly valued in Revenue Operations and GTM Strategy career paths, offering a clear trajectory towards executive roles focused on driving business impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as Hybrid, indicating a blend of on-site and remote work. This suggests a modern work environment that balances the need for in-person collaboration with flexibility.

Office Location(s): The role is open to multiple global locations including London (UK), Wavre (Belgium), Mississauga (Canada), Bangalore (India), Siena (Italy), Stevenage (UK), Collegeville (USA), and Warsaw (Poland). This indicates a global team structure and the potential for diverse working arrangements.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on cross-functional teams suggest a workspace that facilitates both focused individual work and collaborative problem-solving sessions.

• Technology-Enabled: Expect access to modern productivity tools, collaboration platforms, and potentially advanced analytics and development environments (e.g., VS Code, Copilot) to support the innovation mandate.

• Global Interaction: Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders across different geographies and time zones, fostering a rich, international work experience.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40-hour work week, with an emphasis on an "agile working culture."

• Flexibility is encouraged, and candidates are advised to discuss specific arrangements with the hiring team, which is typical for hybrid roles where balance is valued.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature and multiple location options suggest an adaptable and modern work environment. For operations professionals, this implies a focus on deliverable outcomes rather than strict time-based presence, supporting the efficiency and process-oriented mindset common in Revenue Operations and GTM Operations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely includes a review of the resume and application to assess basic qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's core requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on the candidate's experience in product strategy, innovation, clinical operations, and leadership. Expect questions about past successes, challenges, and strategic thinking.

• Cross-functional Panel Interview: Candidates will likely meet with key stakeholders from technology, clinical operations, and potentially R&D. This assesses collaboration skills, ability to influence, and understanding of complex processes. Portfolio review may occur here.

• Case Study or Presentation: A common step for senior roles, where candidates might be asked to present a strategic proposal, analyze a hypothetical problem, or walk through a relevant portfolio project demonstrating their approach to innovation and problem-solving.

• Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic alignment, and overall leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategic Impact: Focus on 2-3 significant projects that demonstrate your ability to drive innovation, optimize processes, and deliver measurable business value (ROI, efficiency gains, acceleration).

• Showcase Systems Thinking: Include examples where you analyzed complex, interconnected systems and proposed holistic solutions.

• Highlight Product Ownership: Detail your role as a business product owner, from ideation and user needs assessment to development, launch, and adoption.

• Quantify Results: Use specific metrics (e.g., percentage improvement in cycle time, cost savings, adoption rates) to demonstrate the impact of your work.

• Demonstrate Technical Acumen: If applicable, showcase experience with prototyping tools or ML/AI applications, explaining the technical approach and its business benefits.

• Tailor to GSK: Research GSK's current strategies and challenges in clinical operations to align your portfolio examples with their priorities.

Challenge Preparation:

• Innovation Strategy: Be prepared to discuss how you identify innovation opportunities, assess their potential impact, and develop a roadmap for implementation.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Prepare examples of how you've successfully partnered with diverse teams (tech, business, clinical) to achieve common goals.

• Problem Framing & Solutioning: Practice articulating complex problems clearly and outlining structured approaches to developing and validating solutions.

• Stakeholder Management: Be ready to discuss strategies for engaging, influencing, and aligning senior stakeholders, particularly in a matrixed organization.

• ROI & Adoption: Prepare to discuss how you measure the success of initiatives and drive user adoption of new tools and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the strategic nature of this role, the interview process will likely be rigorous, focusing on strategic thinking, leadership, and operational impact. A well-prepared portfolio that showcases concrete achievements in product strategy, innovation, and process optimization is crucial for demonstrating readiness for a Revenue Operations or GTM Strategy leadership role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Development: VS Code, GitHub Copilot, Lovable (or similar rapid prototyping/collaboration tools).

• Product Management: Familiarity with product lifecycle management tools, roadmapping software (e.g., Jira, Asana, Aha!), and user story mapping.

• Collaboration Platforms: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Experience with platforms like Tableau, Power BI, QlikView for data visualization and reporting.

• Data Analytics & ML/AI: Proficiency in leveraging data analytics, business intelligence, and machine learning/AI algorithms. Familiarity with Python (for ML/AI), R, or similar statistical programming languages may be beneficial.

• Data Warehousing/Lakes: Understanding how data is structured and accessed within enterprise data environments.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with enterprise CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and workflow automation tools could be beneficial, especially for understanding how clinical data integrates with broader business systems.

• Systems Thinking: A fundamental requirement to understand how various technologies and processes interconnect within the GCO ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of VS Code, Copilot, and Lovable highlights a forward-thinking approach to technology adoption and development within GSK's operations. For operations professionals, demonstrating proficiency with these tools, alongside core BI and analytics platforms, is key. Understanding how these tools support Revenue Operations or GTM Operations functions like process automation, data analysis, and strategic planning will be advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ambitious for Patients: Driving innovation to ultimately benefit patients by accelerating the delivery of new treatments.

• Accountable for Impact: Taking ownership of outcomes and ensuring that initiatives deliver measurable value and efficiency gains.

• Doing the Right Thing: Upholding ethical standards and regulatory compliance in all aspects of clinical research and product development.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Fostering a culture that actively seeks new solutions and constantly looks for ways to enhance processes and outcomes.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relying on data, analytics, and insights to guide strategy and operational execution.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Emphasis on working closely with diverse teams (tech, R&D, clinical SMEs) to achieve shared goals.

• Agile & Iterative: A collaborative approach that involves exploration, testing, and refinement of solutions in partnership with stakeholders.

• Open Communication: Encouraging clear articulation of complex concepts and strategies to ensure alignment across different audiences.

• Partnership & Influence: Building consensus and influencing stakeholders to drive adoption and achieve business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core values of "Ambitious for Patients," "Accountable for Impact," and "Doing the Right Thing" are central to GSK's mission. For operations professionals, these translate into a commitment to driving efficiency and innovation that directly supports the company's purpose, while maintaining high ethical and performance standards. This aligns well with the strategic objectives of Revenue Operations and GTM Operations roles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Clinical Trials: Navigating the intricate, highly regulated, and multi-faceted nature of clinical trial operations to identify impactful innovation opportunities.

• Driving Adoption: Overcoming resistance to change and ensuring widespread adoption of new processes and technologies across a global organization with diverse user groups.

• Balancing Innovation with Execution: Effectively managing the pipeline of innovative ideas while ensuring the successful delivery and integration of current product roadmaps.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Securing and maintaining alignment among various departments, each with potentially competing priorities and perspectives.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Keeping pace with emerging technologies and determining their applicability and integration feasibility within the GCO framework.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Product Leadership: Gain experience in shaping product strategy and roadmaps for a critical business function within a major biopharma company.

• Advanced Technology Application: Deepen expertise in AI, ML, data analytics, and rapid prototyping tools through hands-on application in a real-world complex environment.

• Cross-Functional Business Acumen: Broaden understanding of R&D, clinical development, regulatory affairs, and commercial operations through close collaboration.

• Global Operations Exposure: Develop insights into managing operations and driving change across diverse international markets and regulatory landscapes.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to mentor teams, influence senior leaders, and potentially step into larger leadership roles within GSK's operations or innovation functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for strategic operations roles focused on innovation and transformation. Effectively navigating these requires strong problem-solving, change management, and stakeholder engagement skills, which are core competencies for senior Revenue Operations and GTM Strategy professionals. The growth opportunities clearly point towards a path of significant career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you identified a significant opportunity for innovation in a complex operational environment. How did you frame the problem, develop a solution, and drive adoption?" (Focus on problem framing, solution ideation, and change management).

• "How do you approach building a product strategy and roadmap for a new technology or process within a large, matrixed organization? What are the key considerations for ensuring ROI and adoption?" (Focus on strategic planning, prioritization, and value realization).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "GSK's mission is to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease. How does your approach to product strategy and innovation align with this mission?" (Focus on cultural alignment and strategic contribution).

• "Describe your experience leading and developing high-performing teams. How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement?" (Focus on leadership style and team development).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each key project, clearly articulate the problem, your role/approach, the solution developed, the metrics of success (quantified impact), and lessons learned.

• Emphasize Strategic Contribution: Highlight how your work aligned with broader business objectives and drove significant value (e.g., accelerated timelines, reduced costs, improved patient experience).

• Showcase Collaboration: Detail how you worked with cross-functional teams, managed stakeholders, and built consensus.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodologies, decision-making process, and the specific challenges you overcame.

• Connect to GSK: Briefly explain how your experience and approach could benefit GSK's specific challenges in clinical operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for this interview requires demonstrating strategic thinking, operational expertise, and leadership capabilities. The emphasis on portfolio presentation and case studies means candidates must be able to articulate their impact with data and clear narratives, a skill essential for any senior Revenue Operations or GTM Strategy leader.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Director, Product Strategy & Innovation position:

• Submit your application through the GSK jobs portal, ensuring all required fields are completed accurately.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience in product strategy, innovation management, clinical research operations, data analytics, ML/AI, and process optimization. Quantify achievements with specific metrics related to ROI, efficiency gains, and adoption rates.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 high-impact projects that showcase your strategic thinking, systems thinking, product ownership, and ability to drive measurable business outcomes. Be ready to present these with clear narratives and quantifiable results.

• Research GSK: Understand GSK's therapeutic areas, innovation focus, and recent developments in clinical operations. Familiarize yourself with their values and culture to demonstrate alignment.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions using the STAR method, focusing on examples that demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and problem-solving skills relevant to operations and innovation.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.