Senior Director, Clinical Excellence AIR - Bronchiectasis & Non-obstructive Lung Diseases

Senior Director, Clinical Excellence AIR - Bronchiectasis & Non-obstructive Lung Diseases

Date: 17 Mar 2026

Department: Global Clinical Development

Business Area: R&D, Pharmacovigilance & Regulatory Affairs

Job Type: Direct Employee

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Europe, IT

About us

Based in Parma, Italy, Chiesi is an international research-focused pharmaceutical and healthcare group with 90 years’ experience, operating in 31 countries with more than 7,000 employees (Chiesi Group). To achieve its mission of improving people’s quality of life by acting responsibly towards society and the environment, the Group researches, develops and markets innovative drugs in its main therapeutic areas: Discover more here.

We are proud to be the largest global pharmaceutical group to be awarded B Corp Certification, a recognition of high social and environmental standards. We are a reliable company that adopts and promotes a transparent and ethical behavior at all levels.

We believe that the success of Chiesi is built and shaped by our people and our strong set of shared Values and Behaviors. Our people make a critical difference to our success, which is why it is vital that we attract and retain the right talent who will continue to enrich our culture by living and breathing our values and behaviours.

In fact, we are a global family made up of different cultures, different genders, generations, ethnicities, abilities, sexual identities and many other enriching diversities.

Chiesi Research & Development

Our R&D team represents a fundamental asset for the business. It is divided into integrated functional areas focusing on pipeline projects including discovery and preclinical research, global technical development, drug delivery technology, clinical development, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, intellectual property, quality assurance, R&D project and portfolio management. Headquartered in the new purpose-built and fully integrated Research and Development Centre in Parma (Italy), the team also has important operations in Paris (France), Chippenham (UK), Cary (US), Stockholm (Sweden), Toronto (Canada) and Shanghai (China).

Who we are looking for

Purpose

An accomplished clinical development leader responsible for shaping and executing the global clinical development strategy across assigned core respiratory indications. They will oversee a high-performing team and cultivate an inclusive, high-impact team culture.

This role will provide strategic, scientific and operational leadership for a portfolio of early to late stage development programs and lead a team of Clinical Development physicians and Clinical Program Leaders in delivering high-quality, globally aligned clinical trials with strong regulatory, commercial and patient impact.

Main Responsibilities

Therapeutic Area Leadership

• Define and drive the clinical development strategy for Bronchiectasis, Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Diseases in alignment with R&D and commercial objectives.
• Serve as the senior clinical representative in global cross‑functional governance for asset development and prioritization.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of scientific, regulatory and competitive landscapes within respiratory medicine.

People Leadership & Organizational Management

• Lead, develop and inspire a team of Clinical Development professionals including physicians and clinical program leaders across multiple geographies.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations and development plans to grow individual and team capabilities.
• Foster a culture of trust, empowerment and high performance, emphasizing collaboration and accountability.
• Drive operational excellence through consistent coaching, strategic resource planning and proactive risk mitigation.
• Actively participate in departmental and broader talent development, succession planning and leadership forums.

Clinical Program Oversight

• Provide medical and scientific leadership across all phases of clinical trials.
• Ensure optimal study designs, endpoints and execution strategies to support regulatory approval, market access and product differentiation.
• Contribute to health authority briefing documents and major regulatory submissions.

Experience Required

• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in pharmaceutical R&D with substantial clinical development leadership roles with matrix or direct line management.
• Significant experience and track record in designing and executing comprehensive clinical development plans.
• Demonstrated success in driving programs from early development through to regulatory submission and approval.
• Experienced in leading global clinical teams and working within matrixed, cross‑functional environments.

Education

MD required; board certification in pulmonology or a relevant therapeutic area is preferred.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English.

Technical Skills

• Ability to probe and interrogate data to optimise understanding of complex clinical, scientific and business-related aspects.
• Strong leadership presence, strategic thinking and exceptional communication skills and ability to influence at senior levels.
• Strong analytical skills, clinical acumen and the ability to translate science into strategic business implications.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks and resources concurrently while maintaining high attention to detail and responding to rapidly changing priorities.

What we offer

You would join a dynamic, fast-growing, challenging and friendly environment. In Chiesi we firmly believe that our people are our most valuable asset, which is why we invest in continuous training, learning and development. Therefore, we strive to continuously promote and satisfy development needs, paying particular attention to the quality of our working environment and to collective well‑being.

We want our people to come to work happy every day and we know how important it is to find the right work‑life balance. That is why we offer a flexible working approach, remote working, support in the relocation process, tax assistance service for foreign colleagues and many other people‑care services.