Associate Director – Strategy & Consulting, Life Sciences (Pharmaceutical R&D)
About the Role
As an Associate Director in Accenture’s Life Sciences Strategy & Consulting practice, you will lead high-impact strategy and transformation engagements for pharmaceutical clients, with a particular focus on Research & Development. You will help R&D leaders address their most critical challenges across discovery, preclinical, clinical development, clinical operations, portfolio strategy, and operating model transformation.
This role combines deep pharmaceutical R&D expertise, strong consulting leadership, and commercial acumen. You will serve as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders, lead multidisciplinary teams, shape strategic recommendations, and help grow Accenture’s Life Sciences practice through business development, thought leadership, and talent development.
Key Responsibilities
Client Leadership & Strategic Advisory
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior R&D stakeholders, including Heads of Research, Translational Medicine, Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Regulatory, and Portfolio Strategy.
- Lead executive-level problem solving on topics such as R&D strategy, innovation models, portfolio prioritization, development productivity, trial modernization, and target operating model design.
- Translate complex client issues into structured hypotheses, workplans, decision frameworks, and pragmatic recommendations linked to measurable business outcomes.
Engagement Delivery
- Lead end-to-end engagements across diagnostic, strategy, design, and transformation phases, ensuring high-quality delivery and lasting client impact.
- Oversee the development of business cases, operating models, governance structures, implementation roadmaps, and executive-level communications.
- Manage risks, interdependencies, and senior stakeholder alignment across complex, global, cross-functional programs.
Pharmaceutical R&D Expertise
- Bring deep expertise across the pharma R&D value chain, including discovery, preclinical development, early and late-stage clinical development, clinical operations, regulatory interfaces, and portfolio management.
- Advise clients on key challenges such as R&D productivity improvement, asset and portfolio prioritization, clinical trial innovation, digital and AI enablement in R&D, external innovation partnerships, and governance redesign.
- Connect strategy to execution by working closely with Accenture teams across Technology, Data & AI, and Operations to deliver integrated transformation solutions.
Business Development & Practice Growth
- Identify, qualify, and shape new opportunities within existing and prospective pharmaceutical accounts.
- Lead or co-lead proposals, RFP responses, commercial discussions, and client presentations with clear articulation of value and differentiation.
- Develop repeatable offerings, methodologies, and thought leadership focused on pharmaceutical R&D transformation and innovation.
- Contribute to the growth of the Life Sciences practice through market-facing initiatives, alliance development, and internal capability building.
People Leadership
- Lead and develop multidisciplinary teams across consulting, analytics, industry, and technology capabilities.
- Coach Managers, Consultants, and Analysts, providing direction, apprenticeship, and feedback to support growth and performance.
- Foster an inclusive, collaborative culture that encourages innovation, accountability, and excellence.
Thought Leadership & Innovation
- Develop points of view and thought leadership on emerging topics such as AI-enabled drug discovery, precision medicine, platform trials, decentralized and hybrid trials, real-world data, and evolving regulatory expectations.
- Represent Accenture in client forums, industry events, and internal communities as a visible leader in pharmaceutical R&D strategy and transformation.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Medicine, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
- Typically 12+ years of relevant experience in management consulting AND the pharmaceutical industry, with significant exposure to R&D strategy, transformation, or operations.
- Proven track record leading complex consulting engagements or enterprise initiatives in pharmaceutical R&D.
- Demonstrated experience advising senior stakeholders at VP, SVP, or C-suite level.
- Strong experience in several of the following areas: R&D strategy, portfolio management, clinical development, clinical operations, trial innovation, operating model design, digital/data/AI in R&D, regulatory transformation, or external innovation.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing multiple workstreams, budgets, and senior stakeholders in an international environment.
- Professional fluency in English & French.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced degree strongly preferred, such as MBA, MSc, PhD, PharmD, MD, or equivalent.
- Direct experience within a pharmaceutical R&D organization, or a strong track record serving R&D clients in a top-tier consulting environment.
- Experience with large-scale business transformation, digital transformation, or global process harmonization in R&D.
- Familiarity with data and analytics platforms, AI/ML use cases, and digital capabilities relevant to drug discovery and development.
- Experience operating in global, matrixed organizations and multicultural teams.
Core Skills & Attributes
- Strong strategic thinking and structured problem solving.
- Deep credibility in pharmaceutical R&D, with the ability to connect scientific, operational, and business priorities.
- Executive presence and strong facilitation skills with senior client audiences.
- Commercial acumen, including opportunity shaping, proposal development, and deal support.
- Strong people leadership, coaching, and team-building capabilities.
- High level of ownership, resilience, and comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
Additional Information
- Willingness to travel to client sites as required by project needs and local policy.
- Comfortable working in hybrid and distributed team models across geographies and time zones.
Paris
Requesting an Accommodation
Accenture is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities or religious observances, including reasonable accommodation when needed. If you are hired by Accenture and require accommodation to perform the essential functions of your role, you will be asked to participate in our reasonable accommodation process. Accommodations made to facilitate the recruiting process are not a guarantee of future or continued accommodations once hired.
If you would like to be considered for employment opportunities with Accenture and have accommodation needs such as for a disability or religious observance, please call us toll free at 1 (877) 889-9009 or send us an email or speak with your recruiter.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law. Our rich diversity makes us more innovative, more competitive, and more creative, which helps us better serve our clients and our communities.
For details, view a copy of the Accenture Equal Opportunity Statement
Accenture is an EEO and Affirmative Action Employer of Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.
Accenture is committed to providing veteran employment opportunities to our service men and women.
Other Employment Statements
Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.
Candidates who are currently employed by a client of Accenture or an affiliated Accenture business may not be eligible for consideration.
Job candidates will not be obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest as part of the hiring process. Further, at Accenture a criminal conviction history is not an absolute bar to employment.
The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Additionally, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the Company's legal duty to furnish information.
California requires additional notifications for applicants and employees. If you are a California resident, live in or plan to work from Los Angeles County upon being hired for this position, please click here for additional important information.
Please read Accenture’s Recruiting and Hiring Statement for more information on how we process your data during the Recruiting and Hiring process.
We work with one shared purpose: to deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity. Every day, more than 775,000 of us help our stakeholders continuously reinvent. Together, we drive positive change and deliver value to our clients, partners, shareholders, communities, and each other.
We believe that delivering value requires innovation, and innovation thrives in an inclusive and diverse environment. We actively foster a workplace free from bias, where everyone feels a sense of belonging and is respected and empowered to do their best work.
At Accenture, we see well-being holistically, supporting our people’s physical, mental, and financial health. We also provide opportunities to keep skills relevant through certifications, learning, and diverse work experiences. We’re proud to be consistently recognized as one of the World’s Best Workplaces™.
Join Accenture to work at the heart of change. Visit us at www.accenture.com.