Exelixis · 2 weeks ago
Senior Director, Data and Analytics Platforms
Alameda, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$221K/yr - $315K/yr
12+ years expExelixis is a company focused on launching innovative medicines for patients. The Senior Director, Data and Analytics Platforms will lead cloud product portfolios and drive product strategy, development, and cross-functional collaboration to support drug discovery and commercialization.
BiotechnologyHealth CarePharmaceutical
Responsibilities
Drive adoption of data mesh principles, self-service data access, and federated data governance
Design and manage large-scale data processing solutions leveraging Databricks, AWS (S3, Glue, EMR, Lambda, Redshift, IAM, Airflow, KMS, etc.), and other cloud-native services
Design and manage AWS EKS for scaling compute for data applications and data processing
Design and manage scalable data ingestion pipelines for log analytics and observability
Design and manage data access controls on AWS using IDC, IAM roles and permissions
Establish and manage technical data governance controls using tags, data catalogs and other system metadata
Establish and manage data security, data protection, and access controls across multiple platforms (AWS, Databricks, SaaS apps, AI)
Implement and optimize data model using dbt, CI/CD workflows, and automated testing for data transformations
Drive adoption of data engineering best practices and infrastructure as code (Terraform) for repeatable, auditable deployments
Design scalable CI/CD processes with GitHub for source control, pull requests, and pipeline automation
Design and manage data access using Databricks Unity catalog
Define, evangelize, and drive the enterprise vision and multi-year strategy for a portfolio of cloud products
Engage senior business leaders and functional executives across R&D, Clinical, Commercial, G&A, and Medical Affairs to shape product direction, uncover unmet needs, and translate strategic opportunities into actionable product roadmaps
Design and conduct the market research, competitive analysis, and technology trends assessment to identify new opportunities and ensure our data platform remains cutting-edge and competitive within the life science landscape
Ensure a balanced portfolio of short-term wins and long-term strategic investments by prioritizing product initiatives based on business value, technical feasibility, regulatory compliance, and resource availability
Serve as a consultant for architecture and design patterns review to build the data solutions in right and secured manner
Own the entire development lifecycle from ideation to launch and post-launch optimization, recommending and implementing improvements where needed (e.g., Agile Scrum, Kanban)
Set the standard for product definition and delivery by guiding the creation of high-impact user stories, acceptance criteria, and product specifications that reflect business priorities and user needs
Partner at a strategic level with engineering, architecture, and quality leaders to ensure the delivery of secure, scalable, and high-quality data platform that meet evolving business demands
Shape and govern strategic vendor relationships, ensuring alignment of external capabilities with internal product roadmaps, delivery timelines, and operational excellence standards
Champion a user-centric design approach, leveraging user research, usability testing, and feedback loops to continuously improve the user experience and effectiveness of cloud solutions
Lead and manage to sustain a robust data management & AI practice to protect sensitive information and ensure its accuracy and reliability
Inspire and lead cross-functional teams, including Business Analysts, Product Lead(s) and data platform specialists, by cultivating a culture of strategic ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement across the data lifecycle
Forge and sustain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders across the organization to ensure alignment on product vision, investment priorities, and measurable outcomes
Identify key stakeholders and ensure alignment and decision-making across product teams, business units, and IT functional groups
Represent the team in executive steering committees, strategic planning councils, and enterprise wide to cross-functional initiatives
Serve as an executive liaison between IT and various business functions, translating complex technical strategies into actionable business outcome
Accountable for the operational stability, performance, and security working closely with IT teams
Establish and lead governance frameworks for vendor partnerships and third-party software solutions, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture, compliance mandates, and business continuity objectives
Define and enforce processes to ensure all feature releases comply with relevant regulatory requirements (e.g., GxP, HIPAA, GDPR) and internal quality and security standards
Ensure that all product releases meet rigorous quality standards and compliance requirements
Design and operationalize strategic KPIs and performance dashboards, enabling executive visibility into product adoption, business impact, and continuous improvement opportunities driven by data and stakeholder feedback
Shape and execute a strategic talent agenda for the organization, attracting, developing, and retaining top-tier talent to build a resilient, high-performing team aligned with enterprise goals
Provide visionary leadership and mentorship, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous growth through structured coaching, feedback, and career development frameworks
Champion a culture of digital innovation and learning agility, embedding continuous improvement, adaptability, and inclusion into the team’s operating model to meet evolving business and technology demands
Influence budget allocation
Manage budget allocation and financial planning across all products and sub product lines in their functional areas of support
Manage a direct team of managers and high-level individual contributors
Coach and train managers to ensure consistent and effective management of highly performing teams
Recruit staff to meet the unit’s immediate objectives and create succession planning to meet function's longer-term objectives
Develop and recommend an organizational structure to accomplish objectives of the unit
Qualification
Required
PhD in a relevant field and 12 years of related experience; or
Master's degree in a relevant field and 13 years of related experience; or
Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and 15 years of related experience; or
Equivalent combination of education and experience
Minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in IT, with at least 8 years in a leadership role focused on cloud infrastructure and/or platforms
Proven experience in leading product development teams in an agile/product-centric operating model
Strong understanding of the drug discovery or clinical development, or commercialization lifecycle within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company
Demonstrated success in defining and delivering complex cloud products that drive significant business value
Experience with regulatory frameworks and compliance in a GxP environment
Proven ability to architect and operate large, complex, and secure data environments
Deep, hands-on expertise in AWS data services, and Databricks
Strong knowledge of data security, access management, encryption, and compliance frameworks
Experience implementing data mesh concepts and federated governance at scale
Experience managing data access and governance across multiple data technologies such as AWS Redshift and Databricks
Experience integrating data visualization tools such as Tableau and Spotfire as part of heterogeneous data platform
Experience with data catalog technologies such as Atlan or Alation for data governance
Experience managing data platforms in a Pharma GxP regulated environment
Proficiency in dbt, GitHub, CI/CD tools (GitHub Actions, Jenkins), and infrastructure as code (Terraform)
Hands-on experience programming/scripting with a modern data engineering language (Python, SQL, Spark, etc.)
Comprehensive level knowledge of Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Comprehensive understanding of product management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum, Kanban) and product lifecycle management
Comprehensive technical acumen with the ability to understand complex IT architectures and development processes
Advanced leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate diverse teams
Comprehensive strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making
Advanced communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively at all levels of the organization
Preferred
Technical certification may be required
Benefits
401k plan with generous company contributions
Group medical, dental and vision coverage
Life and disability insurance
Flexible spending accounts
Discretionary annual bonus program
Sales-based incentive plan
Opportunity to purchase company stock
Receive long-term incentives
15 accrued vacation days in their first year
17 paid holidays including a company-wide winter shutdown in December
Up to 10 sick days throughout the calendar year
Company
Exelixis
Exelixis works is focused on discovering, developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Exelixis has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (39)
2024 (25)
2023 (25)
2022 (28)
2021 (29)
2020 (15)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$514MKey Investors
Deerfield
2015-07-23Post Ipo Equity· $135M
2012-02-16Post Ipo Equity· $65M
2010-06-03Post Ipo Debt· $160M
Leadership Team
Michael Morrissey
President and CEO
Christopher Senner
Executive Vice President and CFO
Recent News
The Motley Fool
2026-01-09
2026-01-08
Company data provided by crunchbase