Head of Strategy & Portfolio, Large Molecules

Position Overview

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Head of Strategy & Portfolio – Large Molecules is the segment owner for strategy and portfolio decisions, accountable for defining where to play, how to win, and how to allocate capital across the Large Molecules business.

The role drives organic and inorganic growth by translating market, customer, and financial insights into clear portfolio choices and investment priorities, while partnering closely with Marketing, Sales, Finance, Science, and Operations to ensure disciplined execution aligned with Solvias’ growth ambitions.

Responsibilities

Segment Strategy & Growth

• Own and continuously refine the 5-year strategic roadmap for the Large Molecules segment, including growth priorities, capability gaps, and capital allocation logic
• Translate corporate strategy into explicit segment-level choices and trade-offs, with measurable outcomes
• Lead strategic scenario planning and performance tracking; report progress and implications regularly to the Executive Committee
• Act as strategic owner for cross-functional initiatives (e.g., digital enablement, footprint optimization) that materially impact Large Molecules scalability or economic
  
  

Portfolio & Investment Governance (Core Accountability)

• Own portfolio governance for the Large Molecules segment, including decisions to invest, scale, maintain, partner, or exit services
• Lead business cases for:
• New service development
• Major capacity or capability investments
• Portfolio rationalization and long-tail management
• Track portfolio performance by service, customer segment, and site, in close collaboration with Finance
• Trigger corrective actions where ROI, margin, or strategic relevance thresholds are not met
• Ensure client acquisition priorities are aligned with portfolio strategy, in partnership with Marketing and Sales Leadership
  

Inorganic Growth & Partnerships

• Define M&A strategy and screening criteria for the Large Molecules segment
• Own target scouting, strategic fit assessment, and prioritization prior to handover to deal execution teams
• Support synergy logic and value-creation roadmap development
• Assess strategic partnerships that accelerate capability build-out or market access, in alignment with EC
  
  

Go-to-Market Strategy (Strategic guardrails, not Execution)

• Own market and competitive insights for the Large Molecules segment; ensure insights inform strategy, portfolio decisions, and GTM prioritization
• Define target segments and sources of differentiation; partner with Marketing to articulate and activate compelling value propositions through messaging, campaigns, and commercial tools
• Define pricing principles and governance frameworks for the segment; support Finance and Commercial teams on strategic pricing decisions and exceptions
  
  

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in science, engineering, or business
• 10 years in Strategy, Portfolio Management, Marketing Strategy, Business Development, or Consulting
• Experience owning or shaping a multi-service portfolio with clear ROI and lifecycle accountability
• Exposure to pharmaceutical, CRO/CTO, CDMO, or life sciences services strongly preferred
• Core Skills:
• Strategic planning & trade-off analysis
• Portfolio economics & financial modeling
• Market & competitive intelligence
• Executive-level communication and stakeholder influence
• Proficiency in English; additional languages (esp. German, French, Mandarin) are a plus
  

About Us

Solvias is a global provider of chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) analytics to the life sciences industry. Our expert team combines decades of experience with regulatory expertise across small molecules, biologics, and cell and gene therapies. Solvias offers end-to-end solutions from raw material testing to drug product release and API development for small molecules. Headquartered near Basel, Switzerland, Solvias operates six global Centers of Excellence, all adhering to the highest ISO, GMP, GLP, and FDA standards