The Company
ITF Therapeutics is the U.S.-based rare disease division of Italfarmaco S.p.A. Founded in 1938 in Milan, Italy, Italfarmaco is a private global pharmaceutical company that has led the successful development of many innovative therapeutic products approved for use by patients around the world. The company operates in more than 60 countries on five continents and continues to advance promising research to address unmet medical needs in a wide range of therapeutic areas, including oncology, gynecology, dermatology, neurology, and rare diseases.
In January 2024, Italfarmaco launched ITF Therapeutics as a new division in the United States with a focus on the development and commercialization of products to treat rare diseases including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare and severe form of muscular dystrophy. Highlighting this commitment, ITF Therapeutics successfully secured FDA approval in March 2024 for Givinostat, the first nonsteroidal medication approved to treat all genetic variants of DMD in patients six years of age and older. Duvyzat® (Givinostat) is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that has shown potential in reducing inflammation and fibrosis in muscles, thereby slowing the progression of the disease. Building on a legacy grounded in collaboration and innovation, ITF Therapeutics strive to partner with leaders from the U.S. patient advocacy and treatment communities to ensure that our programs reflect and support their unique needs and goals. The establishment of ITF Therapeutics also reflects Italfarmaco’s goal to build a world-class team of experts that share a passion to make a positive impact for rare disease communities.
Job Description
Serving as the senior technology leader reporting to the Head of Finance of ITF Therapeutics, the person will be leading ITF Therapeutics’ technology strategy, execution, and operations. Additionally, the Head of IT will be focused on developing in-house skillsets and managing key vendor relationships. The technology director will be a champion for defining, scaling, and implementing operating processes along with project management excellence.
Scope of Role
- Develop ITF’s cybersecurity profile, identifying vulnerabilities, need for upgrades and opportunities for improvement
- Develop US strategy and provide leadership in technology portfolio for enablement and innovation
- Manage a portfolio of technology projects, including those related to the establishment of an affiliate organization and the commercialization of pharmaceutical products so as to meet cost, scope, and schedule constraints
- Develop key performance indicators and Service Level Agreements (“SLAs”) in partnership with European counterparts
- Develop policies for internal IT operations to meet federal, regulatory and internal requirements within the SLA expectation
- Define the enterprise architecture in conjunction with current and future requirements
- Manage and support delivery of software and hardware operations and projects
- Enable process efficiency of back-office operations
- Drive innovation for front office or core business operations by recommending viable technologies
- Identify and manage external vendors in the delivery of contracted work
Responsibilities
- Overseeing all IT enterprise infrastructure and operations for the US affiliate
- Developing, implementing and evaluating IT projects in line with organizational objectives
- Liaising with other departments to determine and address their IT needs and requirements
- Ensuring the maintenance of current IT projects and technology systems
- Developing ITF’s US data privacy and cybersecurity profile, identifying vulnerabilities, need for upgrades and opportunities for improvement
- Proposing strategic solutions and recommending new systems and software
- Overseeing the implementation of new ERP system
- Preparing financial budgets and performance reports
- Building and maintaining relationships with internal functional heads, external advisors and vendors
- Ensuring reported issues are resolved in a timely manner and tracked to identify and proactively address emerging trends
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Programming, Computer Science, Engineering or related field
- Proof of continuing education, such as software certifications, is desirable
- Sound working knowledge of IT operations, systems and developments
- Minimum of 10+ years’ professional experience in an IT environment with a majority working with key commercial pharmaceutical industry systems, including those ensuring HIPAA and Sunshine Act compliance.
- Prior experience building an emerging biotech organization
- Proven track record delivering high functioning capabilities via an agile project management approach
- Demonstrated experience in working with business leaders in a commercial pharmaceutical environment to drive effectiveness of the IT department
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong leadership and project management skills
- Solid analytical and problem-solving skills
- Experience working within a matrixed international corporation and experience leading in a startup organization
- Spanish language skills preferred
