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Head of R&D Medical DDT Data Governance & Modeling

Takeda, Boston, MA, United States


Job Description
Title: Head of R&D Medical DDT Data Governance & Modeling
Location: Cambridge, MA
About the role:
As a Head of R&D Medical DDT Data Governance & Modeling, you will be part of the R&D Medical DD&T organization, accountable for setting enterprise-wide direction for data governance, master data management, and data modeling across R&D and Global Medical. You will define the operating model, standards, and capabilities that underpin trusted, AI‑ready data foundations. You will also ensure R&D and Global Medical data is well governed, semantically rich, interoperable, and fit for advanced analytics and AI, through the design and implementation of modern data models, ontologies, and governance frameworks. You will play a critical leadership role across R&D Data Foundations, partnering closely with scientific, medical, and technology leaders to enable high-impact programs such as R&D of the Future (RDoF) and Aedifica Fortis (AF).

How will you contribute:

Define and own the R&D Medical data governance strategy, including policies, standards, stewardship models, and operating mechanisms that ensure data quality, integrity, security and regulatory compliance across the R&D data lifecycle.

Lead the design and implementation of master data management (MDM) capabilities required to support pipeline, program and portfolio execution across R&D Medical.

Establish governance frameworks embedded in platforms and workflows, enabling scalable, automated governance rather than manual oversight.

Provide technical and strategic leadership for data modeling and ontology development, ensuring that R&D Medical data is harmonized, interoperable and semantically meaningful across domains.

Drive the application of modern data modeling methodologies (conceptual, logical, and physical) and semantic technologies to support unified data layers, knowledge graphs and AI‑ready data assets.

Ensure alignment of data models and ontologies with enterprise and R&D‑wide standards while meeting the specific needs of R&D Medical and scientific use cases.

Ensure governance, modeling and data foundations are intentionally designed to enable scalable analytics, machine learning and generative AI use cases at enterprise scale.

Partner with Data & AI Enablement and platform teams to ensure data products are discoverable, reusable and optimized for AI‑driven insight generation.

Stay at the forefront of emerging technologies and methodologies in data governance, semantic modeling and AI‑ready data architecture, bringing innovation into practical application.

Transform siloed data disciplines into an integrated semantic data foundation approach that defines and reuses meaning, structure and governance rules across data governance, ontology and modeling.

Program Leadership & Enterprise Impact: Serve as a senior leader across R&D Data Foundations, accountable for the data governance and semantic foundations supporting enterprise‑critical programs including RDoF and AF.

Partner closely with Research, Medical and R&D DD&T leaders to translate scientific and business needs into scalable data foundations.

Influence across organizational boundaries, aligning stakeholders and driving adoption of data standards and models through strong engagement and change leadership.

Build, lead and develop a high‑performing team of data governance, modeling and ontology experts.

Foster a culture of innovation, accountability and agility while operating effectively in a complex, global and regulated environment.

Act as a thought leader and trusted advisor to senior R&D and DD&T leadership on data foundations and AI‑enablement topics.

What you bring to Takeda:

Advanced degree in a scientific, technical or quantitative discipline strongly preferred.

12–15 years of experience in data, digital or technology roles, with demonstrated senior leadership experience in data governance, data modeling and/or semantic technologies within complex enterprise environments.

Demonstrated experience designing and implementing enterprise‑scale data governance and MDM capabilities, preferably in R&D, healthcare, life sciences or similarly regulated domains.

Proven knowledge and leadership across R&D data domains, including Research, Clinical, Regulatory, Safety and Portfolio, in a regulated pharmaceutical environment.

Deep expertise in data modeling, ontologies and semantic frameworks, with a track record of applying these to enable analytics and AI.

Strong understanding of how data foundations, semantic models and governance enable AI, advanced analytics and digital transformation.

Experience developing and implementing data governance policies aligned to business, privacy and compliance needs.

Proven ability to operate at senior‑leader level, influencing across functions and driving alignment in ambiguous, fast‑moving environments.

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary
We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. We are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices.

For Location
Boston, MA

U.S. Base Salary Range
$212,000.00 - $333,190.00

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.

U.S. based employees may be eligible for short‑term and/or long‑term incentives. U.S. based employees may be eligible to participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, short‑term and long‑term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays and well‑being benefits, among others. U.S. based employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation.

EEO Statement
Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws and any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations
Boston, MA

Worker Type
Employee

Worker Sub-Type
Regular

Time Type
Full time

Job Exempt
Yes

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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