Vice President Information Technology

At Neurogene, we focus on bringing life-changing genetic medicines to patients and families affected by rare, devastating neurological diseases. Our clinical-stage company is developing NGN-401 for the treatment of Rett syndrome and NGN-101 for the treatment of CLN5 Batten disease. We are using our proprietary EXACT transgene regulation technology and internal expertise to develop novel approaches and treatments to address the limitations of conventional gene therapy in central nervous system disorders. Our wholly owned and fully operational GMP-capable manufacturing facility supports vector production from research through clinical grade and is designed for commercial-grade production. In addition, Neurogene is now trading on the NASDAQ Global Market. This transformative work is driven by our highly collaborative people and comes together to bring us closer to achieving our mission of turning devastating diseases into treatable conditions, to improve the lives of patients and their families. As an employee of Neurogene, you will be part of building a culture that honors patient and caregiver mindsets and nurtures innovation, creative problem solving and a strong sense of purpose.

The role of the Head of IT is responsible for establishing the strategic direction of the company’s information systems and executing the strategy in collaboration with company leadership. The Head of IT will oversee the management of IT infrastructure, security, and application landscape, so that employees can work continuously and productively while safeguarding the company from data breaches and cyberattacks.

The Head of IT will work closely with business partners and external vendors to mesh technology and processes into innovative solutions to ensure stability, scalability, and compliance. The individual will ensure that the company’s Managed Service Provider meets agreed upon service levels for day-to-day technology support and maintains high end-user satisfaction.

The role has oversight of IT risk management, regularly reviewing the environment for new and existing threats, monitoring controls and working closely with the company’s internal and external audit teams. The Head of IT will oversee and coordinate all incident responses based on establishing risk management protocols and tactical plans.

The Head of IT is responsible for IT project governance, providing subject matter expertise on cross-functional projects and making recommendations to the company’s executive team. The role will also be accountable for the total organization’s IT cost, delivering services and infrastructure to agreed budgets and forecasts which are developed in partnership with the VP, Finance. This individual will build and lead a high-performing team to execute the technology strategy and support the company's goals.

Accountabilities and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with other Senior and C-suite executives to develop the IT roadmap and strategy through routine review of infrastructure, application and data landscapes.
• Translate current and future user requirements so that investment can be planned and coordinated.
• Augment existing IT policies and monitor compliance, reporting and escalating breaches were necessary and providing support to resolve any issues.
• Develop new policies in response to incidents or changes in the IT environment.
• Manage service providers and associated contracts to ensure that agreed service levels are maintained and costs are kept within agreed budgets.
• Collaborate with vendors to achieve high levels of user satisfaction and prompt issue resolution.
• Build and lead a high-performing IT team.
• Coordinate incident management responses and escalate situations based on response plans.
• Safeguard data and intellectual property, ensuring proper system access protocols are in place supported by a framework to restrict sensitive data.
• Routinely assess and monitor the internal and external environment to identify new threats and develop risk management solutions.
• Coach and train employees to develop best practices, influencing employees to take a proactive risk management culture towards data management, cybersecurity and related issues.
• Develop and oversee the IT governance framework, monitoring that all controls are appropriate, in place and comply with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requirements and FDA requirements.
• Periodically review the business ways of working to identify where IT investment or applied technology can improve efficiency and coordination across functions.
• Act as champion for appropriate use of technology to improve efficiency and provide coaching/training to encourage adoption.
• Identify opportunities for user training that would improve use of technology.
• Oversee IT projects through their development life cycle, escalating issues and delivering to functional scope and budget.
• Act as subject matter expert on cross functional discussions, acting as business partner to enable other functions and projects.
• Support remote and local teams to ensure a consistent user experience.
• Act as first line support and business partner to all internal departments, establishing the IT department as an enabling, responsive and proactive function.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Information Technology related discipline required
• Master’s in Computer Science or Information Technology related discipline is a plus
• Minimum 15 years IT life cycle strategy, development and implementation
• IT service delivery and support
• IT vendor management
• Windows certifications
• Knowledge & Skills
• Strong focus on meeting or exceeding expectations in executing deliverables, performance and results, with demonstrated ability to track and measure performance against defined metrics.
• Self-starter with a high degree of energy, independence, initiative and self-motivation, as illustrated by the ability to instill a sense of pace and urgency into the team. Someone who moves fast and decisively in a balanced manner, with a passion for the growing company.
• Passionate, collaborative, creative, willing to take prudent risks, and motivated by the creation of a company focused on transformative treatments for patients and their families.
• Proven leadership and critical decision-making skills.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities; strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated organizational and collaboration skills.
• Desire and ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic and scaling environment.
• Life Science and Biotech industry knowledge.
• US FDA and European GDPR patient data regulations.
• Managing GxP systems and computer system validation.
• Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Power BI, Power Apps, Azure and Office productivity suite.
• Cloud based environments (IAAS, PAAS and SAAS).
• Systems implementation.
• Cybersecurity threat assessment and incident coordination.
• Project management and strategic planning.
• System deployment and life cycle management.
• Vendor evaluation and service level management.
• Risk assessment and management.

Travel to Houston and New York City required