On November 4th, I had the opportunity to speak at SIM Boston’s Life Sciences Roundtable, hosted at Dyne Therapeutics. The session focused on “The Evolving Role of the Life Sciences CIO,” and brought together about 35 to 40 biotech and pharma technology leaders, CIOs, VPs, and IT strategists, all [...]
If you're leading IT and staring down Q4 with key roles still open, let me reassure you, you’re not alone, and you’re not doomed. I’ve worked with dozens of tech leaders in the same spot: headcount’s approved, projects are lined up, but one or two critical hires are still [...]
Every fall, hiring in biotech IT ramps up, often quickly and under pressure. Companies realize they’ve got a budget to use and open roles to fill. If they don’t act soon, that money and headcount might disappear with the calendar. That’s when the panic calls start. I’ve seen it [...]
Inspired by real IT leadership stories A Day in the Life of an Unseen Force It’s a quiet Monday morning in a mid-sized biotech company. As the sun hits the glass panels of the lab, machines whir to life, automated pipettes, sequencing hardware, and data servers. Screens in the [...]
In biotech, the line between IT and business strategy isn’t just blurry, it’s virtually nonexistent. The organizations that are moving fast and scaling smart are the ones where IT leadership doesn't just support the business. They shape it. But not all IT leaders are built for that kind of [...]
I’ve been in recruiting long enough to know that not all metrics are created equal. Sure, time-to-hire looks great in a quarterly report. It’s tidy, trackable, and makes for a compelling slide in a stakeholder meeting. And everyone loves to brag about a big applicant pool — “Look how [...]
You Can’t Automate Chemistry It all started with a string of “almosts.” I was working with a biotech client—sharp team, innovative tech, and a clear sense of what they needed in a hire. They weren’t winging it. They had a solid job description, a defined scope, and a thoughtful [...]
I remember the first time I had to write a job description for a biotech IT leadership role. I stared at my screen, cursor blinking, and felt completely stuck. I had a list of technical requirements from the hiring manager, a vague company overview, and a gut feeling that [...]
The first time I helped a biotech company find an IT leader, I learned something crucial. Biotech isn’t like other industries when it comes to hiring tech talent. The stakes are higher, the regulatory landscape is more complex, and the right hire can make the difference between seamless operations [...]
With Thanksgiving coming up fast, I’d like to say thanks to everyone I work with — not just my colleagues here at The Swan Group, but the people who trust their hiring goals to me and everyone in my wider network who inspires me every day. When I think [...]
