Bethanne Lee is a Project Manager working with our Miami, FL and Philadelphia, PA facilities. In her role, she helps streamline the implementation of Translational Pharmaceutics(R) programs in the US. She shares more about her role with Quotient Sciences and day-to-day in this interview.
“The business lives by its manifesto, which is another aspect I like about working at Quotient Sciences. Decision-making is built around this, our culture fosters this, and our efforts in innovations are piloted by this.”
-Bethanne Lee
What does a project manager do at Quotient Sciences?
In my role as a project manager at Quotient Sciences, my responsibility is to ensure the successful delivery of projects within set timelines, budget, and quality standards. A crucial part of my role involves leading and coordinating project activities with both my project team and the customer’s team to ensure seamless collaboration.
Describe a typical day in Project Management.
Any typical day in Project Management can include preparing for upcoming customer meetings, issuing minutes, finishing follow-up activities from previous customer meetings, and meeting internally to track important activities within the project team. As a project manager, we work internally to find de-risking measures for the program, resolutions to any unforeseen issues that have arrived, and making decisions to progress a customer’s program. From time to time, project managers also support writing change orders.
How has your career progressed since joining us?
The Philadelphia site was previously QS Pharma and was acquired by Quotient Sciences in 2017. At this time, I was a financial analyst working part-time and previously held full-time positions as a laboratory scientist and business development manager since 2004.
In 2020, I applied for and accepted a full-time position as a client services associate. This role had a global reach where our department supported services across all of Quotient Sciences’ sites in the UK and US. This role enabled me to expand my knowledge from drug product development and manufacturing to other areas of pharmaceutical development such as clinical pharmacology, bioanalysis, 14C ADME studies, and drug substance synthesis and manufacturing.
In 2022, a project management position opened at the Philadelphia site. With previous technical, sales, and key account experiences, I wanted to take this knowledge and apply it to successfully manage projects. I was eager to do so with a passion for customer and team interactions that foster a healthy teamwork environment.
What experience did you have before you worked at Quotient Sciences?
I’ve been with Quotient Sciences since 2004, after graduating from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science degree in Laboratory Science. Prior to Quotient Sciences’ acquisition of QS Pharma in 2017, I held roles as an analytical scientist, project coordinator, business development manager, and financial analyst.
Did you require any qualifications for the role you applied for?
I joined Quotient Sciences after graduating with my Bachelor of Science degree. In later roles with the company, I went on to obtain a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Science & Engineering from Drexel University and an MBA from Wesley College. These qualifications, congruent with experience in pharmaceutical development from a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) perspective over the course of many years, have been very beneficial for the project manager role.
What learning or qualifications have you gained in this role?
In a typical drug product CDMO setting, a project manager might manage early-stage programs (Phase I and II), late-stage programs (Phase III, registration, validation, commercial), or be able to see a project through the whole process. Here, I have had the opportunity to manage our Translational Pharmaceutics® programs, a platform that touches all stages and truly lives our manifesto: Molecule to Cure. Fast.
What is unique about Translational Pharmaceutics® is the real-time, adaptive, clinical manufacturing at our Philadelphia site based on emerging clinical data between cohorts, regimens, or periods being conducted at our clinic in Miami. In this setting, we learn the clinical pharmacology aspects of clinical trials and partner very closely with our clinical team throughout the project to manufacture and release the clinical supply for each dosing.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
A project manager is involved in various aspects of the business, which is what I find most enjoyable. They have a broad understanding of the operations and procedures across different departments, which is crucial for the success of a project. Additionally, they have financial responsibilities and must possess or be able to develop a strong business acumen, including the ability to effectively communicate with different teams.
What aspects do you find most challenging?
During some aspects of a program, an important activity or milestone may rely on individuals or departments that are not aware of the objectives of the project. The importance of meeting the milestone is, therefore, not an accountable action. This is what I find most challenging. Sometimes this is anticipated, making it crucial to be a step ahead and work with those individuals or departments so they also understand the objectives that the team is working towards. Sometimes this is not anticipated, making timely and effective communication key in bringing everyone on board with the goals the team is putting their efforts toward.
What’s the team like?
The project management department is a wonderful group of colleagues at all different levels of our careers. While we don’t work together within our project teams, as a department we rely on each other for support, meet frequently as a group, and create an environment to share best practices and structure for continual improvement. The project teams I work with are simply outstanding. I could not ask for a better group of extremely smart, scientifically-sound, motivated, and accountable team members to work with. We all share similar passions for bringing molecules to cures. Fast.
What advice would you give to someone applying for a role in your team?
Do you like being an integral part of developing treatments and cures for patients? Does the word communication spur thoughts of opportunity and teamwork? Is customer satisfaction just as rewarding to you as it is for them? If yes to these questions, you would thrive in the project management team at Quotient Sciences.
What do you like most about working at Quotient Sciences?
As a project manager, you start to build your team camaraderie and effectiveness by ensuring all members understand the project's purpose, objectives, and expectations. We have a great teamwork environment where we all hold each other accountable through support and motivation.
The business lives by its manifesto, which is another aspect I like about working at Quotient Sciences. Decision-making is built around this, our culture fosters this, and our efforts in innovations are piloted by this. It is a rewarding feeling after every day knowing that what was accomplished daily was achieved through a business structured in integration and adaptiveness, enabling our projects to run better and ultimately achieving our manifesto in the process.