A Day in the Life of a Pfizer Oncology Strategy Leader

Tolani Osho is driven by a powerful challenge each day: what more can we do, together with our partners, to change the future of how we develop medicines for patients?

As Head of Business and Vendor Strategy Management for the Clinical Development and Operations (CD&O) group within Pfizer R&D, Tolani oversees functions that span both the business and vendor sides of CD&O. On the vendor side, she interacts with partners that provide clinical services to Pfizer’s programs by upholding the standards for delivering on outcomes, executing agreements, and managing financial operations.

At the heart of her work is the motivation that drives both her and her colleagues at Pfizer. “What gets me out of bed every morning is finding ways to improve the lives of patients,” she said.

7:00 AM: Early Start, Global Impact

On a typical morning, Tolani arrives at her office in Bothell, Washington around 7:00 AM. From her vantage point, her route provides views of the Olympic Mountains, with the Cascades and Mount Rainier visible on clear days. Pfizer has sites across the globe, making early mornings essential for cross-time-zone collaboration.

Tolani’s first call connects her with her leadership team, ensuring operations are running smoothly and that everyone is aligned on ongoing projects, potential obstacles, and key decisions that require attention. She also checks crisis and incident reports to identify any events that might impact Pfizer or its vendor partners’ operations.

12:00 PM: Bringing Teams Together

Collaboration is at the core of everything Tolani does in her role. “The level of interaction and collaboration required to drive progress would probably surprise most people,” she said. “At all times, there are numerous organizational and personal conversations that need to happen, and strategic decisions that need to be made.”

At Pfizer, every decision needs to connect to the larger goal of creating tangible improvements in patients’ lives. “The inputs need a place to land, and your outputs need to be consumed. Producing unwanted outputs leads to wasted effort, resources, and time spent on a treatment, ultimately affecting the ability to change patients’ lives.”

By keeping the broader mission in mind, Tolani approaches each decision as part of a larger, interconnected effort to create meaningful impact. “I can always draw a direct line from the work that I do to how it will affect those who rely on our treatments,” she said. “It’s about constantly ensuring that my portion of the continuum adds value and has places to connect within the organization.”

4:00 PM: Strengthening Culture Through Community

At Pfizer, the commitment to innovation is intertwined with a strong sense of community, both within the organization and in the surrounding region.

“There’s always something happening that brings us together. Every month, we look forward to hearing what our colleagues are working on, the science and/or technology behind it and, most importantly, how it’s making a difference in people’s lives.”

This spirit of connection extends beyond scientific progress. Pfizer employees regularly participate in volunteer initiatives, such as creating cards for patients, assembling first aid kits, and packing school bags for children ahead of the academic year.

“There’s a constant focus on doing things for others,” she said. “These events offer a great opportunity to connect with people you might not work with day to day. I frequently participate and I’m not shy, so I’ll happily talk to anyone who’s up for a conversation.”

These moments reinforce a company culture rooted in courage, excellence, equity, and joy, values that mirror Pfizer’s mission to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives.

6:00 PM: Unwinding in a Food Lover’s Paradise

After work, Tolani frequently takes walks, connects her community, attends the various night markets and music festivals in the area, and captures moments with one of her many cameras. She would be remiss if the amazing food culture of the Puget Sound was not mentioned as a major attraction: From food trucks to the myriad of restaurants available touting cuisines from around the world.

And while the area has a reputation for being reserved compared to New Jersey, where Tolani lived for 15 years before relocating here, she’s experienced quite the opposite. “I’ve heard of the Seattle freeze, but I’m still waiting to be frozen out of anything,” she said.

Curious about how to join Tolani Osho in Washington to improve patient’s lives? See current job openings at Pfizer in Bothell here.

Sponsored by Life Science Washington and Pfizer