Project Execution for Science-Driven Companies – Fix What Gantt Charts Don’t Show
Project management for science-driven companies?
A decision has been “in progress” for two weeks. Nobody’s being difficult — it’s just not clear whose call it is to make. That’s not a people problem. It’s a structure problem, and it rarely shows up in a timeline.
A deliverable comes back from a partner — technically correct, not quite what you needed. A dependency slips through, unnoticed until it isn’t. A decision made in a meeting means something different to each team by the time it reaches them.
None of it shows up in a project plan. All of it is quietly costing you time and money.
Your team is capable. Your science is solid. Your partners are in place. But execution still feels harder than it should — and by the time something surfaces, it’s already had weeks to compound.
The issue lives between the boxes.
Most project management tools show tasks. They don’t show who really owns a decision. They don’t show where work breaks between teams and partners. They don’t show the quiet misalignment building beneath the surface.
So the plan stays green — while the experience feels different. That gap is where I work. I offer a new view on project management for science-driven companies.
Want to see this in your own projects, before you talk to anyone?
Download The Execution Gap Guide — a short guide to why projects in science-driven companies slow down, and where the real problem usually hides: not in your team, and not in your science, but in the space between decisions, handoffs, and partners.
Every engagement starts from where you are. You can choose one service, or move through them in sequence.
A rapid diagnostic of how work actually moves through your organisation, over only a few days. What’s working. What’s stalling. Where visibility is lost.
You get: • A clear snapshot of your current execution health • The 2–3 friction points having the biggest impact • Immediate actions you can take From €2,500
A focused deep dive into one specific, recurring breakdown — a partner relationship, a team interface, a decision flow — over about a week.
You get: • A current snapshot of how work moves in that area • Key observations and root causes • Quick wins now, and structural recommendations built to hold From €4,500
A complete look at how your projects are delivered, surfacing where things break down, and designing a way of working that holds, not just a fix for today.
Outcome-based, not time-boxed: it lasts as long as it needs to. Can be taken as a full package, or broken into stages: • Assessment • Assessment + Strategy • Full package (Assessment + Strategy + Implementation) Price depends on scope
She brought clarity where there was confusion. I’d recommend her to anyone.
Nadège set out a collaborative atmosphere. She was always insightful, as if it were part of a magical key combination to unlock my potential. Dr Joanna Stephens, University of Dundee
I think that Nadège got the balance absolutely right. I can’t think that I would want any less of anything. Everything was right. Gail Davidson, Project Manager
Credentials (just so you know I know what I am doing!)
PMP®-certified through PMI and a PMI France Chapter member. Verified Partner of the Institute of Project Management. Certified Scrum Master and Scrum Product Owner, with additional grounding in Agile project delivery. Registered with BiotechGate. Scientific Advisory Board member at BioDrop Solutions.
Also by Nadege: Her Book Project Power — a practical guide to project management for small businesses. → View on Amazon
FAQ
Why does my biotech project feel slower than it should?
Usually it’s not a people problem or a science problem — it’s a structure problem. Decisions stall because ownership isn’t clearly assigned. Work handed to partners comes back slightly off because the interface wasn’t clear enough. None of this shows up on a project plan, but it quietly compounds over weeks. That’s the execution gap, and it’s common in growth-stage, science-driven companies — not a sign anything is fundamentally wrong.
How do I fix project execution problems in a biotech company?
Start by finding out exactly where work is breaking down — not in the tasks themselves, but in the handoffs, decisions, and interfaces between teams and partners. A short diagnostic (a few days to a week) usually surfaces this clearly. From there, the fix is typically structural: clarifying ownership, tightening handoffs, and building a way of working that holds as the company grows — not new software, and not a bigger team.
What kind of companies do you work with?
I work with science-driven companies — typically between 5 and 99 people — who are managing multiple external partners and finding that execution is slower or less clear than it should be.
Who helps biotech companies manage external research partners?
This sits in a specific gap: a fractional COO is usually excellent at running day-to-day operations but isn’t necessarily built for the science/operations interface, external partners, or funding milestones specific to science-driven companies. Most project management consultancies serving this space, meanwhile, are built for compliance and regulatory-heavy work. I sit between the two — built for science-driven organisations managing external partners, without the compliance overhead.
What does “project execution specialist” mean in practice?
I help companies see where their projects are actually breaking down — not in the tasks themselves, but in the handoffs, decisions, and interfaces between teams and partners. Then I help fix those specific things.
How is this different from hiring a project manager?
A project manager runs projects day to day. I diagnose why projects aren’t running as well as they should — and fix the underlying structure. It’s a different kind of intervention, and usually a faster one.
How is this different from a fractional COO, or a general operations consultant?
A fractional COO is usually excellent at running the day-to-day of a business, but isn’t necessarily specific to science-driven organisations – the interfaces between research and operations, external partners, and funding milestones. Most project management consultancies in this space, on the other hand, are built for compliance and regulatory-heavy work, which not every science-driven company needs. I sit specifically between the two: built for science-driven organisations, without the compliance overhead.
What does a typical engagement look like?
Clients would typically start with either the Quick Project Execution Diagnostic (a few days) or the Nagging Problem Focused Review (about a week). Both produce clear findings and immediate actions. Some clients then move into the full Assessment, Strategy & Implementation offering, with ongoing retainer support available afterwards.
Do you work remotely?
Yes. All services are delivered remotely, with on-site sessions when truly necessary, by agreement. I work with companies across the UK, France, Germany, and the wider EU.
All decorative illustrations on this site, and the founder’s photograph on the About page, are AI-generated. The credentials badges, the podcast image, and the founder’s photograph on the Homepage are genuine, unaltered images (photo credit for the Homepage photograph: C. Wilson).
SIRET: 95392255600014 Legal name: Nadège Minois EI Trading name: Biotech Project Systems
