Director - Digital Science External Project Collaboration

About the Department                                                                                                                                               

The Digital Science External Partnerships (DSEP) is seeking a motivated candidate for the role of Director of External Digital Partnerships in drug discovery. DSEP is anchored in Data & Knowledge Discovery (DKD) in Digital Science & Innovation (DSI) area at Novo Nordisk Research & Early Development (R&ED). 
 
At DSEP, we are dedicated to formulating the digital external innovation strategy and driving its execution in close collaboration with stakeholders across R&ED. We are committed to fuel drug discovery through external innovation and collaboration to unleash the power of data and digital technologies​. We aim to deliver value and ensure access to cutting-edge technologies, such as AI/ML and LLM based methodologies, as well as access to human cohort data, all of which are instrumental for scientific insight generation to accelerate innovation for target/biomarker discovery, computational biology-based disease understanding and computational drug design in early research and drug discovery. Together with DSI we drive digital transformation across Novo Nordisk R&ED. DSI participates in drug development projects across the value chain, from early discovery to pre-clinical development, with objective of enhancing the lives of individuals living with serious chronic conditions.

 

The Position

In this key position, you will be instrumental in shaping scientific innovation in early research and drug discovery. As Director of External Digital Partnerships, you will be working closely with internal and external stakeholders to contribute towards advancing our pipeline and increasing probability of success of our drug development research projects.  

The role provides unique opportunity to drive end-to end engagement in digital external innovation. We strongly believe that the success of external partnership is driven by both carefully matched partners and well scoped and execute projects. Hence, your responsibilities include not only identifying and maturing external opportunities, but importantly also project managing established digital partnerships. You ensure smooth collaboration between internal and external team members across the partnership value chain to benefit from complementing internal efforts with new digital technologies and approaches.  

The role offers significant exposure to the Leadership Teams in R&ED and insights across the Novo Nordisk value chain. To succeed you provide and grow a strong network of relevant external companies and institutions in digital space of drug discovery (eg. AI or in slilco driven companies, biotechs, large tech, lab automations companies and major academic organizations).

 

Relationships

Report to: Senior Director.

No direct manager responsiblities  
Lead multifunctional work groups with both scientific specialists and managers and supporting functions from DSI and the rest of R&ED created to carry out external collaboration projects.

 

Essential Functions

• As Senior Project Leader: 
• Organize and lead cross functional project teams to drive execution of major digital partnerships with companies and academic institutions by providing project management, strategic direction, ensure, scientific relevance and high quality of project deliverables on time and on budget  
• Provide strong internal and external stakeholders management to ensure continues alignment on scientific and business value  
• Actively seek for opportunities for partnership grow  
• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, guidelines, and ethical standards in all external partnership activities  
• As Business Development and Scientific Leader: 
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand business needs and develop partnership opportunities with strategic fit  
• Lead and guide identification, evaluation, due diligence, and contracting of new digital