Sr. Director - Catalyze360 AI/ML Business Strategy

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

The Catalyze360 AI/ML Business Strategy Lead will drive the business strategy and growth of the Catalyze360 (C360) AI/ML platform. This role is essential in defining the platform’s business model, governance structure, and partnership strategy to ensure its success in transforming drug discovery and development. The individual will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to design and implement scalable solutions, manage resources, and create new business opportunities, ensuring the platform remains competitive and innovative.

In this role, you will be responsible for designing the platform’s business model, managing key partnerships, overseeing operational excellence, and working closely with various teams across Eli Lilly to ensure alignment with strategic goals. You will also lead efforts to acquire and generate the data required to fuel AI/ML use cases while advancing strategic partnerships with tech, biotech, and service providers.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy and Business Model

  • Design and implement the platform’s business model, including developing business strategies, identifying legal and operational requirements, and incorporating these into early agreements.

  • Develop and evolve the platform's governance model to ensure robust oversight and ethical AI/ML use, aligning with corporate priorities.

  • Develop a strategy for broader data services offerings to expand the platform’s capabilities and value proposition.

  • Work closely with ExploR&D and Tech @LLY to create integrated and consistent roadmaps, ensuring cross-functional alignment and scalability of the platform.

• Partnerships and Collaboration

  • Evaluate and advance partnership opportunities across multiple domains:

    • Tech Bio: Engage with tech bio companies to access and build next-generation AI/ML models.

    • Biotech: Identify data contributions that fit specific use cases, facilitating collaborations that align with platform needs.

    • VC Funds: Foster portfolio participation from VC-backed companies, from inception through growth stages.

    • Service Providers (CROs): Develop standardized and streamlined services for platform participants to ensure seamless integration into their workflows.

  • Collaborate with the transactions lead to execute partnership deals that align with platform and roadmap requirements.

  • Monitor the competitive landscape, keeping track of technological advances and trends in AI/ML applications in drug development.

  • Continuously evolve the platform’s strategy by understanding how AI/ML resources are being developed, both in commercial and open-source environments, to ensure differentiation of offerings.

• Data Acquisition and Generation

  • Work closely with the Product Lead to identify specific data needs for each use case.

  • Identify and evaluate opportunities to acquire or generate data that supports the platform's AI/ML models and use cases.

  • Establish partnerships or in-house capabilities to ensure access to high-quality data necessary for driving drug discovery outcomes.

• Operational Excellence

  • Collaborate with Tech @Lilly and LRL leaders to ensure the operational capabilities meet both technical and business objectives.

  • Implement operational frameworks and governance structures to support growth and scalability while driving continuous improvement initiatives.

• Financial Management and Reporting

  • Develop and manage the platform’s budget, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently across business development, operations, and technology needs.

  • Monitor financial performance and report regularly to senior leadership on platform milestones, key metrics, and return on investment.

  • Ensure cost optimization and efficient use of resources to support high-impact initiatives aligned with the platform’s business goals.

• Performance Metrics and Impact

  • Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the platform’s success, inc