Senior Director - Alliance Management

About the Department

Our Cambridge Innovation Center is an extension of our Novo Nordisk Research Center Seattle, Inc. (NNRCSI).  We apply cutting-edge technologies to early R&D projects with the goal of bringing real change to People with Diabetes and Obesity.  Your skills, dedication and ambition will help us change lives for the better. In exchange, we’ll offer you an opportunity to work with extraordinary talent, continuously learn and develop, and drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic conditions.
 
The team is comprised of collaborative, diverse and passionate people who have a true sense of pride in their work and are committed to helping others grow and develop their careers. You’ll also have a platform to engage with key stakeholders on a global scale throughout the entire pipeline process. And while changing the future of diabetes and obesity treatment is no easy task, we also recognize the importance of an enjoyable workplace, which is why we’ve cultivated a culture of fun, ingenuity and innovation. And our competitive compensation package and support of a healthy work-life balance all add to a best-in-class employee experience. We are changing lives for a living. Are you ready to make a difference?

 

The Position

The Senior Director contributes to innovation in R&D by developing and managing Novo Nordisk's growing portfolio of strategic collaborations, ensuring that Novo Nordisk has access to a pipeline of new targets, pipeline assets, translational capabilities, and technologies, supporting the execution of the R&D strategy across global R&D centers. The Senior Director will establish and oversee partnership management of alliances to secure consistent internal and external communication, coordination of activities and tracking and follow-up on milestones and deliverables. The Senior Director provides strong oversight, enables and monitors the full range of alliance management activities, is consulted and actively involved in the deal negotiation, stirs complex governance set-ups, and has a diverse and complex portfolio of alliances. The Senior Director shows strong communication skills, contextual understanding, has the ability to influence across matrix, and shows strong contractual understanding.

 

Relationships

The Senior Director will be located in Boston with global responsibility in the field of R&D alliances, collaborating closely with stakeholders across Novo Nordisk global R&D sites. The job requires global collaborations with R&D teams based in Denmark, China, and Boston, Seattle and Indianapolis within the US. The Senior Director will report to the Corporate VP of Early Innovation, Outreach & Alliances, and be tethered administratively to the VP, Site Head of Novo Nordisk Research Center Seattle, Inc. The Senior Director will operate independently with internal and external stakeholders at all levels of the Novo Nordisk organization to drive the alliances. The Senior Director will represent Novo Nordisk in various organizations and committees internationally.

 

Essential Functions

• Oversee and ensure optimal negotiation of contracts relevant for Novo Nordisk alliances
• Manage portfolio of alliances towards agreed milestones and outcomes
• Develop, suggest, and champion new alliances in alignment with the R&D strategy
• In collaboration with relevant dept. colleagues ensure alignment between research collaborations with internal R&D activities and portfolio management processes, to ensure maximal portfolio impact
• Support regular touch points with Global Drug Discovery (GDD)-HQ and Boston colleagues to establish and sustain global team spirit and connectivity
• In collaboration with Corporate Finance and Business support functions, ensure budget and resource allocation processes
• Ensure successful planning and execution of alliances reviews
• In collaboration with relevant colleagues ensure that all relevant contracts relating to the alliances are successfully negotiated vis a vis collaborators as well as facilitate formal and informal negotiations during the alliance
• Maintain a close dialogue with key stakeholders at relevant universities and biotech companies
• Represent Novo Nordisk in various external organizations, and steering committees relating to university and biotech collaborations

 

Physical Requirements

10-20% overnight travel required.

 

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or MD required within medicine, science, pharmacy or similar
• 10+ years’ experience in global alliance/partnership and project management from the pharmaceutical or biotech industry with a proven track record in negotiating and collaborating across organizations and cultures. Skilled in conducting successful meetings and collaboration