Director-External R&D- Cambridge

Eli Lilly has achieved unprecedented R&D productivity with the potential to launch 20 new medicines in a 10-year period. To sustain the future pipeline, Lilly is expanding efforts to access a constant stream of external innovation, which will fuel its world-class discovery and development engines.

We are seeking a Director-External R&D to lead the identification, scientific evaluation, and coordination of external innovation partnering of assets and technologies, sourced from Biotech companies and academic institutions. These partnerships help meet critical patient unmet needs and support the success of Lilly's internal drug discovery and development portfolio, as well as opportunities that meet investment criteria defined by our strategic venture fund partners.

You will work with an outstanding group of peers in Indianapolis, Europe, San Francisco, Japan and with other Search and Evaluation colleagues. You will focus on novel biology and emerging-disruptive technologies. You will closely network with diverse academic experts, KOLs, industry participants, including biotech companies, venture capital, non-profit organizations and academic institutions regionally to identify and access cutting- edge innovation. Additionally, you will support transaction teams and due diligence teams effectively across the R&D Matrix. In this role, you will be responsible for the identification of new emerging technologies and companies, build scientific relationship with academia, target companies, CSOs and external KOLs. You will react to and follow up on unsolicited offers and opportunities, spot and follow-up on opportunities.

You should have in depth understanding of the drug discovery and development process and technical breakthroughs to provide Lilly with competitive access to potential opportunities of strategic interest. You will lead and/or participate in visits to external companies with members of the Lilly's Corporate Business Development function and will lead communication of technical evaluations to internal and external organizations when appropriate. You should understand the internal discovery, clinical and technology platform portfolio and use these insights to identify and prioritize high-value external assets, disruptive innovation and opportunities for future investment.Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Rigorous, objective scientific assessment of novel innovation opportunities from external sources. This include analysis of patents, scientific literature, and probing discussions with internal Lilly scientists; identification of key issues and appropriate expertise to facilitate resolution
• Coordination and triage of an extensive number of external project opportunities - to include: leadership of - and participation in - prioritization meetings; database documentation and tracking of projects
• Leadership of interactions with selected external organizations; represent Lilly strategies and needs to external organizations (companies, investment groups, and academic partners)
• Execution of key projects when working with external organizations including involvement in newco formation; including design and oversight of key de-risking experiments
• Building long-term relationships. Providing productive technical feedback to potential partners at various stages of review, focusing on relationships in parallel to evaluations, and nurturing interactions
• Timely and effective communication / interface / influence with internal partners and decision makers across Lilly Research and Business Units
• Mapping of the external competitive landscape and cultivating platforms for growth in new-to-Lilly indications or disruptive technologies that could change treatment paradigms

Company Overview

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 39,000 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.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. e.g., Biochemistry, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Physiology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology or Genetics
• Strong scientific pedigree as evidenced by publications, patents, presentations
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry or related fields (life sciences VC, life science technology transfer, etc.) with a preference for additional experience working with small life science companies and venture capital firm

Additional Information

Lilly credits its exceptional employees for its successes and knows the key to ongoing achievement lies in attracting and retaining the best people. Here are a few of the recognitions Lilly has earned for creating an exceptional work environment:
Business Week magazine 50 Best Places to Launch A Career ™

• Black Enterprise 2018 list of 50 Best Companies for Diversity™
• FORTUNE 50 Best Companies for Minorities ™
• Working Mother 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers ™
• Science magazine Best Companies for Scientists ™
• DiversityInc. Top 50 Companies for Diversity™ (#16 in 2017)
• Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index™ - 100% score

This position is located in the Cambridge Innovation Center; Cambridge, MA

Lilly is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

Additional Skills/Preferences

• Demonstrated expertise in biopharmaceutical drug discovery including familiarity with patents and trends crafting pharmaceutical innovation and business. Cross-functional knowledge of predominant drug discovery disciplines will be helpful.
• An established network within the Boston/Cambridge innovation ecosystem.
• Demonstrated knowledge across several disease areas relevant to Lilly's business
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Biotech and Academic ecosystem with strong preference for direct experience in Boston/Cambridge
• Understanding of emerging technologies. Knowledge of drug discovery processes and stages of projects and external deal structures
• Ability to prioritize and multitask efficiently and quickly; problem solving and project management skills
• Experience of working in a complex global matrix environment as well as leading and utilizing the matrix
• Outstanding interpersonal and negotiation skills and willingness and ability to deal with conflicts
• Proven leadership with ability to represent Lilly at international meetings