Senior Scientist, R&D Collaborations - Immunotherapeutics Chronic Disorder Program

Job Purpose and Key Responsibilities:

• Lead multidisciplinary project teams managing extramural and outcontracted projects, preclinical or clinical collaborations and projects operated under grants/funding , with a high sense of priority and urgency, while ensuring flexibility and quality at every point of the development - provide planning, tracking and reporting to these projects to internal and external participants. Manage fees associated with this effort (1-5 mio $/y)
• Manage the interface between the cancer immunotherapeutics group and Business development (Rix and WWBD), legal and CIP – lead the B-IP interface that drives and coordinates the efforts between these different players.
• Represent the cancer immunotherapeutics at CLAC (senior management collaboration/licensing/acquisitions committee).
• Lead multidisciplinary teams managing the scientific evaluation of in- and out-licensing opportunities and act as key primary contact to the outside partner – assure correct and timely information flow to all stakeholders.

Key responsabilities

• For providing project management support (including budget, resource, timeline and issue management) to extramural or outcontracted projects – assuring that these projects can be run with the same high level of planning, tracking, reporting and overall quality as in-house projects – and to integrate them seamlessly with the internal project portfolio in terms of tools, policies and practices.
• For maintaining high standards and high quality of delivery of the Cancer team towards its internal (Rix), corporate (CIP, WWBD) and external (licensees, licensors and collaborators) – making respect of commitments, timely follow-up and professional approach integral part of the image of the group.
• For driving the B-IP interface with a high level of vision on objectives and procedures allowing a clear impact on the licensing and intellectual property strategy of the cancer portfolio. Through scheduled meetings and on a continuing basis and by representation of the cancer portfolio at the CLAC meetings.
• For developing a high standard, strictly organized and transparent opportunity review process (in and outlicensing) that brings well documented recommendations to CLAC and provides satisfactory interactions and information to the outside partners. Acts as key scientific contact with the inside and outside partners in that process.
• For proposing a strategy and proactively seeking out grant and/or collaboration opportunities that would fit the cancer objectives. Building a network with internal and external providers of information and services to remain abreast of the more interesting opportunities.
• For allowing the cancer business to profit of the “golden” opportunities without being swamped by the multitude of less interesting offers – act with a high degree of autonomy in making a primary selection and determining evaluation priorities.
• For forecasting and controlling budgets associated with collaborations or licenses and for validating spend by outside partners against project.
• For providing accurate yet summarized status, progress and strategy reports of the portfolio to senior management, and for defending his/her proposal within the organization (Bio and Pharma).
• For representing the cancer group within multidisciplinary initiatives, like BioWin, involving academic, government and industry partners.

Profile

• Minimum PhD in Bio-sciences. MBA degree is an asset
• This individual should be a dynamic, self starter with strong influential skills, who can understand and interpret scientific research and literature, as well as relate and work with a wide range of people to achieve results in the field of Immunotherapeutics.
• This person should have excellent written and verbal communication skills, and be well spoken, confident, enthusiastic, charismatic in order to succeed.
• This person should be a strong time manager and have great organizational skills.
• Having an open and collegial style of interacting with co-workers is a must, as well as being able to build working relations throughout the organization and with business partners to achieve business goals
• Strong scientific background - ideally in the field of oncology or immunotherapy.
• Strong ability to network and negotiate at all levels in the organization and within an external academic and industrial network.
• Clear leadership and federation skills
• Experience in leadership of project teams through matrix organization
• Fluency in English is mandatory
• Previous experience with project and opportunities evaluation.
• Strong business awareness
• Strong presentation and negotiation skills