Associate Director, E2I Translational Medicine

About the Department
Our Research & Development organization brings together the best minds in life science innovation. The teams located in facilities in Lexington, Watertown, Cambridge and Seattle reflect the full R&D continuum, from early research through late-stage clinical development. Here, we are building for the future, creating a distinct R&D community based on collaboration, partnerships, and cutting-edge research across multiple modalities and therapeutic areas. We recognize that improving human health starts here and that patients rely on us. Our R&D hub merges biotech speed and agility with large pharmaceutical company quality, resources, and stability, uniting the best of both worlds to develop new medicines for patients.
The Position
The Associate Director, E2I Translational Medicine is accountable for providing scientific expertise to collaborate with the R&ED External Innovation Partners in driving an externally anchored project portfolio from stimulation of innovation ecosystems, early academic partnerships, through commercial partnerships, driving opportunities to decision milestones/gates and importantly, ensuring absorption/integration into the Novo Nordisk R&ED Lines of Business (LoBs). By assessing and supporting potential partnerships, the role ensures that NN can capitalize on collaborations that enhance its capabilities.
The role focuses on finding and advancing external partnership opportunities that can enrich and advance the Novo Nordisk drug pipeline with a focus on providing translational medicine expertise. The role enables informed decision-making in every stage of partnership maturation to ensure we maximize the value these partnerships bring. Hence, this role has direct impact on the probability of success of Novo Nordisk's external innovation portfolio.
Within external opportunities, this role has the specific purpose to: Serve as Subject Matter Expert to collaborate with R&ED External Innovation Partners, Serve as Subject Matter Expert to identify and evaluate emerging opportunities, Sustain strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders. Translate and apply translational medicine advancements into actionable business solutions. Collaborate with internal teams and the E2I team (R&ED External Innovation Partners and E2I matrix organization) to align on recommendations for evaluation of external partnership opportunities. Work with R&ED Line of Business (LoB) to identify needs and gaps and ensure sufficient prioritization and resource allocation from outside own organizational area. Scout for external opportunities to support pipeline and technology needs. Build and maintain an external network in the area of translational medicine. Supporting development and implementation of E2I strategy for gaining competitive advantage from external innovation. Stay up to date with state of the art trends.
Relationships
Reports to: Head of E2I Translational Medicine.
Indirect reports (~5FTEs): E2I 'matrix' scientific and enabling resources, R&ED LoB resources & External Consultants (business analysts, academic experts, key opinion leaders etc.) and external partners.
Internal stakeholders include: E2I team members, in particular R&ED External Innovation Partners and Research and human cohort data experts and AI tools and Landscaping team members, R&ED LoB Therapy A and R&ED Early Development.
External stakeholders include representatives and scientific leaders of tech, biotech, universities, pharmaceutical companies, venture capital firms, universities, and external consultant organizations. Engaging with global ecosystems, identifying geographic hotspots that drive innovation in early research and drug discovery, ensuring strategic alignment with regional advancements and opportunities.
Essential Functions

• Support ecosystem stimulation, scouting, evaluation, due diligence, and execution for external innovation opportunities for drug development, with a focus on the strategic use of biomarkers for stepwise de-risking/product differentiation
• Drive efforts to identify, assess, and integrate cutting-edge translational science and medicine into Novo Nordisk's innovation pipeline
• Monitor industry trends to ensure the organization maintains a competitive edge in scientific advancements
• Recommend translational medicine strategies to leverage external innovation for transformative drug development solutions
• Evaluate emerging biomarker technologies to support external innovation in drug development
• Assess the feasibility, scalability, and impact of new technologies on drug development objectives
• Recommend opportunities based on alignment with organizational goals and potential value creation
• Identify R&ED LoB needs and gaps for drug development
• Analyze R&ED Line of Business (LoB) requirements to identify unmet needs and technological gaps
• Collaborate with internal teams to define priorities for innovation adoption
• Provide insights to guide strategic planning and resource allocation for addressing identified gaps
• Scout for external opportunities to support pipeline and technology needs through partnerships in drug discovery and preclinical drug development
• Conduct systematic scouting for external innovations that align with pipeline and technology requirements
• Evaluate potential opportunities for their ability to address specific organizational challenges
• Maintain a database of promising external opportunities for future consideration

• Foster and sustain strategic partnerships with external stakeholders to advance new science and technology in drug development
• Assist in negotiating and managing collaborations, ensuring alignment with Novo Nordisk's strategic goals
• Act as a liaison to foster trust and mutual understanding between external partners and internal teams
• Translate advancements into actionable business solutions for drug development
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to adapt innovation for practical applications in R&D, manufacturing, and commercial operations
• Support that scientific advancements are effectively communicated and translated into value-driven outcomes

• Collaborate with internal teams and the E2I team (R&ED External Innovation Partners, E2I Science Functions and Management & Operations organization) to align on recommendations for technology evaluation and external partnership opportunities
• Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure external innovation efforts complement existing projects and priorities
• Work closely with R&ED External Innovation Partners in E2I, who drive an externally anchored project portfolio from innovation stimulation to integration into R&ED LoBs
• Share knowledge of external insights into internal processes
• Align recommendations with internal teams and the E2I team to ensure cohesive decision-making on technology adoption and partnerships

• Build and maintain an external network in scientific expertise area
• Develop and maintain a robust network of experts, innovators, and organizations in scientific expertise area
• Participate in industry events and forums to strengthen Novo Nordisk's presence in the innovation ecosystem
• Leverage the external network to identify collaboration opportunities and gain early access to emerging technologies

• Representation Scope
• Represents Novo Nordisk in external forums, conferences, and partnership discussions, showcasing the company's commitment for scientific and business advancements

• Independence
• Operates both independently and with others to identify and assess emerging opportunities, while ensuring alignment with the broader strategic objectives of Novo Nordisk. Collaborates closely with R&ED External Innovation Partners to ensure effective evaluation and execution of external opportunities
• While no direct leadership is part of this role, the Associate Director, E2I Science Function must be a clear role model and educate, create awareness and interests in external innovation for AI/ML and digital technology in drug discovery with clear and direct impact on NN pipeline, both within the E2I matrix organization and the wider R&ED and NN organization

Physical Requirements
Less than 10% overnight domestic and international travel required.
Qualifications

• Education
• MD and/or PhD in relevant life/natural science discipline; e.g. biology, medicine, pharmacology, molecular/cellular biology, bioinformatics, is required (depending on scientific area required)
• Experience
• 8+ years of experience in drug development/innovation in pharmaceutical industry (biotech, pharma). Proven track record of working with translational medicine required
• Ability to navigate on the intersection between business, technology and science driving cross-functional teams for data and product development and to acquire new knowledge fast
• Experience from various stages of early and late drug development, including clinical development preferred
• Experience in translating medical/scientific/business needs to business capabilities
• End to end understanding of the drug discovery and development value chain including how biomarkers can support decision making and differentiation at various stages
• High degree of personal motivation and proactivity, able to influence without authority, and operate comfortably in ambiguity
• Ability to spot emerging trends and external innovation opportunities, working at the intersection of digital, biology, and technology
• Analytical skills for conducting cost-benefit analyses
• Experience working in cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment
• High personal integrity, executive presence and impeccable values. Strong intercultural understanding and collaboration capabilities both internally and externally. Strong urge for life-long learning and adoption of cutting-edge digital technologies in day-to-day work
• Communication skills: fully fluent in English (written and spoken)

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.
We're not your typical healthcare company. In a modern world of quick fixes, we focus on solutions to defeat serious chronic diseases and promote long-term health. Our unordinary mindset is at the heart of everything we do. We seek out new ideas and put people first as we push the boundaries of science, make healthcare more accessible, and treat, prevent, and even cure diseases that affect millions of lives. Because it takes an unordinary approach to drive real, lasting change in health.
Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.
If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.