Manager, Technology Partnerships (Early Stage Leads & Collaborations)

Indigo is a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet. With a vision of creating a world where farming is an economically desirable and accessible profession, Indigo works alongside its growers to apply natural approaches, conserve resources for future generations, and grow healthy food for all. Utilizing beneficial plant microbes to improve crop health and productivity, Indigo’s portfolio is focused on cotton, wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, and rice. The company, founded by Flagship Pioneering, is headquartered in Boston, MA, with additional offices in Memphis, TN, Research Triangle Park, NC, Sydney, Australia, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and São Paulo, Brazil. www.indigoag.com

The role of the Manager, Technology Partnerships is to ensure Indigo can execute on its strategic plan through expanding Indigo’s portfolio of technology partnerships that deliver complementary solutions such as microbial strains or products, pipeline enabling technology, or other technology solutions that enhance our R&D capabilities. Responsibilities include all aspects of partnership lifecycle: identifying external partners, developing business cases, coordinating scientific technical assessments, creating a transactional framework, driving deals to closure, and post-execution relationship management. The scope of partnerships would include in-licensed technology, distribution agreements, development collaborations, and acquisitions. We are looking for a manager who has prior experience establishing partnerships through active outreach to aligned organizations, and management of contractual relationships. The Manager, Technology Partnerships will be responsible for measuring and maximizing the value derived from each partnership. This role will partner with the Product Management, R&D, Project Management, Innovations, Finance, and Legal teams to achieve the best outcomes for Indigo and our partners.

Outcomes:

Communicate and fill technology pipeline with promising early stage microbial leads from credible research institutions.

• Refine microbial leads diligence process to target specific areas of interest for Indigo. Engage regularly with Indigo R&D MSE team to align on this process.
• Based on input from Indigo MSE team, build and refine existing strain library dashboard to understand existing gaps and prioritize leads

 Increase R&D capabilities to enable a strong pipeline

• Understand and communicate Indigo’s technology priorities and begin to map landscape of potential partners
• Translate R&D needs to identify and communicate feasible and cutting-edge technologies to product managers and function leads
• Integrate gap analysis with SG mapping efforts, ultimately presenting top tech opportunities to R&D
• Manage a large pipeline of opportunities and analyze/prioritize engagements within pipeline
• Clearly track all technology opportunities and analyses so they are accessible and trackable

Indigo is seen as the partner of choice with new and existing networks

• Nurture and expand external network to position Indigo as a partner of choice for tech products

Develop processes and tools to manage collaborations

• Understand current R&D collaboration portfolio: project content, deliverables, contractual commitments
• Establish and build relationships with key stakeholders at each collaborator
• Develop strategy for academic engagement alongside Indigo R&D departments specifically Scientific Communications
• Prospect new collaboration opportunities based on proposed engagement strategy 

Competencies:

• Excellent listening and communication skills to manage cross-functionally and across all levels and backgrounds at appropriate detail
• Ability to execute under ambiguous or highly-structured scenarios and flexibility to pivot as needed
• An ability to lead and energize a group towards an aggressive goal while maintaining good relationships
• Strong organizational skills with a willingness to analyze and improve processes and think outside the box
• Passion for Indigo and its mission to drive improved sustainability, human health, and farmer profitability

Qualifications:

• BS in science, agriculture, finance, or technical field. MBA preferred
• Demonstrated track record of success and ability to achieve in fast paced, challenging environments
• Strong communicator across a wide range of audiences; management, R&D, commercial, external where appropriate
• Entrepreneurial mindset as it comes to sourcing and identifying targeted technologies and creating partnerships with key decision makers
• Ability to work independently and make decisions that will advance the company objectives
• Strong financial analysis and critical-thinking skills
• Experience and talent in managing people in cross-functional project teams and external partners
• Experience in the agricultural industry and/or smaller companies is a plus