Senior Director, Global R&D External Innovation & Pipeline Filling and Sourcing

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 Plainsboro 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

Reports to Associate Vice President of External Innovation & Assessments.   The Senior Director, Global R&D External Innovation & Pipeline Filling and Sourcing role is responsible for identifying, assessing and establishing pre-G1 and technology-focused partnerships to strengthen Novo Nordisk's R&D pipeline, through collaborations with external companies to deliver direct pipeline impact and through creating and deploying engagement models to capture early innovation and breakthrough science from startups, venture partners and incubators. The role is tasked with establishing partnerships that can deliver on the ambitious productivity targets set for the next 2-3 years with projects originating from External Innovation & Sourcing (EI&S) expected to contribute 20-30% of Novo Nordisk's preclinical pipeline.

The Senior Director is leading a global team of Innovation Leads in US, UK and China, who do sourcing, assessment, and establishment of global strategic collaboration agreements with external partners to fill the pipeline through exploring novel biology or transformative technology. The Senior Director has direct report people leader in China (Director of External Innovation & Sourcing China), who has responsibility for coordination of Chinese external innovation activities across China. The Senior Director actively integrates and disseminates knowledge into the global Novo Nordisk R&D organization, focusing on diverse innovation approaches, lean project plan executions, new ways of working, and asset transitioning. 

Relationships

The Senior Director, Global R&D External Innovation & Pipeline Filling and Sourcing serves as a critical interface between the R&D External Innovation (R&D EI) and organizational levels within the Global Research and Therapeutics Discovery organizations in Europe, China and US, as well as the wider R&D in Novo Nordisk. They support the scientific agenda developed as part of the collaborations to be established.

Overall, the Sr. Director will be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to support the pipeline development through external innovation. The role plays a critical role in fostering strong relationships internally and externally. Internal stakeholders include Global Research, Therapeutics Discovery, Medical and Translational Science and specialists across global R&D, R&D senior management, Corporate Patents, and Global Business Development to ensure alignment and collaboration across the organization. External partners include representatives of biotech, venture capital firms, and universities, including partners, biotech executives, and University principal investigators. The Senior EI&S Director will engage with these stakeholders to build and maintain relationships that support the development of a diversified external research pipeline.

Essential Functions

• Entrusted with the critical role of securing idea inflow, prioritizing new ideas, and implementing the R&D plan with scientific expertise. Accountable for the interface to the global R&D organization and their allocation of resources to assessment of collaboration opportunities
• Fostering a high-performing team culture across multiple geographies (DK, US, China) in accordance with the NN way
• Entrusted with the authority to hire scientific/technical experts to the team (biology, technology, medicinal chemistry, translational medicine)
• Expected to independently drive the innovation agenda and constantly strive for higher performance, actively challenging ordinary processes and priorities
• External Engagement: Develop and maintain strong relationships with global biopharma companies, academic institutions, and venture partners to stay ahead of emerging opportunities
• Strategic Decision-Making: Provide expert insights to executive leadership on pipeline gaps and recommend high-impact opportunities to strengthen the preclinical development portfolio
• Responsible for sourcing, assessing and establishing collaborations to contribute 20-30% of the NN preclinical pipeline, at steady state corresponding to 5 G0/year and 2 G1s
• Responsible for securing inflow channels across the innovation ecosystem, ideating and prioritizing product concept ideas with partners, and developing collaboration frameworks
• Involves engaging in proactive dialogue with all levels of the organization to recommend and reach agreement on strategies, plans, and budgets for new initiatives
• Leadership & Influence: Represent the company at relevant meetings, and partnering events, positioning the organization as a preferred partner in therapeutic innovation
• Responsible to operate sourcing activities in the US, Europe and China under the strategic leadership of the Head of EI&A
• Provides scientific recommendations and leads the scientific agenda for pre-G1 partner engagements; final deal terms and approvals rest with the EI Decision Group/Deal Group

Physical Requirements

20-30% Domestic and International travel will be required. The Sr Director position is based in Cambridge, MA as part of External Innovation and Assessment with a global impact/influence through the execution of planning and evaluation of a number of external development projects for the purpose future value generation by Novo Nordisk. Travel to Denmark and China will be required.

Development of People

Supervisory. Ensure that reporting personnel have individual development plans (IDP), with annual goals and measurements that are consistent with the priorities of the business, and that interim reviews are held so that their work is focused on those priorities, and they understand their level of accountability for results and the measurement process. Ensure that the IDP forms include completed learning and aspiration plans and are in place for all reporting personnel to enable the achievement of goals and capability to assume increased levels of responsibility. Manage the application and communication of all Novo Nordisk policies, procedures, and Novo Nordisk Way.

Qualifications

• MS degree with 14+ years of relevant experience or M.D./Ph.D. with 11+ years of relevant experience
• A minimum of 15 years of pertinent experience, ideally within an R&D, External Innovation or BD function
• Demonstrated leadership or people management experience in industry, biotech, or academic research settings, with a proven ability to inspire others to progress towards objectives
• A track record of effectively managing multiple projects or roles in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Adeptness in navigating scientific domains characterized by high uncertainty and the capacity to rapidly assimilate new knowledge
• Comprehensive scientific knowledge within the metabolic disease space and/or drug discovery and technology development is essential
• Robust understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and the ability to formulate and implement scientific strategies
• Solid scientific and business acumen across Research & Development (R&D), with desirable experience in pre-clinical drug development
• Demonstrated capabilities to formulate and execute strategies that align with the overarching R&D strategy
• Proven experience in executing and managing R&D projects with external partners, utilizing a variety of partnership models, ideally on a global scale
• Experience in working within cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment, with the ability to orchestrate mutually beneficial solutions in complex stakeholder landscapes and act as a strategic partner to senior management
• Exceptional collaboration capabilities, both internally and externally
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, capable of influencing both internal and external stakeholders

The base compensation range for this position is $229,200 to $401,100. Base compensation is determined based on a number of factors. This position is also eligible for a company bonus based on individual and company performance. 

Novo Nordisk offers long-term incentive compensation and or company vehicles depending on the position's level or other company factors. 

Employees are also eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs including medical, dental and vision coverage; life insurance; disability insurance; 401(k) savings plan; flexible spending accounts; employee assistance program; tuition reimbursement program; and voluntary benefits such as group legal, critical illness, identity theft protection, pet insurance and auto/home insurance. The Company also offers time off pursuant to its sick time policy, flex-able vacation policy, and parental leave policy.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and defeating diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.

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.