Project Director R&D External Innovation

Join us at the forefront of external innovation, where you will shape the future pipeline by assessing breakthrough scientific opportunities and turning them into actionable development strategies. This is a highly impactful role for a skilled drug developer who thrives in complexity and drives decision-making at the highest level. 

Your new role 

As Project Director R&D External Innovation, you will play a critical role in evaluating and advancing external innovation opportunities across Novo Nordisk’s R&D portfolio. You will lead due diligence activities and build integrated, cross-functional R&D assessment teams that guide key business decisions. 

In this role, you will: 

• Lead the end-to-end R&D assessment of external assets from early evaluation to full due diligence, with a strong focus on either clinical or pre-clinical and early clinical opportunities
• Build and drive cross-functional assessment teams, ensuring alignment across R&D and key stakeholders across the value chain

• Provide holistic evaluation of biology, pre-clinical, and clinical data and translate complex insights into clear, governance-ready recommendations 
• Liaise with Global Business Development to ensure alignment on strategic and scientific fit of incoming opportunities

• Develop achievable Target Product Profiles and realistic actionable development and integration strategies to inform decision-making 

• Score risks, opportunities, and probability-of-success, shaping strategic recommendations for senior leadership 

You will act as a central integrator—bringing together diverse scientific and strategic inputs from across R&D to enable high-quality decisions. Your ability to influence without formal authority and navigate a complex stakeholder landscape will be key to success. 

We are seeking two Project Directors to join the team: one with primary responsibility for preclinical and early clinical assets, and another focused on assessing more advanced clinical-stage opportunities.

Your new department 

You will join R&D External Innovation & Assessments, a strategic function responsible for identifying, evaluating, and advancing external innovation opportunities across Novo Nordisk’s pipeline. 

The department operates at the intersection of science and business, working closely with Global Business Development, R&D leadership, and experts across the value chain. You will collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders globally, including business development, Global Research, medical & translational science, CMC, Therapeutics Discovery, regulatory, IP, finance, and integration teams. 

This is a highly visible function with strong exposure to senior leadership and decision-making forums, where quality of insight, speed, and structured thinking are critical to success. 

Your skills and qualifications 

To succeed in this role, you bring a strong scientific foundation combined with strategic thinking and leadership capability. You are comfortable working in a matrix environment and influencing senior stakeholders across disciplines. 

We expect you to have: 

• A PhD, MD, or equivalent in life sciences, pharmacology, translational science, or a related field, combined with 10+ years of relevant experience in pharma or biotech 

• Deep understanding of drug development, including translational biology, pharmacology, clinical and regulatory considerations

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and guide teams to translate complex scientific data into clear, actionable recommendations 

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels without formal authority 
• Proven experience in scientific assessment, due diligence, business development or external innovation is an advantage

Additionally, you are known for your strong scientific judgement, structured problem-solving approach, and ability to remain focused, calm and evidence-based in high-pressure environments. 

What we offer 

There is, of course, more on offer here than the uniqueness of our culture and the extraordinary results we produce. Being part of a global healthcare company means opportunities to learn and develop are all around us, while our benefits are designed with your career and life stage in mind. 

Salary: For this role, the Annual Base Salary ranges from DKK 940,800 to DKK 1,448,700, corresponding to Job Level 10. The placement within the salary range will be assessed during the recruitment process based on the candidate’s skills, competencies, knowledge, and relevant experience. 

Incentives and Benefits: The salary package may include short‑term and/or long‑term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level, location, functional area and relevant market benchmarks. Learn more about our Reward Philosophy here. 

Working at Novo Nordisk 

Every day we seek the solutions that defeat serious chronic diseases. To do this, we approach our work with determination, constant curiosity and a commitment to finding better ways forward. For over 100 years, this dedication has driven us to build a company focused on lasting change for long-term health. One where diverse thinking, shared purpose and mutual respect come together to create extraordinary results. When you join us, you're not just starting a job – you're becoming part of a story that spans generations. 

Contact: 
For further information about the position, please contact Cecilie Heerdegen Jepsen at CCEJ@novonordisk.com or Sascha Marius Eichendorff at SAEF@novonordisk.com

Deadline: 03 August 2026

Please indicate in your CV whether you are applying for the role focused on assessment of preclinical and early clinical assets or the role focused on more advanced clinical-stage opportunities.

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 preventing 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.