Global Head, Science Partnerships and Funding - Vaccines R&D

Sanofi Group; Marcy-l'Étoile; On-site; EUR 134,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanofi is seeking a Global Head, Science Partnerships and Funding for Vaccines R&D. Based in Lyon/Marcy L'Etoile, you will lead the global SPF organization, building the network of external public-private partnerships and funding projects to enable the New Vaccine Portfolio.

You will drive strategy, governance, and budget across regions and engage with internal R&D, manufacturing, and commercial teams. The role requires a Ph.D.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in bacteriology, virology, immunology, vaccinology or related discipline, or an M.D. or Pharm.D.
• 10+ years of post-graduate work experience.
• Experience in establishing public-private partnerships.
• Fluent English communication skills, verbal and written.
• Ability to work in international settings.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the external partnership strategy across the vaccines value chain.
• Lead and manage global SPF team and regional leads across multiple regions.
• Oversee grant submissions, budgets, and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Define KPIs for external grants and partnerships and manage associated risks.
• Explore innovative funding streams and partnership models for Vaccines GBU.

Skills

Public-private partnerships experience

Interpersonal skills

Negotiation skills

Change agent

Fluent English

International work ability

Education

Ph.D. in relevant field or MD/PharmD

Job description

• Job title: Global Head, Science Partnerships and Funding - Vaccines R&D
• Hiring Manager: Chief Scientific Officer & Global Head, External Scientific Affairs - Vaccine R&D
• Location: Lyon / Marcy L'Etoile
• Job type: Full-time

About Sanofi

We’re an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system – and innovative pipeline – enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.

About the job

The Global Head, Science Partnerships and Funding (SPF), Vaccines R&D, will be responsible for building and sustaining Sanofi Vaccines’ network of external public and private organizations that will enable the success of the New Vaccine Portfolio through broad strategic partnerships and external funding projects. Reporting to the Global Head, Strategic and Scientific Partnerships, the Global Head-SPF is responsible for providing strategic, scientific and operational leadership of current and new global public-private partnerships while maintaining timelines and budget. The Global Head will have under his/her direction and management, the leads for development of each region, namely, UK/Europe and Middle East, Americas, France, and Asia Pacific.

Main Responsibilities/Accountabilities

• Develop and implement the Sanofi Vaccines global external partnership strategy across the entire value chain (Research to Industrialization): Engage effectively key internal stakeholders (from various organizations such as R&D, Vaccine Manufacturing & Supply, Vaccine Portfolio Strategy, Vaccines GBU Executive Committee members) in order to articulate and validate the priority gaps and needs for external partnerships and external financing and to define unambiguously the metrics of success of such partnerships.
• Develop the decision-making processes for selection and administration of the grants; must have excellent strategic acumen to weigh the benefits/risks associated with each funding opportunity and put forward recommendations and decisions to Vaccines leadership.
• Lead and manage the Science Partnerships and Funding Team within the Strategic and Scientific Partnerships Organization: Recruit, manage and develop a high-performing global team, ensuring operational excellence of the team across the entire value chain while maintaining agility to adapt to the constantly changing global environment (i.e., public-private partnerships, funding opportunities, funder requirements, Vaccines Global Business Unit (GBU) priorities, etc). Develop and execute global/regional external stakeholder/funders engagement plan: Build the global network of external partners and funders (US, EU, UK, Asia/Pacific, Middle East, Americas) for Sanofi vaccines and implement robust engagement plans in order to maintain the relationships with the agencies. Collaborate closely with Sanofi organizations with strong regional presence such as Public Affairs, Global Medical Affairs and Commercial Operations, to deliver on this objective.
• Develop and execute robust processes and stakeholder engagement for partnership submission and administration: For grant submissions, oversee the responses to Request-For-Proposals (RFPs) from external funding agencies by mobilizing and collaborating with multiple Sanofi partners (Business Development, Intellectual/Legal, R&D functions, Global Project Heads, Manufacturing & Supply, Finance, etc) to deliver high-quality proposals and budgets. For partnerships, develop the objectives and value creation proposition of the partnerships by engaging both external partners and internal R&D and business stakeholders. Organize the cross-functional team and define the processes for administering the grants and /or partnerships internally and externally (if applicable) along with plans to ensure strong company compliance with the requirements of the grants. Report progress to the Global Vaccine Business executive committee, project steering committees, Portfolio Leadership, on partnership opportunities and activities and their impact to the vaccine business.
• Develop the key performance indicators for the external grants, define the risks associated with the grants to our business and by engaging all stakeholders, develop and implement the plans in place to mitigate these risks.
• Innovate: Investigate non-conventional and innovative funding streams and partnership models to support and finance R&D/infrastructure investments and enable the ambitions of the Vaccine GBU, assess their strategic fit of such opportunities with our ambitions, and pursue these opportunites if and when appropriate.

About you

• Ph.D. in any of the relevant fields – bacteriology, virology, immunology, vaccinology or a related discipline or an M.D. or Pharm.D.
• 10+ years of post-graduate work experience
• Experience in establishing public-private partnerships
• Resourceful and constantly up-to-date to emerging partnership opportunities for Sanofi Vaccines
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills - ability to work with individuals at different levels and managing through influence
• Agent of change
• Demonstrated team and negotiation skills
• Fluent English communication skills, verbal and written
• Ability to work in international settings

Why choose Sanofi?

Join the team protecting half a billion lives every year with next-gen science, mRNA innovation, and AI-driven breakthroughs. In Vaccines, you’ll help advance prevention on a global scale - and shape the future of immunization. You’ll help push boundaries, challenge convention, and build smarter solutions that reach the communities we serve. Ready to chase the miracles of science and improve people’s lives? Let’s Pursue Progress and Discover Extraordinary – together. At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

Pursue progress, discover extraordinary Better is out there. Better medications, better outcomes, better science. But progress doesn’t happen without people – people from different backgrounds, in different locations, doing different roles, all united by one thing: a desire to make miracles happen. So, let’s be those people.

At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, ability or gender identity.

Watch our ALL IN video and check out our Diversity Equity and Inclusion actions at sanofi.com! The salary range for this position is :€134,400.00 - €179,200 Final compensation will be determined based on demonstrated experience, skills, location, and other relevant factors. Employees may be eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs. We are an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and creating compelling growth. Our team is guided by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.

We want to build a healthier, more resilient world, and turn the impossible into the possible by discovering, developing, and delivering medicines and vaccines for millions of people around the world. Discover more about us visiting www.sanofi.com or via our movie We are Sanofi Start a career that makes a difference. Reinvention is in our DNA. It’s what drove our evolution from a small French enterprise to one of the world’s leading biopharma companies. Whether it’s using AI to shorten drug-discovery times or building trust in healthcare, you could be helping our teams make life better for patients, partners, and communities. This is where you grow your career. We open the door for you to explore new opportunities, push your limits, and connect with people who are driven by a shared purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.