Alliance Management Associate Director

Vertex Pharmaceuticals LLC; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 600,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

Vertex Pharmaceuticals LLC in Riyadh is seeking an Alliance Management Associate Director to lead governance and partner management across the GCC region, ensuring partnerships deliver strategic and operational value.

You will collaborate with Commercial, Legal, Market Access, Medical, Finance, and other teams to align strategy, manage risk, and shape operating models for new markets while strengthening existing collaborations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a life sciences, pharmaceutical, or business field.
• 7+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.
• Experience in alliance management, partnerships, or governance within pharma/biotech.

Responsibilities

• Lead alliance governance and partner management across the GCC region.
• Act as primary alliance contact for internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align partnership strategy and execution.
• Design and optimize operating models for new and existing markets in GCC.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate operational, contractual, and relationship risks.
• Lead governance forums, business reviews, and alliance touchpoints.

Skills

Alliance management

Strategic partnerships

Governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Business, or related field

Job description

Job Description Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Join Vertex

At Vertex, we invest in science, innovation, and partnerships that have the potential to transform patients’ lives. As we continue to expand our presence across the GCC region, we are seeking a highly capable Alliance Management Associate Director to help shape, lead, and strengthen strategic partnerships that support our business and patient-focused goals. This is a high-impact role for a collaborative and commercially minded leader who thrives in complex, cross-functional environments and brings a strong ability to build trust, drive alignment, and create value through partnerships.

About the Role

The Alliance Management Associate Director will lead alliance governance and partner management activities across the GCC region, ensuring that partnerships are structured, managed, and optimized to deliver strategic and operational value. This role will serve as a key connector across internal teams and external partners, helping to establish effective governance, support market expansion, manage risk, and foster productive, long-term relationships. The successful candidate will play an important role in shaping operating models for new markets while strengthening the effectiveness of existing collaborations.

What You Will Do

• Lead alliance governance and partner management across the full partnership lifecycle, from partner identification and contracting through implementation, onboarding, ongoing management, and off-boarding
• Act as the primary alliance contact for internal stakeholders and external partners, ensuring clear communication, strong coordination, and effective issue resolution
• Build trusted, collaborative relationships with partners to support long-term success and mutual value creation
• Work closely with Commercial, Legal, Market Access, Medical, Finance, and other cross-functional stakeholders to align partnership strategy and execution
• Help design and optimize operating models for new and existing markets across the GCC region
• Identify, assess, elevate, and mitigate operational, contractual, and relationship risks
• Lead governance forums, launch meetings, business reviews, and other alliance touchpoints to ensure strong oversight and follow-through
• Ensure internal stakeholders understand and meet their contractual commitments and responsibilities
• Monitor alliance performance and health, identify improvement opportunities, and implement action plans as needed
• Support alliance transitions or terminations in line with contractual obligations and best practices, while protecting Vertex’s reputation and partner relationships
• Generate and consolidate market and partner insights to support planning, decision-making, and partnership effectiveness
• Lead the brand planning process, including development, implementation, and evaluation of brand plans aligned to business priorities
• Define meaningful KPIs, monitor performance against plan, and recommend adjustments based on results and evolving market insights
• Translate critical success factors and insights into effective initiatives and tactics that support business goals
• Contribute to financial planning activities, including budgeting and forecasting related to alliance operations and brand plans
• Ensure all activities are conducted in compliance with Vertex SOPs, the Vertex Code of Conduct, and all applicable local laws and regulations

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Business, or a related field
• MBA or other postgraduate business qualification preferred
• 7+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry
• Experience in alliance management, strategic partnerships, or governance within pharmaceutical and/or biotech organizations
• Experience in brand planning, commercialization, or strategic marketing within the pharmaceutical/biotech industry
• Experience in a competitive therapeutic area; Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) experience is a plus
• Demonstrated success working across cross-functional teams and influencing stakeholders without direct authority
• Strong experience managing complex partnerships, governance structures, and contractual relationships
• Sound understanding of pharmaceutical market dynamics, business practices, and cultural considerations across the Middle East
• Strong business judgment, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Solid financial, analytical, project management, and forecasting capabilities
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed, multicultural environment
• Excellent written and spoken English and Arabic
• Willingness to travel as needed

Why Vertex

Vertex is a place where innovation, urgency, and purpose come together. We are committed to advancing bold science and building strong partnerships that help bring meaningful medicines to patients. In this role, you will have the opportunity to work on strategically important collaborations, contribute to regional growth, and help shape brand strategy in a highly collaborative environment. At Vertex, we embrace continuous learning and encourage employees to stay informed on advances in AI, technology, automation, and industry trends. We seek talent who bring an external perspective, demonstrate curiosity and sound judgment, and thoughtfully adopt new capabilities that improve decision-making, drive innovation, increase efficiency, and help deliver better outcomes for patients.

Flex Designation

Hybrid-Eligible Or On-Site Eligible

Flex Eligibility Status

In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as: 1. Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select 2. On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note

The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.

#LI-Hybrid

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation. Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law. Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at [e-mail]

Help Us Achieve Our Mission Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has approved medicines that treat the underlying causes of multiple chronic, life-shortening genetic diseases — cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia — and continues to advance clinical and research programs in these diseases. Vertex also has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of modalities in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including APOL1-mediated kidney disease, acute and neuropathic pain, type 1 diabetes, myotonic dystrophy type 1 and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency . Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex's global headquarters is now located in Boston's Innovation District and its international headquarters is in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 14 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visit www.vrtx.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X , LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram. The diversity and authenticity of our people is part of what makes Vertex unique, and we recognize that each employee brings diverse perspectives and strengths. By embracing those strengths and celebrating differences, we are fostering an inclusive culture where each of us can bring our authentic selves to work, inspire innovation together, and change people’s lives. Our vision is clear: to be the place where an authentic, diverse mix of talent want to come, to stay, and do their best work.