Associate VP, New Business Development & Alliance Management – Oncology

Orion Corporation; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Orion Pharma’s Innovative Medicines division in Cambridge, MA is seeking a high-caliber Associate VP to lead strategic sourcing, evaluation, and execution of external oncology opportunities, focusing on in-licensing, partnerships, and acquisitions. You will shape long-term portfolio strategy and drive end-to-end deal execution.

Based in Cambridge, you will partner with R&D, clinical, regulatory, and finance teams, manage due diligence, and build robust business cases while maintaining a broad

Qualifications

• Advanced degree with strong scientific foundation and business training.
• 10 to 15+ years of experience in business development, licensing, or M&A; multi-national biopharma preferred.
• Demonstrated track record of leading and closing complex transactions, including licensing and acquisitions.

Responsibilities

• Lead identification, evaluation, and prioritization of in-licensing and acquisition opportunities across priority areas.
• Drive end-to-end transaction execution, including deal structuring, valuation, negotiation, and governance approvals.
• Partner with R&D, clinical, regulatory, commercial, and finance to assess opportunities and build robust business cases.
• Maintain deep external network across biotech, venture capital, academia, and industry to source differentiated opportunities.
• Lead cross-functional due diligence teams, synthesizing scientific, clinical, regulatory, and commercial insights into clear investment recommendations.
• Develop and execute partnering strategies aligned with corporate and therapeutic area strategies.
• Monitor competitive landscape, deal trends to inform proactive business development efforts.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Deal execution

In-licensing

M&A

Portfolio strategy

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Advanced degree (PhD/MD/PharmD/MBA)

Job description

Associate VP, New Business Development & Alliance Management – Oncology

and 1 more

and 1 more

Job Description

Your role

This is a unique opportunity to join Orion Pharma’s Innovative Medicines business division as it expands its global footprint from Europe to the Americas and Asia. We are seeking a high-caliber Business Development leader to lead strategic sourcing, evaluation, and execution of external innovation opportunities in oncology, with a primary focus on in-licensing, partnerships, and acquisition transactions. This role is responsible for identifying high-value assets and technologies aligned with the company’s therapeutic priorities, driving end-to-end deal execution, and shaping long-term portfolio strategy through external innovation.

Responsibilities

• Lead identification, evaluation, and prioritization of in-licensing and acquisition opportunities across priority therapeutic areas, with a strong emphasis on scientific and commercial fit
• Drive end-to-end transaction execution, including deal structuring, valuation, negotiation, and internal governance approvals
• Partner closely with R&D, clinical, regulatory, commercial, and finance teams to assess opportunities, define target product profiles, and build robust business cases
• Maintain deep external network across biotech, venture capital, academia, and industry to proactively source differentiated opportunities
• Lead cross-functional due diligence teams, synthesizing scientific, clinical, regulatory, and commercial insights into clear investment recommendations
• Develop and execute partnering strategies aligned with corporate and therapeutic area strategies
• Monitor competitive landscape, emerging science, and deal trends to inform proactive business development efforts

This role reports to Vice President, Business Development & Partnerships, Innovative Medicines. This position is based in Cambridge, MA, US.

What you can expect from us

At Orion, your work creates true impact and well-being for our customers, patients and society at large. Our culture of friendliness, respect, mutual appreciation and diversity creates a safe working environment where you can strive for excellence. We offer a wealth development opportunities that support the development of innovative solutions and improving the quality of life.

• Advanced degree (PhD, MD, PharmD, or MBA) with strong scientific foundation; additional business training preferred
• 10 to 15+ years of experience, with significant experience in business development, licensing, or M&A; prior experience in multi-national biopharma is preferred
• Demonstrated track record of leading and closing complex transactions, including licensing and acquisitions
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership
• Comfortable reviewing legal contracts alongside attorneys
• Strong financial and accounting acumen, including building valuation models (e.g., rNPV) and developing realistic scenarios
• Deep understanding of oncology drug development, clinical trial design, regulatory pathways, and commercialization dynamics
• Exposure to early-stage and late-stage dealmaking across modalities (small molecules, biologics, etc.)
• Ability to operate effectively in a highly matrixed, global organization
• Experience in alliance management across multiple active partnerships

Your new team

The Innovative Medicines business division is responsible for the strategic leadership of Orion’s business in core therapy areas, Pain and Oncology, covering all activities from pipeline and portfolio building to the commercialization of new, innovative medicines in Pain and Oncology. Innovative Medicines aims to provide an agile platform for Orion to compete in the pharmaceutical sector. In Innovative Medicines Business Division, the unmet need of the patient meets innovation that brings the best, new treatments to promote health and well-being in society.

Orion’s pharmaceutical innovations are created within its R&D organization. We employ top professionals in the field of drug discovery and development. We work globally: in Espoo and Turku in Finland, in Cambridge and Nottingham in England and in Cambridge, USA. Orion R&D and the Innovative Medicines business division are dedicated to becoming a global player in oncology and pain therapy areas.

About Us

Orion Pharma is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company – a builder of well-being for over a hundred years.

We’re home to more than 4,000 Orionees around the world, and we’re proud to be known as a responsible employer and a great place to work. At Orion Pharma, people are truly valued and trusted, encouraged to grow, and supported by a culture where every voice is heard. We appreciate each other, strive for excellence, and build the future.

Together we develop, manufacture, and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Our extensive portfolio includes proprietary and generic medicines as well as consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by Orion Pharma are used to treat cancer, neurological diseases, respiratory diseases, and more.

We offer careers with a clear purpose: empowering people to live their lives to the fullest.

• Locations One Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02141, US (Hybrid)