Director of External Innovation & Sourcing

Initial Therapeutics, Inc.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 187,000 - 328,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk is seeking a highly experienced R&D External Innovation Sourcing Project Director to drive external opportunities from ideation to IND-ready assets. You will shape partnerships, manage cross-functional teams, and advance 3–5 projects across therapy areas to the LoB, ensuring governance-ready proposals and successful handover.

The role requires a Master’s degree (PhD preferred) and 9+ years in pharmaceutical development, with strong leadership, strategic thinking, and global

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited university and 9+ years of experience required.
• Equivalent experience requirements for advanced degrees would be a PhD and 7+ years of experience, or MD/DO and 3+ years of experience.
• Pharmaceutical drug development experience, preferably having brought transformational pharmaceutical molecules all the way from discovery to market or transformational technologies to real-life implementation.
• Leadership or people management experience in industry, biotech or academic research setting with the ability to motivate others to advance goals, and the ability to effectively manage multiple projects or roles in a rapidly evolving environment
• Strong capabilities to develop and execute strategies in line with overall R&D strategy.
• Exceptional networking and communication skills; fully fluent in English (written and spoken).

Responsibilities

• Secures idea inflow, prioritization of new ideas, development of R&D plan implementation with scientific expertise.
• Secure inflow channels and across the innovation ecosystem, ideate and prioritize product concept ideas with partners, develop collaboration frameworks
• Accountable for portfolio decisions and Novo Nordisk pipeline impact of the R&D EI deliverables.
• Represent Novo Nordisk in Joint Steering Committees as appropriate and ensure decisions are guided by scientific and translational priorities
• Translate NPI/LoB needs into sourcing themes, scouting briefs, partner-selection criteria and initial collaboration hypotheses.
• Independently drive the innovation agenda and new activities. Constantly raise the bar and strive for higher performance in R&D External Innovation

Education

Master’s degree (PhD allowed)

Job description

Novo Nordisk is seeking a highly experienced R&D External Innovation Sourcing Project Director to drive external opportunities from ideation to IND-ready assets. You will shape partnerships, manage cross-functional teams, and advance 3–5 projects across therapy areas to the LoB, ensuring governance-ready proposals and successful handover.

The role requires a Master’s degree (PhD preferred) and 9+ years in pharmaceutical development, with strong leadership, strategic thinking, and global