Director, Strategic Partnerships

UC San Diego Health; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 221,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego Health’s Moores Cancer Center seeks a Director of Strategic Partnerships to expand industry collaborations and drive research partnerships in oncology. The role collaborates with executive leaders across local and national levels to secure funding and advance translational research.

The director will foster relationships across UC San Diego Health, MCC partners, and external stakeholders, guiding initiatives from inception to execution and aligning with MCC’s mission to reduce

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 7+ years of relevant experience or equivalent.
• Knowledge of the organizational environment of clinical research and large research universities to understand client priorities, issues, motivations and constraints.
• Experience partnering with C-Suite executives and understanding of corporate needs to help drive MCC business forward.
• Demonstrates superior strategic-thinking and consulting skills in guiding the organization toward workable strategies and solutions especially between industry representatives and MCC Director’s Office.
• Superior written, verbal and presentation skills for influencing and facilitating sustained change.
• Ability to facilitate and influence people at all levels. Ability to persuade through both logic and appeal to positive motivations. Ability to handle multiple constituencies, agendas, engagements and tasks, and to deal productively with ambiguity and conflict.
• Demonstrates ability to learn quickly, reason, synthesize and generalize based on information obtained; sound judgment; ability to draw unbiased conclusions.
• Ability to focus on priorities, strategies, and vision.
• Knowledge of the consulting process to effectively lead highly significant engagements from inception to conclusion with industry partners.
• Incorporates excellent skills in change management programs on a regular basis.
• Demonstrates superior analytical, problem-solving, project planning and implementation skills.
• Highly-skilled in navigating organizational complexity.
• Expert knowledge of the organizational development and effectiveness field, theories, models to assess, design and implement customized organizational interventions.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate industry relationships to expand MCC partnerships.
• Meet regularly with executive leaders from local, national, and international organizations to advance research collaborations and clinical trial partnerships in oncology.
• Focus on securing competitive research funding through industry partnerships and fostering new collaborations across the full research continuum.
• Build strong relationships and trust with stakeholders across the UC San Diego ecosystem, MCC Consortium partners, and the broader community to support MCC strategic goals.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Consulting skills

Executive communication

Change management

Analytical problem-solving

Relationship building

Influencing stakeholders

Project planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in related area

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Payroll Title

ORGANIZATIONAL CNSLT 5

Department

CANCER CENTER

Hiring Pay Scale

$220,600 - $250,100 / Year

Worksite

Moores Cancer Center

Appointment Type

Career

Appointment Percent

100%

Union

Uncovered

Total Openings

1

Work Schedule

Days, 8 hrs/day, Monday-Friday

#141133 Director, Strategic Partnerships

Initial Review Date

Thu 9/10/2026

Reassignment Applicants: Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

Description

The Moores Cancer Center (MCC) is one of just 58 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States and the only one in San Diego County. As a consortium cancer center, it is a collaborative partnership between the UCSD: encompassing 14 departments (12 clinical, 2 basic sciences), 3 professional schools (School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health), UCSD Health oncology hospitals and clinics; the basic and public health research and outreach of San Diego State University, and the basic and translational research of the La Jolla Institute of Immunology. These various programs and units are all dedicated to fulfilling the Moores Cancer Center's mission of reducing cancer's burden. As such, it ranks among the top centers in the nation conducting the continuum of cancer research, providing advanced patient care, and serving the community through outreach and education programs. As a top-ranking, future-oriented organization, we offer challenging career opportunities in a fast-paced and innovative environment. Moores Cancer Center follows a progressive philosophy of career-path development for its employees including opportunities for cross-training, professional development, and progressive responsibility.

MCC's mission is to transform cancer care in our catchment area and beyond by driving exceptional scientific discoveries, and innovations in prevention, detection, care, and training. MCC will make a global impact on improving health by reducing cancer burden through accelerated discovery and translation, compassionate and interdisciplinary care, education and community engagement, with the foundation of our core values - Excellence, Innovation and Risk-Taking, Collaboration, Diversity and Service.

Working closely with the Director of MCC and the Associate Director for Administration, the Director, Strategic Partnerships will leverage their knowledge and experience in cultivating industry relationships to expand and strengthen strategic partnerships for MCC. This individual will meet regularly with executive leaders from local, national, and international organizations to advance research collaborations and clinical trial partnerships in the oncology space. The Director will focus on securing competitive research funding through industry partnerships and fostering new collaborations across the full research continuum, leveraging the strengths and expertise of MCC faculty. In addition, they will build strong relationships and trust with stakeholders across the UC San Diego ecosystem, MCC Consortium partners, and the broader community to support and advance the strategic goals of MCC.

Independently uses and applies wide-ranging experience and proficiency in organizational development, effectiveness, business process analysis and strategic planning on projects that typically have organization-wide impact. Understands business needs and how systems, both technical and nontechnical, can support those needs. Having wide-ranging experience, uses organizational development concepts and organization objectives to resolve the most complex issues with organization-wide impact or great political sensitivity, where analysis of circumstances and information requires an in-depth evaluation of factors. Exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results. Internal and external contacts often pertain to organization plans and objectives. Is considered a subject matter expert of the organization and often recognized as an expert externally in the industry.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related area and seven or more years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of experience, education and training.
• Knowledge of the organizational environment of clinical research and large research universities to understand client priorities, issues, motivations and constraints.
• Experience partnering with C-Suite executives and understanding of corporate needs to help drive MCC business forward.
• Demonstrates superior strategic-thinking and consulting skills in guiding the organization toward workable strategies and solutions especially between industry representatives and MCC Director’s Office.
• Superior written, verbal and presentation skills for influencing and facilitating sustained change.
• Ability to facilitate and influence people at all levels. Ability to persuade through both logic and appeal to positive motivations. Ability to handle multiple constituencies, agendas, engagements and tasks, and to deal productively with ambiguity and conflict.
• Demonstrates ability to learn quickly, reason, synthesize and generalize based on information obtained; sound judgment; ability to draw unbiased conclusions.
• Ability to focus on priorities, strategies, and vision.
• Knowledge of the consulting process to effectively lead highly significant engagements from inception to conclusion with industry partners.
• Incorporates excellent skills in change management programs on a regular basis.
• Demonstrates superior analytical, problem-solving, project planning and implementation skills.
• Highly-skilled in navigating organizational complexity.
• Expert knowledge of the organizational development and effectiveness field, theories, models to assess, design and implement customized organizational interventions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field of study.
• Demonstrated success securing industry-sponsored research funding or collaborative research agreements.
• Experience negotiating or facilitating complex research collaborations involving multiple stakeholders, including academic investigators, healthcare systems, industry partners, and legal or contracting offices.
• Experience advancing partnerships that resulted in measurable outcomes such as sponsored research agreements, clinical trial expansion, or technology commercialization.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $136,600 - $267,600 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $65.42 - $128.16

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands‑on practice and in‑person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable.

UC San Diego Health Sciences is comprised of our School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, and our Student Health and Well-Being Department. We have long been at the forefront of translational - or "bench-to-bedside" - research, transforming patient care through discovery and innovation leading to new drugs and technologies. Translational research is carried out every day in the hundreds of clinical trials of promising new therapies offered through UC San Diego Health, and in the drive of our researchers and clinician-scientists who are committed to having a significant impact on patient care. We invite you to join our team!

Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached.

To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.

UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace