Global Search and Evaluation Director

Cari; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 141,000 - 217,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk is seeking a Global Search and Evaluation Director based in Søborg, Denmark, with 10–20% overnight/international travel. You will identify promising biotech assets, lead due diligence, and shape Novo’s future portfolio across therapy areas.

You will interact with biotech firms, venture capital, and large-cap pharma to drive partnerships. You will report to the Head of Global Evaluation, working with Denmark and Cambridge, MA teams.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business or life science.
• 12+ years of experience with a Master’s degree, or 10+ with MD/PhD.
• Extensive network in biotech and venture capital communities.
• Proven track record in managing complex, cross-functional projects.
• Ability to analyse complex data and translate into clear recommendations.
• Strong written communication and presentation skills.
• Strong strategic business and financial acumen.
• Self-driven and adaptable in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Identify novel pipeline assets and enabling technologies across modalities.
• Lead in-depth evaluations and due diligence from initial assessment to recommendations.
• Support licensing and collaborations negotiations in alignment with Search, Evaluation & Intelligence.
• Build and maintain business development landscapes and insights.
• Engage with biotech companies, venture capital firms, and large pharma to establish Novo as a preferred partner.
• Represent Novo at partnering events and conferences.

Skills

Leadership experience

Project management

Strategic thinking

Stong communication

Financial acumen

Networking

Ambiguity tolerance

Education

Master’s degree in business or life science

Job description

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Department: Global Business Development

Location: Søborg, Denmark. The role involves 10–20% overnight travel, which may include international travel.

Your impact begins here

As Global Search and Evaluation Director, you will help decide which external science becomes part of Novo’s future portfolio. You will find promising drug assets and enabling technologies, then lead their evaluation from first look through due diligence. Your recommendations will shape business development priorities across diabetes, obesity, liver and cardiovascular disease, blood and endocrine disorders and Consumer Rx – helping bring the right ideas from lab and clinic closer to the people who need them.

What you’ll bring

• A Master’s degree in business or life science.
• 12+ years of relevant experience with a Master’s degree, or 10+ years with an MD or PhD – for example from consultancy, an M&A house, an in-house corporate development role or an equivalent R&D role.
• An extensive professional network in the biotech and venture capital communities, particularly related to metabolic diseases.
• A proven track record in project management, including leading complex, cross-functional work to clear decisions.
• The ability to analyse complex ideas and data and turn them into clear, well-founded recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Strong written communication and presentation skills, and an outgoing approach to networking, collaboration and stakeholder management.
• Strong strategic business and financial acumen, paired with real curiosity about life sciences and medicine.
• A self-driven, goal-oriented way of working, with the ability to handle ambiguity and change in a dynamic environment.

Useful, but not essential

• An MD or PhD degree.
• Research and medical training, ideally in a relevant medical field.
• Business development and licensing experience covering pharmaceutical drug discovery and development.

What you’ll do

• Identify novel pipeline assets and cutting-edge enabling technologies across several modalities in Novo’s therapy areas of interest.
• Lead in-depth, cross-functional evaluations and due diligence, from initial assessment to clear recommendations.
• Support Business Development colleagues during negotiation of licences and collaborations, in alignment with Search, Evaluation & Intelligence.
• Build and maintain business development opportunity landscapes, and continuously feed insights into business development priorities and therapy area strategies.
• Help establish Novo as the preferred partner in relevant therapy areas by engaging actively with biotech companies, venture capital firms and large‑cap pharma.
• Represent Novo at partnering events, scientific conferences and other relevant networking events.

Who you’ll work with

You will join the global evaluation team in Search, Evaluation & Intelligence, part of Global Business Development, with colleagues based mainly in Denmark and Cambridge, MA, US. You will report to the Head of Global Evaluation. This is an individual contributor role without direct reports.

You will work closely with Novo’s Business Development teams in Denmark and Cambridge, and with stakeholders across the value chain – from R&D to Commercial and beyond – to build alignment and keep evaluations moving at pace.

Externally, you will draw on and grow your network across biotech, venture capital and large‑cap pharma, working with start-ups, established companies and investors to turn promising science into partnerships that create value for both sides.

What you can expect here

You will work where science, strategy and partnering meet, with a direct view of innovation across one of the world’s largest life sciences ecosystems. Your expertise will be trusted, your voice will count in portfolio and partnering discussions, and you will be expected to make clear calls, own them and follow through.

You will build new skills through cross value chain collaboration and grow alongside colleagues on the job and through relevant learning offerings. Clear performance expectations and a culture that rewards results will support you in doing your best work.

Salary: For this role, the Annual Base Salary ranges from 940,800.00 y 1,448,700.00 DKK, corresponding to the level of the position. The placement within the salary range will be assessed during the recruitment process based on the candidate’s skills, competencies, knowledge, and relevant experience.

Incentives and Benefits

The salary package may include short-term and/or long-term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level, location, functional area and relevant market benchmarks.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and preventing diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.