Alliance Director

Job Title: Alliance Director

Company: Harvard University

Location: Hybrid, with the office located in Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA.

Job Summary:

Alliance Management has become recognized as a necessary core business skill to lead strategic alliances. Working in the Corporate Alliances group within the Office of Technology Development (OTD), the Alliance Director will oversee multi-program research alliances that have been or will be created between Harvard OTD and pharmaceutical or biotech industry partners. The goal of Harvard’s Corporate Alliances team is to maximize the value of strategic research alliances with industry by establishing collaborative research plans for the development of innovative biomedical/pharmaceutical /therapeutic technologies based on common research and development interests, and by ensuring that relationships between Harvard faculty and industry partners remain aligned, collaborative and productive. See more information about Harvard’s strategic research alliances here: https://otd.harvard.edu/news/tag/alliances.

Position Description:

Alliance Management:

• The Alliance Director has primary oversight for the Alliance function, ensuring all obligations outlined in industry-sponsored research agreements are met at the project and alliance levels, collaborating with alliance managers, other OTD functional groups, and Harvard Departments, as well as external alliance management counterparts.
• Plan, prepare, and lead productive project meetings and Joint Steering Committee meetings to ensure efficient project management and collaboration.
• Monitor, track, and communicate research progress and milestones internally and to industry partners through progress reports, meeting minutes, and Gantt charts.
• Identify and manage conflicts that arise within projects and alliances, fostering positive working relationships.
• Provide alliance management for high-complexity alliances that hold significant value for OTD, including existing partnerships with Deerfield, AbbVie, Roche, Resilience, and Astellas. Develop a deep understanding of these industry partners, their organizations, strategies, capabilities, interests, and goals. Create processes to navigate complex, multi-party alliances involving different institutions and management departments across Harvard.

Strategic Planning and Unit Growth:

• Design new strategies for the growth of the Corporate Alliances program, maintaining and expanding current alliances or establishing new ones.
• Work independently or with Directors of Business Development to identify and develop new research project proposals under existing alliances. Curate tailored proposals or launch formal campaigns to solicit research proposals.
• Revamp and reinvigorate alliances as needed, starting with the Roche alliance. Increase visibility and initiate a new cycle for project selection, focusing on projects with high potential for drug development at Roche.
• Work independently or with Directors of Business Development to establish new corporate alliances with pharmaceutical/biotech companies. Negotiate terms and alliance management fees to expand the Corporate Alliances program.

Team Leadership and Development:

• Independently lead and support a team of alliance managers, fostering their growth and development.
• Identify and define the skill sets and experiences needed to maximize the team's outcomes, establishing corresponding duties and responsibilities for each role.
• Conduct performance reviews, recruit and train new team members as necessary to enhance the team's capabilities.
• Design team goals, policies, and processes, ensuring consistency in operations, quality in alliance management activities, and the ability to measure outcomes effectively.
• Implement strategic team meetings that drive high-impact outcomes and promote collaboration.
• Keep all team metrics, successes, and outcomes up-to-date for transparency and performance tracking.
• Develop and execute an alliance management module for the business development fellows program, providing fellows with valuable experience and skill sets while empowering the alliance management team to enhance their capabilities.

Basic Qualifications:

Advanced degree (MBA, Ph.D., or equivalent) in biological sciences or a related discipline.

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive experience in strategic alliance management, business development, or related leadership roles within the biotech, pharmaceutical, or academic sectors. Previous management experience is required.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

Proven track record of driving successful strategic alliances and collaborative partnerships.
Exceptional strategic thinking, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire cross-functional teams.
Excellent communication and presentation abilities, including the capacity to influence senior executives and stakeholders.

Additional Information:

This position has a 6 month Orientation and Review Period and is a 3- year term appointment, renewable based on funding.

Harvard University supports a hybrid workplace model which will actively support some remote work. Specific days and schedules for on-site work and remote work will be discussed during the interview process. Please note hybrid workers must reside in a state where Harvard is registered to do business (CA, CT, GA, IL, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VA, VT, and WA).   

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up to date on CDC-recommended vaccines. 

To Apply: Click link: Alliance Director | Harvard University (brassring.com)