Director, AIRx External Partnership Management Lead

Takeda•Boston, MA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Takeda Research is building a Lab of Tomorrow focused on AI, automation, and new working methods to deliver differentiated medicines to the clinic with speed and efficiency. To support this vision, Takeda is establishing two key units: AI Research Accelerator (AIRx) and Discovery Automation & Robotics (DAR). AIRx will be a dedicated team of experienced drug hunters, operating with the autonomy of a biotech company and the resources of a major pharmaceutical firm. Its purpose is to pioneer future AI-powered operating models and accelerate the delivery of drug candidates to the clinic, aiming for industry-leading speed and success rates. The majority of AIRx's wet-lab work will be conducted externally through Contract Research Organizations (CROs). The success of AIRx, in terms of speed, cost, and quality, is heavily reliant on these CROs functioning as an integral part of the team. The Director, AIRx CRO & External Partnerships is the sole owner responsible for managing all CRO relationships for AIRx. This is an active management role, not a contracting position. It requires clear expectation setting, continuous direction, real-time performance management, and direct accountability for milestones and quality from CROs. This role will achieve this through daily coordination with CRO teams, regular on-site visits to key partners (including domestic and international CROs), and close collaboration with AIRx scientific leads. The role encompasses the entire external execution lifecycle, from partner identification and contracting to data specification and ongoing performance management, ensuring that CRO outputs are integrated into AIRx data systems in a format suitable for AI/ML decision-making. The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge of the CRO landscape, a strong external network, and the operational discipline to manage multiple concurrent partnerships at AIRx's demanding pace and quality standards.

Requirements

Degree in life sciences or chemistry; advanced degree preferred.
10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical outsourcing, CRO management, or alliance management within drug discovery; biotech experience strongly preferred.
Deep knowledge of the CRO landscape across chemistry, biology, and DMPK capabilities; established personal network of CRO and external partner relationships.
Proven track record actively managing complex, multi-CRO programs — not just contracting them — with urgency, rigor, and budget discipline.
Hands-on, operational style; comfortable embedding in scientific team dynamics rather than managing at arm's length.
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally on a regular basis.
Strong contract negotiation, vendor management, and performance oversight skills.
Experience supporting AI/ML-enabled or digital drug discovery programs strongly preferred; familiarity with data standardization requirements (TetraScience, FAIR data principles) a plus.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with data standardization requirements (TetraScience, FAIR data principles) a plus.

Responsibilities

Active CRO management: Manage CROs with active oversight, not as arm's-length vendors. Set expectations, drive cadences, and hold partners directly accountable for milestones and quality.
Maintain regular on-site presence at key CRO partners, including periodic visits to critical domestic and international partners; use site time to deepen relationships, resolve issues directly, and reinforce AIRx ways of working.
Drive daily and weekly coordination between CRO teams and AIRx scientific leads to ensure tight execution against shared milestones.
Identify performance issues proactively at the working level before they escalate and resolve them in real time to protect program timelines.
Partner selection & contracting: Identify and evaluate CRO partners for chemistry, biology, DMPK, and other capabilities required by AIRx programs.
Own contracts, SOWs, timelines, and quality standards; partner with Takeda procurement, legal, and alliance management as necessary.
Build and maintain a preferred supplier network capable of responding at AIRx's pace and quality requirements.
Data, budget & landscape: Coordinate data handoffs to ensure CRO outputs are captured in AIRx data systems (TetraScience, SAIL) in a standardized, decision-ready format suitable for AI/ML pipelines.
Track and manage outsourcing spend across programs; provide budget visibility to Head of AIRx and Program Manager.
Monitor the external CRO and innovation landscape for new capabilities, providers, and partnership models that strengthen AIRx execution.