Director, Search and Evaluation Cardiometabolic & Endocrinology (Seaport MA)

Merck•Boston, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This role is responsible for driving access to key external innovations from biotech/biopharma companies globally for Cardiometabolic, Fertility & Endocrinology (CM +F&E), enabling critical advancement of the company pipeline. The position involves searching and evaluating external opportunities and leading the scientific and technical assessment process for potential partners, acquisitions, or licensing deals. The role holder will take full responsibility for Initial Assessments (IAs) as the initial step in a Due Diligence process with key functional experts and present high-quality decision-making documents to the Investment Board (IB), leading respective multi-functional teams. The role also involves partnering with internal stakeholders to identify search priorities and support defining the CM + F&E partnering strategy, developing and maintaining an overview of the External Innovation landscape within investment priorities, and driving proactive search to identify assets of interest and potential partners.

Requirements

University degree (PhD) in pharmaceutical science or an equivalent qualification with high expertise, strong network, and substantial R&D experience in respective investment priority field.
5+ years experience
2+ years in BD&L / EI
Thorough understanding of the pharmaceutical drug discovery/development process.
Scientific profile with substantial R&D experience.
Strong leadership acumen to lead cross functional teams to develop search scopes, External Innovation strategy and IAs.
Strong presentation skills enabling senior management decision making.

Responsibilities

Drive access to key external innovations from biotech/biopharma companies globally for Cardiometabolic, Fertility & Endocrinology (CM +F&E), enabling critical advancement of the company pipeline.
Search and evaluate external opportunities and lead scientific and technical assessment process for potential partners, acquisitions, or licensing deals.
Take full responsibility for Initial Assessments (IAs) as the initial step in a Due Diligence process with key functional experts and present high quality decision making documents to the Investment Board (IB) and lead respective multi-functional teams.
Partner with internal stakeholders to identify search priorities and support defining the CM + F&E partnering strategy.
Develop and keep overview of External Innovation landscape within investment priorities in alignment with the CM+F&E Therapeutic Areas.
Drive proactive search to identify assets of interest and potential partners and guide partner selection.
Select and prioritize opportunities for further evaluation in close collaboration with Business Development counterparts.
Maintain overview of search and evaluation activities in CM+F&E and maintain a longlist of potential opportunities.
Oversee and guide filtering of potential opportunities (e.g., unsolicited, VC portfolios, conferences); execute CDA and provide aligned feedback to stakeholders.
Benchmarking of potential partners based on aligned criteria to elucidate differentiation.
Build and maintain external network (e.g., biotech/pharma/VC) and represent/position us externally towards potential partners.
Collaborate with BD colleagues for partnering discussions to assess viability / feasibility of partnership.
Consult on assessment of risks and mitigations and ensure seamless transition of IA projects to DD Lead.
Drive identification of big rocks and consolidation of IB decision-making document to make a go/no-go decision.
Provide decision making documentation to IB and DRB level senior management to proceed into Due Diligence activities to assess Big Rocks or full data packages of external opportunities.
Generate strategic value by identifying high value opportunities to develop and expand our innovative pipeline of opportunities in CM+F&E as key strategic therapeutic areas.
Develop and mentor talents (e.g. GoGlobal Trainees and Short-Term Assignees).
Lead multi-functional assessment teams to generate IAs, DD scopes.