Director, Strategic Partnerships and Licenses

Minaris•Philadelphia, PA

About The Position

The Director of Strategic Partnerships will lead the global partnership and licensing strategy for Minaris, with an initial focus on partnerships, sales, and out-licensing opportunities in the arena of viral vector engineering, cell therapy tools, and enabling technologies. The role will be responsible for identifying strategic partnership and licensing opportunities, identifying service opportunities for the Minaris London Viral Vector Development team, structuring and negotiating agreements, and developing commercial strategies to maximize the value of Minaris’ intellectual property and technology platforms. This position combines commercial deal-making, licensing strategy, technical competency in viral vectors and cell therapy manufacturing technologies. The Director will work cross-functionally with scientific, legal, business development, and executive leadership teams to drive revenue and expand strategic collaborations. Over time, the role may expand to include broader technology partnerships, co-development collaborations, and selective in-licensing opportunities to strengthen Minaris’ capabilities.

Requirements

Strong knowledge of the cell and gene therapy ecosystem, including Commercial and Academic
Deep understanding of viral vector technologies (AAV, lentiviral, retroviral systems)
Familiarity with cell therapy manufacturing platforms and engineering technologies
Strong commercial and deal-making skills
Ability to bridge technical science and commercial strategy
Experience negotiating complex licensing agreements
Strong analytical and financial modeling capabilities
Executive communication and stakeholder management skills
Highly analytical with strong troubleshooting skills and problem-solving capabilities.
Foster a culture of inclusivity and innovation.
Advanced degree in a life science discipline (PhD preferred; MS acceptable + MBA preferred)
Fields such as molecular biology, gene therapy, virology, or bioengineering preferred.
7–10+ years’ experience in cell and gene therapy, viral vector technologies, or related biotechnology fields.
Direct experience with licensing, partnerships, or business development in biotech, pharma, or technology companies.
Strong technical understanding of: Viral vector engineering Gene therapy platforms Cell therapy technologies Bioprocessing and manufacturing considerations
Demonstrated experience negotiating technology licensing or strategic partnership agreements.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in or with CDMOs, platform technology companies, or biotech innovation groups preferred.
Prior experience with viral vector platform technologies or gene therapy tools
Experience licensing research tools, platform technologies, or enabling technologies
Familiarity with IP strategy and patent landscapes in gene therapy

Responsibilities

Identify and engage potential partners interested in collaboration and licensing Minaris technologies.
Identify and bring in potential clients for viral vector early development services in conjunction with the S&BD team.
Lead discussions with potential licensees including biotech, pharmaceutical, and platform technology companies.
Structure and negotiate licensing agreements including: Technology transfer terms
Develop and execute a global strategy for out-licensing of technologies, including viral vector platforms, cell engineering tools, and enabling technologies.
Identify technologies suitable for licensing, partnerships, or co-development agreements.
Build and manage a pipeline of potential licensees across biotech, pharma, and technology companies.
Work closely with internal scientific teams to translate technical innovations into commercially viable licensing opportunities.
Provide technical assessments of viral vector and cell therapy technologies to support licensing decisions.
Evaluate potential in-licensing opportunities that strengthen Minaris’ platform capabilities.
Work closely with process development, vector engineering, and manufacturing teams to ensure licensing opportunities are technically viable.
Lead negotiation of licensing agreements in collaboration with legal and finance teams.
Develop financial models for licensing deals including royalty structures and long-term revenue projections.
Ensure licensing agreements align with Minaris’ broader commercial and strategic objectives.
Coordinate closely with: Scientific leadership Process development teams Intellectual property counsel Commercial and BD teams
Provide input into IP strategy and technology protection.
Represent Minaris technologies at industry conferences and partnering events.
Build relationships with key companies and innovation groups within the cell and gene therapy ecosystem.