Manager, Research Alliance Development

Bristol Myers Squibb • San Diego, CA

15h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Research Alliance Department has an exciting opportunity in BMS Research that involves working with some of the leading scientists and clinicians around the world who are engaged with us to uncover and develop novel treatments for life threatening diseases in areas such as cancer, cardiovascular, neurodegeneration, inflammatory, and autoimmunity. The team provides broad support to BMS scientists, discovery, and development teams to enable collaboration with research institutes worldwide to advance our drug discovery, translational development, and corporate objectives. The Research Alliance Development team is a business development and alliance management group responsible for accelerating and simplifying pre-clinical alliance processes, coordinating and managing the external research agenda consistent with corporate objectives, and providing a transparent process in concert with a database portal accessible across the organization. In addition, Research Alliance supports internal functions such as Drug Discovery, Translational Development, Clinical Research and Medical Affairs, Commercial, Legal, Business Development and Corporate Alliance Management. The Manager, Research Alliance Development, serves as a versatile operational and strategic partner responsible for driving the full lifecycle of academic and corporate research collaborations. In this role, the Manager leads contract management across a broad range of legal agreements — including Sponsored Research Agreements, MTAs, License Agreements, and CDAs — while cultivating and managing relationships with academic investigators, institutions, and consortia to advance scientific priorities. The Manager supports legal, innovation law, and senior members of the Research Alliance team in executing research collaborations, in-licensing deals, and proof-of-concept studies, and provides alliance and project management support for all proprietary molecule collaborations and grants. Additional responsibilities include maintaining performance dashboards and delivering quarterly reports to Senior R&D leadership, managing stakeholder correspondence and records, supporting cross-functional partners in Medical Affairs, clinical, and commercial organizations, and attending global scientific congresses. The Manager also oversees financial execution of agreements, organizes meetings and events, maintains the Research Alliance intranet and technology licensing database, and supports strategic planning and process improvement initiatives. Additionally, the Manager plays a key role in triaging inbound global research and preclinical asset opportunities, facilitating the evaluation and in-licensing process by coordinating cross-functional stakeholders, managing key meetings, and ensuring timely follow-through on decisions and action items.

Requirements

• Candidate must have the ability to work with minimal supervision, capable of applying new knowledge to business practices and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the science involved.
• Candidate should demonstrate motivation and independently increase skills and knowledge.
• Candidate should be customer service oriented and be able to recognize and appreciate cultural sensitivities across a global enterprise.
• Candidate should have a basic understanding of legal terminology and the ability to comprehend terms and conditions set forth under legal documents.
• Candidate should have a working knowledge of most corporate functions and understand operations across the pharmaceutical industry.
• May provide supervision or training to new staff and less experienced employees as necessary.
• Basic understanding of contractual terminology.
• Ability and desire to learn and acquire new knowledge and skills.
• Manage multiple changing priorities in a fast-paced environment; ability to anticipate and mitigate challenges and manage personal timelines.
• Hands-on team player willing to work in an environment where individual initiative, accountability, and professional maturity are essential.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and to develop and maintain strong business partner relationships.
• Highly proficient in technology applications in support of business operational function, including Microsoft Office suite.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including exceptional editing and proofreading skills.
• Ability to initiate and complete tasks with minimal supervision.
• Attention to detail with emphasis on accuracy and quality.
• Must be able to exercise judgment within defined practices and policies in selecting potential solutions to problems; recognizes situations requiring escalation to management.
• Organizational and analytical skills are of key importance such that Director and staff can rely on the associate to keep the office on schedule and prepared for all business activities, including meetings, presentations, travel and deadlines
• Ability to handle information of a highly confidential and critical nature and to communicate appropriately both inside and outside the company.
• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant scientific discipline
• Minimum 6 years of industry or relevant experience.

Nice To Haves

• SAP/Ariba experience is a plus
• Interest in project management; experience with project management skills a plus.

Responsibilities

• As a member of the Research Alliance Development team, the Manager will support daily operational efforts including project management, contracting, database maintenance, and records collection and retention.
• Academic Legal Transactions – lead the contract management support of tactical Sponsored Research Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements, Service Agreements, License Agreements, CDAs, and Consulting Agreements.
• Alliance Development & Scientific Partnerships — Support, develop, and manage relationships with academic investigators, institutions, and consortia to advance research targets, disease models, novel technologies, early KOL engagement, and access to human subject samples.
• Corporate & Business Development Support — In conjunction with Business Development, Global Alliance Management, and Research support research collaborations that enhance research platforms, advance development pipelines, and provide proof-of-concept/feasibility through contract execution and in-licensing deals with academic technology transfer offices.
• Alliance & Research Collaboration Management — Provide alliance management and project management support for all research collaborations involving proprietary molecules or grants, including assisting researchers with legal documents, progress monitoring, and IP/contractual negotiations.
• Project Management & Performance Reporting — Apply project management skills to ensure timely execution of alliance operations; maintain team metrics, status dashboards, and timelines; escalate critical issues; and deliver quarterly reports to Senior Research & Development leadership on collaboration value and impact.
• Stakeholder Correspondence & Records Management — Regularly correspond with internal and external stakeholders to collect and maintain accurate, complete, and easily retrievable records (e.g., proposals, data reports); triage incoming requests to appropriate team members; and conduct follow-ups as required.
• Cross-Functional & Medical Affairs Collaboration — Work closely with Medical Affairs, clinical, and commercial organizations to ensure appropriate information flow from collaborations, and attend global hematology, oncology, neuroscience, and I&I congresses to engage internal partners and external collaborators.
• Financial Execution & Administrative Operations — Facilitate the financial execution of agreements by liaising with third parties, Buy@BMS, and requesters; provide general administrative support including data entry, ordering supplies, and maintaining workflow integrity across business solutions platforms.
• Meetings, Events & Communications Management — Organize and plan meetings and logistics, manage calendars, distribute agendas, produce and format meeting summaries, and upload materials to relevant websites and intranet platforms.
• Knowledge Management & Technology Licensing — Develop and maintain the Research Alliance intranet site to track academic and B2B activities; maintain a technology database on disease models and licensed research tools; and ensure all records are accurate and accessible to relevant stakeholders.
• Strategic Planning, Process Improvement & IP Support — Conduct strategic planning to accelerate and simplify research alliance best practices through SOPs and Work Practices; help manage the department budget; assist management in implementing business process improvements; and support patent prosecution, maintenance, and licensing opportunity evaluation in conjunction with project leadership and the IP team.
• Inbound Opportunity Management - Support the triage of inbound global research technology and preclinical asset opportunities to appropriate internal stakeholders. Assist in the tracking and organization of the global triage and evaluation process to support successful diligence of opportunities and to accelerate the in-licensing of IND-enabling programs. Facilitate key meetings and events with responsible and global stakeholders to ensure effective communication and decision-making (including meeting management, facilitation, setting agendas, recording, communicating, and following-through on action items, and tracking decisions).

Benefits

• Health Coverage: Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision care.
• Wellbeing Support: Programs such as BMS Well-Being Account, BMS Living Life Better, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).
• Financial Well-being and Protection: 401(k) plan, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, accident insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection, personal liability protection, identity theft benefit, legal support, and survivor support.
• Work-life benefits include: Paid Time Off US Exempt Employees: flexible time off (unlimited, with manager approval, 11 paid national holidays (not applicable to employees in Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico or Rayzebio employees) Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico and Rayzebio Exempt, Non-Exempt, Hourly Employees: 160 hours annual paid vacation for new hires with manager approval, 11 national holidays, and 3 optional holidays
• Based on eligibility, additional time off for employees may include unlimited paid sick time, up to 2 paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military needs and an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas and New Years Day.
• All global employees full and part-time who are actively employed at and paid directly by BMS at the end of the calendar year are eligible to take advantage of the Global Shutdown.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level