Principal, Business Development and Commercialization
About The Position
The Business Development and Commercialization Principal will play a key role in advancing UHN’s research commercialization objectives including driving efficient execution and timely turnaround of licensing, sponsored research, and other research‑related agreements across his or her assigned portfolio primarily within the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. This role requires a dynamic, commercially minded professional with strong academic credentials, demonstrated contract negotiation expertise, and the ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships in fast‑paced research and industry environments. The Principal is responsible for maximizing the commercial success of research conducted within their assigned portfolio. In close collaboration with the Head of Business Development & Commercialization, Principal Investigators, Institute Directors, and research teams, the Principal also supports end‑to‑end revenue generation activities, including opportunity evaluation, IP protection, marketing, licensing, and company formation. Depending on the stage of each asset within the portfolio, the Principal assesses market potential, develops IP and marketing strategies, engages pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners, and leads the negotiation and execution of sponsored research agreements, licensing agreements, and related term sheets, with a strong emphasis on efficient deal structuring and timely contract closure. A key focus of this role is improving the efficiency and turnaround time of sponsored research agreements and industry licensing, balancing institutional risk management with the need to rapidly enable industry‑academic collaborations.
Requirements
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant business experience or equivalent
- Completion of a Master’s degree in oncology, immuno-oncology, or a related field, preferably with a translational research and or commercialization specialization or recognized equivalent experience required; PhD and/or MBA highly preferred
- Demonstrated expertise in clinical and translational research environments, with strong working knowledge of Clinical oncology, Oncology broadly
- Experience in the negotiation and completion of research support, licensing and/or partnership deals is required.
- Demonstrable and relevant industry and/or investment experience with a strong focus on licensing, sponsored research agreements, and contract execution in complex research environments is required.
- Very good knowledge of licensing practice and capacity for autonomously understanding and evaluating detailed legal agreements required
- Experience working in pharmaceutical or biotech business development, technology transfer, venture capital or related environment required
- Good knowledge of patent practice required
- Strong presentation skills required
- Ability to multi-task and prioritize while working under pressure with tight deadlines is required
- Self-starter with demonstrated history of taking initiatives
- Ability and comfort communicating to a range of stakeholders, from researchers to CEOs, from a business and science perspective
Nice To Haves
- Experience launching and leading startup biotech companies (including sourcing seed and venture capital funding and divestments) would be an asset
- Knowledge of internet patent and other database searches desirable
Responsibilities
- Proactively engage researchers within the assigned portfolio to understand research priorities and advance commercialization by translating research activities into executable licensing and sponsored research opportunities
- Drive deal flow and contract execution activities in a collaborative team environment, with accountability for timely negotiation and completion of licensing and sponsored research agreements.
- Support and lead opportunities for UHN commercialization funds and external ecosystem funding, as required.
- In alignment with the Head of Business Development & Commercialization, take primary ownership of the assigned portfolio’s contracting activities, including: Leading the negotiation and turnaround of sponsored research, licensing, and related research agreements such as confidentiality and service agreements and coordinating internal stakeholders to reduce cycle times and remove bottlenecks in contract approvals
- Work closely with Licensing & Commercialization, IP Management, Marketing, Operations, Research Legal, and the UHN Foundation to ensure contracts align with institutional policies while enabling rapid deal execution.
Benefits
- Competitive offer packages
- Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
- A flexible work environment
- Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization
- Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including: travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
