Scientific Director

Novo Nordisk•Lexington, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Scientific Director serves as a senior scientific leader and subject matter expert, shaping strategic direction and advancing disease biology insights across the Diabetes Therapeutic Area. This role provides biological leadership to impact the portfolio strategy, ensuring programs are grounded in robust human biology, translational relevance and a clear path to differentiated clinical value. We are seeking a leader with strong diabetes disease understanding and drug discovery expertise in small molecules; experience with siRNA or other nucleic acid-based modalities is a plus. The position plays a central role in connecting early research, translational science and development strategy to advance a competitive and innovative diabetes pipeline. Working in close partnership with TA Leadership, Medical Directors, Clinical Trial Strategy Teams and cross-functional research partners, the Scientific Director influences key portfolio decisions and aligns biological rationale with therapeutic and development priorities. The role supports translational and clinical interpretation, contributes to selected diabetes-related priorities where appropriate and serves as a trusted scientific advisor in internal and external innovation activities. Success in this position requires scientific depth, strategic judgment, collaborative leadership and the ability to translate complex biology into clear, actionable direction across a global matrix organization. Relationships Reports to Senior Director, Diabetes Research US. Internal relationships include close collaboration with the scientific leadership team, technical staff, project managers and scientific colleagues across all global R&D sites. The Scientific Director will serve as a key member of the Diabetes Research US Leadership Team and will partner closely with Business Development and critical stakeholders across the development organisation. External engagement includes building and maintaining strong relationships with key opinion leaders in diabetes, cardiometabolic and pancreas biology, as well as with the broader medical and research community, including academic and industry collaborators. The role also requires cross-functional collaboration with R&D, External Innovation, Medical & Science, Translational Science, Computational Drug Discovery (CDD), Global Research Technologies (GRT) and R&D Strategy, as well as active participation in European and US-based consortia and academic partnerships. Individual contributor. No direct or dotted-line reports. Essential Functions Scientific leadership: Progress novel targets and emerging mechanisms of action for diabetes and diabetic related comorbidities Work closely to align efforts in the departments leading external innovation outreach and alliance activities to ensure Diabetes strategic priorities are addressed and future-focused needs and development are being supported Contribute subject matter expertise to the TA research agenda in partnership with TA Leadership, Development and Commercial, linking scientific priorities to long-term portfolio and business needs Partner with teams leading external innovation and alliance activities to ensure strategic priorities are addressed and future-focused opportunities are advanced Integrate human cohorts, clinical datasets, biomarkers and omics data into disease understanding, target validation and precision medicine strategies Contribute to defining and advancing scientific strategy in diabetes biology, ensuring a robust, human biology–driven foundation for target identification and validation Responsible for delivering high-quality scientific insights that enable program progression and support key portfolio decisions Influences portfolio direction and go/no-go decisions through expert scientific recommendations to TA Leadership and cross-functional stakeholders Scientific visibility: Build external scientific networks, identify partnership opportunities across academia and industry and represent the organization through presentations, publications, patents and selected external engagements Communicate with clarity and influence stakeholders at all levels while fostering productive collaboration across global sites and functions Promote globally scalable approaches, an inclusive and collaborative culture and a strong external outlook that supports scientific excellence and enterprise impact Success Profile: Builds a differentiated diabetes portfolio rooted in human biology Advances programs efficiently through key pipeline milestones Strengthens integration of translational and clinical insights into research strategy Creates external collaborations that enhance innovation and pipeline growth Global representation & inclusivity: Ensures global scalability of solutions and understands the importance of involving various global stakeholders Demonstrates a strong global mindset and knowledge about different cultures Communicating state-of-the-art scientific excellence and drive global footprint and outlook for VP area by representation of needs and strategy Role model for NNWay and demonstrate an open minded and collaborative culture and lead in embracing new ideas and concepts

Requirements

PhD from an accredited university and 7+ years of experience required. Equivalent experience requirements for advanced degrees would be an MD/DO from an accredited university and 3+ years of experience
A diabetes drug discovery SME with a high level of creativity & curiosity with a strong innovative mindset
Expert level understanding of scientific & translational challenges related to drug development in T1D, with previous experience in industry
Proven track record of coordinating and obtaining buy-in from internal & external stakeholders
Ability to influence without direct authority, align cross-functional teams and drive results globally
Requires a high level of communication skills, including the development of clear agenda, meeting leadership, drawing groups to good conclusions & communicating scientific results & content across international sites & stakeholders from many parts of a complex multinational organization
A strong team player that brings people along through a supportive, engaged & creative way of working
Fluency in spoken & written English is a prerequisite for the role with good communication skills & cross-cultural understanding to interact in the global organisation
Role models the NNway, encouraging a culture of engagement & dedication

Nice To Haves

experience with siRNA or other nucleic acid-based modalities is a plus

Responsibilities

Progress novel targets and emerging mechanisms of action for diabetes and diabetic related comorbidities
Align efforts in the departments leading external innovation outreach and alliance activities to ensure Diabetes strategic priorities are addressed and future-focused needs and development are being supported
Contribute subject matter expertise to the TA research agenda in partnership with TA Leadership, Development and Commercial, linking scientific priorities to long-term portfolio and business needs
Partner with teams leading external innovation and alliance activities to ensure strategic priorities are addressed and future-focused opportunities are advanced
Integrate human cohorts, clinical datasets, biomarkers and omics data into disease understanding, target validation and precision medicine strategies
Contribute to defining and advancing scientific strategy in diabetes biology, ensuring a robust, human biology–driven foundation for target identification and validation
Deliver high-quality scientific insights that enable program progression and support key portfolio decisions
Influence portfolio direction and go/no-go decisions through expert scientific recommendations to TA Leadership and cross-functional stakeholders
Build external scientific networks, identify partnership opportunities across academia and industry and represent the organization through presentations, publications, patents and selected external engagements
Communicate with clarity and influence stakeholders at all levels while fostering productive collaboration across global sites and functions
Promote globally scalable approaches, an inclusive and collaborative culture and a strong external outlook that supports scientific excellence and enterprise impact