Sr. Director, External Innovation Biosurgery
About The Position
Johnson & Johnson is currently seeking a Senior Director, External Innovation Biosurgery to join our MedTech located in Raritan, NJ. The Senior Director, External Innovation BioSurgery will help build the pipeline and innovation strategy, with an emphasis on assessing new growth opportunities, forming external partnerships, and developing innovative go-to-market models. The role partners closely with R&D Front End, Business Development, global franchise and platform leaders, and cross-functional internal and external partners to support platform and portfolio strategy. This leader is accountable for delivering against specified budgets and timelines and ensuring compliance with applicable country and regional requirements, as well as company regulations, policies, and procedures. This position proactively identifies, evaluates, and advances external innovation opportunities that strengthen and differentiate the BioSurgery pipeline. It serves as the front end of the external pipeline, translating strategy into a disciplined search, evaluation, and handoff engine in close collaboration with R&D Front End and Business Development. The Senior Director is expected to influence effectively in a matrix environment and indirectly lead cross-functional teams. Success requires the ability to shape early innovation strategy with senior leadership and translate opportunities into development- and transaction-ready programs through strong execution, adaptability, and accountability.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s level degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
- A minimum of 10-years of relevant experience is required; external innovation R&D front end, search and evaluation, business development, or related roles within MedTech, biotech, or life sciences is preferred.
- Demonstrated track record of evaluating external assets, technologies, or platforms and advancing them through structured, cross-functional decision-making.
- Strong cross-functional leadership capability; comfort working in matrixed, ambiguous environments.
- Ability to synthesize scientific, clinical, and business inputs into clear executive recommendations.
- Strong financial competence required; transaction or investment evaluation experience preferred.
- Strong communication, collaboration, project management, and organizational influence skills.
Responsibilities
- Develop, align, communicate, and drive an integrated external innovation strategy that contemplates both base business priorities and the external innovation agenda.
- Proactively identify and source external innovation opportunities (assets, technologies, platforms, partnerships) aligned to BioSurgery strategy across startups, academia, clinician innovators, incubators, and venture ecosystems.
- Maintain a structured, prioritized pipeline of external opportunities, including hypotheses on strategic fit, value creation, development feasibility, and competitive differentiation, in partnership with R&D Front End and Business Development.
- Develop and refresh external landscapes and identify white spaces across BioSurgery adjacencies (e.g., biomaterials, enabling technologies, procedural solutions, manufacturing innovations).
- Collaborate closely with R&D Front End to shape early technical, clinical, and development strategies and ensure appropriate translation of external opportunities into the internal innovation funnel.
- Partner with Business Development to support evaluation, diligence, and transaction readiness of prioritized external assets and partnerships.
- Oversee front-end customer and clinician insight generation to inform early opportunity identification and external search activities.
- Support the internal innovation agenda in collaboration with cross-functional partners involved in new product development and innovation (e.g., R&D, Supply Chain, Medical, Clinical/Pre-Clinical, Regulatory, Quality, Finance, HEMA, Global Strategic Insights, Business Development).
Benefits
- Consolidated retirement plan (pension)
- Savings plan (401(k))
- Long-term incentive program
- Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
- Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year (or 48 hours in Colorado, 56 hours in Washington)
- Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
- Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
- Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
- Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
- Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period
- Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
- Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
