JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.5 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers in chapters across the United States and our six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement, and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter @JDRF.

The Associate Director, External Scientific Partnerships is a key position within the Research team to drive JDRF’s goal of bringing therapies and treatments to people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The Associate Director will work across a matrixed team to manage JDRF’s industry grants portfolio and to develop new opportunities. This individual will be responsible for synthesizing scientific goals with operational business processes to accelerate research toward translation and productization.

The ideal candidate will have experience with agreements and project management, and facility in interacting in scientific research forums.  They will participate in the development, negotiation, and implementation of new partnerships and collaborations. They will lead the ongoing alliance management of JDRF’s industry grants portfolio, working with internal and external stakeholders to monitor research progress and mitigating problems as they arise. This individual will be highly adaptable and able to work independently while ensuring a consistent degree of collaboration and transparency. Working within the larger JDRF Research team composed of staff scientists, program administrators and senior management, they will be required to synthesize viewpoints from different angles and problem solve with the overall goal of accelerating high-quality research. They will report to the Senior Director, Research Business and Clinical Strategy.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead negotiation and implementation of partnerships and collaborations
  • Negotiate a variety of research agreements (e.g., strategic collaborations between for-profit and non-profit, term sheets, definitive agreements, terms related to intellectual property, revenue sharing agreements, MOUs, and confidentiality agreements).
  • Draft agreements and lead external negotiations, in conjunction with the Senior Director and legal counsel. Ensure that agreements are aligned with JDRF’s scientific goals and grant processes.
• Coordinate and lead activities of partnership steering committees
  • Develop, nurture, and manage external collaborations together with JDRF Research team.  
  • Oversee research progress on grants by establishing milestones, deliverables and timelines and monitoring against those metrics. Organize and lead committee meetings. Collaborate with grants administration team to manage payments.
• Ensure activities comply with agreements and JDRF policies and processes, including confidentiality.
• Communicate ideas in a persuasive, diplomatic and appropriate manner. Serve as an internal resource on business needs and perspectives, communicating complex terms and conditions to diverse audiences.
• Manage and resolve issues, risks, and conflicts internally and externally in a diplomatic and timely manner through great listening skills and the ability to ask the right questions.

• Graduate degree combined with appropriate work experience in a scientific research environment, industry and/or a not-for-profit organization. The combination of education and relevant work experience will be considered (e.g., Master’s degree with 5+ years of prior work experience; Ph.D. degree with 2+ years of prior work experience).
• Experience in business development including the negotiation of research agreements.
• Experience in alliance management of scientific research collaborations and partnerships, including leading meetings and committees.
• Facility with scientific/technical vocabulary required.  Ability to quickly familiarize with concepts across a broad range of scientific disciplines.
• Proven ability to work in a cross-functional and highly matrixed team with a track record of delivering results. Facility in balancing competing priorities under pressure.
• Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills with facility in interacting across a wide array of relationships with diplomacy and tact.

JDRF supports a diverse and inclusive workforce and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.  All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.