Senior Director

Job Opportunities At LillyAt Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We're looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.Lilly Catalyze360 OverviewLilly Catalyze360 is a comprehensive approach to enabling the early-stage biotech ecosystem by democratizing access to infrastructure, expertise, and resources. Through its interconnected pillarsLilly Ventures, Lilly Gateway Labs, Lilly ExploR&D, and Lilly TuneLabCatalyze360 strategically removes barriers that traditionally block bold science from becoming life-changing medicines, providing biotechs with flexible combinations of capital, physical lab space, R&D capabilities, AI/ML tools, and decades of enterprise learning. Lilly ExploR&D is a team of drug discovery and development experts who partner with biotechs from discovery through clinical proof-of-concept, putting Lilly's industry-leading capabilities behind their missions. We provide flexible supportfrom strategic consulting to full program executionmaking it faster, easier, and more capital-efficient for innovators to transform bold science into life-changing medicines.Job SummaryThe Senior Director, ExploR&D Business Operations and Alliance Management will lead Alliance Management for the ExploR&D portfolio of biotech collaborations and oversee associated contract negotiations to support our external collaborators. This individual will balance strategic oversight with operational execution to ensure successful partner relationships and seamless collaboration execution.Key ResponsibilitiesLead alliance management across the entire ExploR&D portfolio, serving as the primary interface between Lilly and biotech partners to maintain strategic alignment and foster strong relationshipsEstablish and oversee performance monitoring frameworks and tools for KPI tracking to ensure both parties meet contractual obligations and achieve collaboration objectivesServe as the primary escalation point for partners, proactively identifying and resolving complex partnership challenges while maintaining partner satisfaction and protecting Lilly's strategic interestsCoordinate and oversee amendments and contract modifications to existing ExploR&D collaboration agreements, ensuring alignment with business objectives, compliance requirements, and partner expectations throughout the lifecycleLead a team of contract negotiators responsible for agreements across drug discovery and development, facilitating consistent contract strategy, risk assessment, and risk mitigationOversee cross-functional coordination with the business, legal, finance, and other teams to align internal stakeholders and ensure integrated support for collaborationsDrive continuous improvement in processes, tools, and frameworks to improve contracts and alliance management and enhance operational efficiency, partner satisfaction, and collaboration outcomesMinimum RequirementsBachelor's degree10+ years of extensive experience in contract negotiations (either business development or vendor relationships) across drug discovery and developmentStrong understanding of pharmaceutical R&D operations, drug development lifecycle, regulatory environment, and biotech business modelsScientific background required for technical credibility when engaging with R&D partnersExperience managing a team focused on R&D contract negotiationsExperience managing relationships with biotech companiesAdditional Skills/PreferencesProficient in conflict resolution, negotiation, and stakeholder management at senior executive levels with demonstrated ability to maintain relationships during challenging situationsDemonstrated track record of successfully resolving challenges with other parties, managing amendments and disputes, and maintaining long-term collaborative relationshipsStrong analytical and strategic thinking skills with ability to balance portfolio-level oversight with detailed operational execution and identify opportunities for value creationProven ability to drive rapid execution through complex matrixed environments by identifying process bottlenecks, identifying solutions, and maintaining momentum to achieve critical milestonesSignificant experience supporting Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) efforts as well as other areas of drug discovery and/or developmentAdditional InformationTravel: Minimal travel required (less than 10%)This role requires occasional flexibility for partner meetings across different time zonesLilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form for further assistance.Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.