Senior Director - External Innovation, Diabetes, Obesity & Cardiometabolic Diseases

At 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.

The Diabetes, Obesity and Complications Therapeutic Area (DOCTA) of Eli Lilly and Company focuses on new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of diabetes, obesity and Cardiometabolic Diseases. Starting from an idea, we work with partners across Lilly to discover and develop novel biologic, small molecule, nucleic acid, and gene-based therapeutics. Our focus is the patient: by understanding the biology and pathophysiology underlying disease states, we aim to address the root cause of disease, and develop breakthrough therapies. We have one of the strongest pipelines in the industry and a track record of delivering impactful medicines that improve people’s lives.As Senior Director DOCTA External Innovation, this role will help develop and implement Eli Lilly’s Search and Evaluation strategy and priorities to secure pipeline impact across Diabetes, Obesity, and Complications. The Search and Evaluation scope will include Diabetes, Obesity, Heart Failure and Chronic Kidney Disease deal scope, e.g. from opportunity identification through deal completion, working closely with preclinical and clinical partners in the Therapeutic Area (TA) and Lilly Diabetes & Obesity (LDO) management, and Business Development (BD) transactions team. Working closely with partners in DOCTA, this role will be responsible for all relevant processes related to the in-licensing of new opportunities including identification and evaluation of new opportunities, including preparation of in-depth documents clearly detailing and differentiating the opportunity from a scientific and a business perspective, preparing detailed SWOT analyses, aligning with all levels of management and key scientific team members, closely collaborating with business development, legal and due diligence functions, and leading or supporting all interactions with external partners as projects progress from initial sanctioning through deal closure. This position will provide high visibility and an opportunity for strategic leadership within DOCTA, and with functions across business development and other therapeutic areas or functional groups as needed. Responsibilities –Diabetes and Complications External Innovation

• Lead the identification and meticulous objective assessment of potential in-licensing/partnering opportunities.
• Develop a comprehensive knowledge of the key targets, modalities, and activities in the diabetes, obesity, and complications landscape, and use this knowledge to drive a portfolio of opportunities
• Map the external competitive landscapes for key target areas and assets. Actively monitor all relevant external preclinical- and clinical-stage assets. Identify biotech, small and large pharma companies, or academic groups that could be potential partners. Build comprehensive networks, based on scientific value creation. Attend partnering and scientific conferences to scout for new assets and technologies in line with R&D priorities
• Liaise with senior leadership and internal experts to prioritize and facilitate review of external opportunities. Perform pre-screening and present opportunities to senior leadership. Organize and lead meetings with external companies including arranging participation of senior Lilly leadership as necessary during conferences. Identify key issues and bring in appropriate expertise to enable a solution.
• Ensure proper tracking of external opportunities in Inova. Maintain Inova database with high quality, up-to-date scientific and business content
• Ensure prompt evaluation by functional experts (CMC, ADME, TOX, PK, etc.) and provide partners with essential feedback/guidance. Support consolidation of scientific feedback leading to recommendation. Support R&D scientists in interactions with external partners.
• Prepare comprehensive SWOT analyses to support Due Diligence review of external and internal programs, highlighting key positives and deficiencies
• Provide scientific and business insight and feedback during terms negotiations and contracting activities in collaboration with the business development and legal groups.
• Provide regular updates at DOCTA EI deals review meetings, highlighting opportunities, deal progress and strategic options at business review meetings
• Establish strong relationships with external partners by demonstrating thorough scientific and business understanding and insight, personal integrity, and providing prompt feedback
• Establish international reputation through engagement on panels and/or other opportunities for public activity at conferences

Basic Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Life Sciences related field (preference for background in areas focused around cardiometabolism)
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in the pharmaceutical or related industry

Additional Preferences:

• Strong interpersonal & leadership skills; outstanding oral and written communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of Lilly and external partners
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in external research collaborations that strategically support the broader organization’s research focus and enhance knowledge generation.
• Demonstrating a sharp scientific insight, backed by a profound understanding of cardiometabolic, encompassing novel targets, modalities (gene editing, siRNA etc.), and the evolving scientific frontiers.
• Adept in navigating the intricate realms of drug discovery, development processes, and industry dynamics.
• Proficiently versed in business development intricacies, with a proven track record in licensing drug candidates across diverse developmental phases and enabling technologies.
• Proficient in prioritization amidst a multitude of projects, coupled with an adaptable mentality to manage uncertainties and pivot priorities effectively
• Extensive experience in thriving within multifaceted team environments, adept at engaging diverse partners and fostering collaborative relationships across all organizational echelons.
• Outstanding EQ, problem-solving, analytical, project management, communication and leadership skills, ability to influence other without authority.

Additional Information:

• Travel will be required for in person meetings to corporate, partnering, and scientific conferences. Overall anticipated travel will be 25-35%, including some international.

Lilly currently anticipates that the base salary for this position could range from between $150,000 to $220,000 and will depend, in part, on the successful candidate’s qualifications for the role, including education and experience. Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).  Of course, the compensation described above is subject to change and could be higher or lower than the range described above.  Further, Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees. 

Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly USA, LLC and our wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively “Lilly”) are committed to help individuals with disabilities to participate in the workforce and ensure equal opportunity to compete for jobs. If you require an accommodation to submit a resume for positions at Lilly, please email Lilly Human Resources ( Lilly_Recruiting_Compliance@lists.lilly.com ) for further assistance. Please note This email address is intended for use only to request an accommodation as part of the application process. Any other correspondence will not receive a response.
Lilly is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and help our company develop talented individuals for future leadership roles. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, African American Network, Chinese Culture Network, Early Career Professionals, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinos at Lilly, PRIDE (LGBTQ + Allies), Veterans Leadership Network, Women’s Network, Working and Living with Disabilities. Learn more about all of our groups.

#WeAreLilly