Senior Director - Medical Chemistry

About the Department                                                                                                                                             

Our Boston Research & Development hub, anchored in the greater Boston area, brings together the best minds in life science innovation. The teams located in facilities in Lexington, Watertown and Cambridge reflect the full R&D continuum, from early research through late-stage clinical development. Here, we are building for the future, creating a distinct R&D community based on collaboration, partnerships, and cutting-edge research across multiple modalities and therapeutic areas. We recognize that improving human health starts here and that patients rely on us. Our greater Boston R&D hub merges biotech speed and agility with large pharmaceutical company quality, resources, and stability, uniting the best of both worlds to develop new medicines for patients.

The team is comprised of collaborative, diverse and passionate people who have a true sense of pride in their work and are committed to helping others grow and develop their careers. You’ll also have a platform to engage with key stakeholders on a global scale throughout the entire pipeline process. And while changing the future of diabetes, obesity and MASH treatment is no easy task, we also recognize the importance of an enjoyable workplace, which is why we’ve cultivated a culture of fun, ingenuity and innovation. And our competitive compensation package and support of a healthy work-life balance all add to a best-in-class employee experience. We are changing lives for a living. Are you ready to make a difference?

The Position

The Senior Director in Medicinal Chemistry will be responsible for assisting in the development and expansion of small molecule research unit at Novo Nordisk. The Senior Director will have a mandate to contribute to building the team and improve operational efficiencies as well as implementing best practices. The Senior Director will be responsible, together with the line of business, for driving strategic decisions throughout the various stages of the small molecule drug discovery process from target identification all the way to clinical candidate selection. This role will also be leading small molecule due diligences efforts towards asset in-licensing as well as leading internal drug discovery projects forward leveraging a highly outsourced CRO model. Responsibilities include: contribution to recruiting and growing the team, guiding and mentoring junior staff; setting up the chemistry strategy for projects and advancing drug discovery programs by collaboratively interacting cross-functionally within NN; acting as project lead on the overall program strategy to meet product target profiles (PTPs) and deliver low dose oral drugs; leading and managing a number of contract research organizations (CRO) and external chemistry partners across the globe; leading the preparation of patents, reports, and scientific publication; and serving as functional expert in due diligences for assets in-licensing and discovery partnerships.

Relationships

VP of Small Molecule Research (SMR; GRT). Will interact and closely collaborate with other Small Molecule Unit Scientists (chemists, biochemists, biophysicists, crystallographers), Data Science & Innovation (DSI) computational chemists, Global Drug Discovery (GDD) biology, Global Drug Discovery and Safety (GDDS); Global Research Technologies (GRT), GDD Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), cellular biology, pharmacology and translational medicine teams globally.

Will lead and interact daily with Chemistry CROs and Comp Chemistry CROs globally. Will lead and interact with key partners through research collaborations (industrial and/or academic).

Essential Functions

• Managing, coaching, and mentoring scientists across the discovery functions and LoBs in order to develop their skills and build small molecule organizational capabilities
• Enhance operational efficiency and implementating best practices within LoB
• Develop and execute medicinal chemistry strategies to address key project objectives and provide creative solutions for medicinal and synthetic chemistry issues
• Lead drug discovery projects from hit validation to development candidate selection using all modern medicinal chemistry techniques to deliver low dose and safe oral therapies. Work collaboratively to strategize with corresponding functional area teams. Set the chemistry strategy for projects and advance drug discovery programs by collaboratively interacting cross-functionally
• Communicate project plans/priorities to management
• Lead the preparation of patents, reports, and scientific publications
• Recruit, manage global CROs and external partners on a day-to-day basis to achieve project goals
• Has accountability for CROs timelines and data quality
• Has accountability and is a contributor to SM inventorship
• Functional area expert and lead in due diligence efforts at any stage of discovery
• Effectively communicates and collaborates across global sites and sets project strategy by providing leadership of cross-functional project teams. Represents the organization through external communication of impactful scientific research in the form of presentation at external conferences and publication in scientific journals and patents. Proposes and oversees external collaborations
• Leader in the field of synthetic chemistry and small molecule drug design including but not limited to structure based drug design (SBDD), phenotypic approaches, covalent modifiers, molecular glues, etc.
• Leads global, cross-functional experimental teams to achieve project goals and compound target profiles (PTP). Provides significant mentorship and training of senior colleagues
• Contributes subject matter expertise to develop the research agenda with a clear understanding of the link between scientific project goals and overall long-term business needs. Proposes new projects that support the strategic agenda and address gaps in technological capabilities and therapeutic areas

Physical Requirements

Up to 5% international travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in organic/synthetic chemistry required
• 15+ years of industrial medicinal chemistry experience required
• 5+ years of direct management experience preferred
• 5+ years of leading medicinal chemistry in a hybrid model (managing CRO networks) required
• Track record of advancing programs through the stages of drug development from HTS to clinical Candidate selection required
• Proven leadership capability in cross-functional team setting, either as project team leader or co-lead
• Experience building, leading and managing a teams of medicinal chemists in the discovery and early development phase
• Experience managing, coaching, and mentoring scientists across the discovery functions and LoBs  in order to develop their skills and build organizational capabilities
• Experience enhancing operational efficiency and implementating best practices within LoB
• Experience developping and executing medicinal chemistry strategies to address key project objectives and provide creative solutions for medicinal and synthetic chemistry issues
• Expert in all aspects of modern medicinal chemistry including, but not limited to SBDD, multi-parameter optimization (MPO) and phenotypic-based drug discovery
• Exceptional knowledge of biochemistry, biophysics, ADME, pharmacokinetics, and excellent knowledge of biology, pharmacology, and toxicology
• Demonstrated ability to make strategic recommendations with timely go/no-go decisions at all stages of the drug discovery process
• Proven cross-functional leadership experience as project team leader
• Broad experience of recruiting, managing and working with CRO partners
• Track record of innovation and impact on programs documented with co-inventorship on issued patents and authorship of publications in peer-reviewed journals
• Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite of products (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk we recognize that it is no longer good enough to aspire to be the best company in the world. We need to aspire to be the best company for the world and we know that this is only possible with talented employees with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and cultures. We are therefore committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates the diversity of our employees, the patients we serve and communities we operate in. Together, we’re life changing.

Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.

If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.