Advisor - Venture Sciences (Cambridge, MA)

Job Description

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 35,000 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.

Eli Lilly has achieved unprecedented R&D productivity with the possibility to launch 20 new medicines in a 10-year period. To sustain the advancing pipeline, Lilly is expanding efforts to access a constant stream of external innovation, which will fuel its premier discovery and development engines.

The Venture Science (VS) group is a pan-therapeutic, global organization. Our goal is to provide scientific expertise, identify breakthrough innovation and deliver radical technologies into Lilly Research Labs. As an integral group within Lilly New Ventures/Corporate Business Development Unit, the VS team sits at the intersection of Lilly’s industry leading venture capital strategy and the highly innovative global

ecosystem.

We are seeking Venture Sciences Advisor, based in the Boston ecosystem, to be an instrumental member of team. The Advisor will be focused on the overall goal to deliver innovation to enhance/complement Lilly’s internal R&D portfolio and with the ability to address critical patient needs. This role will also provide the chance to lead team strategies and deliver on near and long-term goals as Lilly expands in geography. This will include partnering with internal and external teams to ensure Lilly remains a partner of choice for scientific innovation.

Responsibilities in this role include the sourcing, identification, scientific evaluation and coordination of novel/innovative external assets. In addition, you will rigorously follow pioneering science and identify novel technologies/platforms, new modalities, and highly innovative assets. Your actions will enable Lilly to move into breakthrough areas with novel therapeutics.

As part of a larger global VS team, the Advisor will also partner with peers in Indianapolis, Boston, San Francisco, London and Japan. As a member of this global VS team, the Advisor will have access to breakthrough science and global leaders in scientific and technology arenas. Because of that, expectation that the Advisor to have high EQ and appropriate judgment in highly technical and confidential discussions. Importantly, the Advisor should have in-depth understanding of the drug discovery and development process to support both Lilly and partner(s) with competitive access to efficient approaches and opportunities of strategic interest.

You will lead and/or collaborate in diligence on external companies with Lilly R&D leadership and Corporate Business Development colleagues. This will include expectation of leading communication on technical evaluations to internal and external partners when appropriate. You will be closely partner to the internal discovery organization, clinical and technology platform portfolio. These relationships will provide insights to identify and prioritize high-value external assets, powerful innovation and opportunities for upcoming investment.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Meticulous, objective scientific assessment of novel external innovation opportunities including analysis of patents, scientific literature, and be able to lead probing discussions with internal Lilly scientists to identify key issues and have the appropriate expertise to resolve disputes.
• Building long-term trusted relationships and act as Lilly VS team representative with our key venture fund partners as well as internal peers and partners.
• Coordinating, triaging and monitoring a portfolio of budding external project. Communicate the value of this external portfolio to internal partners, prioritizing ventures that have a strategic fit to Lilly and well-timed and strong communication / interface / influence with internal partners and decision makers across Lilly R&D and Business Units
• Actively engage and examine the local/regional innovation ecosystem for partnering, licensing and/or acquisition possibilities to augment innovation within Lilly R&D.
• Lead interactions with selected external organizations; represent Lilly strategies and needs to external organizations (companies, investment groups, and academic institutions)
• Execution of key projects when working with external groups including involvement in newco formation; including design and oversight of key de-risking experiments
• Mapping of the external competitive landscape and cultivating platforms for growth in new-to-Lilly indications or progressive technologies that could change treatment paradigms.
• Work closely with peers across affiliates to ensure coordination of efforts and consistent communications to senior leadership

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a subject area related to pharmaceutical drug discovery and development, e.g., Biochemistry, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Physiology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology or Genetics
• 5 years of demonstrated ability in the biopharmaceutical industry or related fields (life sciences VC, life science technology transfer, etc.) with a preference for additional experience working with small life science companies and/or venture capital firms.
• Strong scientific pedigree as evidenced by publications, patents, presentations

Additional Skills/Preferences

• Outstanding EQ, problem-solving, analytical, project management, communication and leadership skills, ability to influence other without authority.
• Highly organized with self-starter being able to multitask effectively with concurrent processing and implementation of many active programs at various stages of evaluation and business discussions
• Demonstrated expertise in biopharmaceutical drug discovery including familiarity with patents and trends shaping pharmaceutical innovation and business. Cross-functional knowledge of predominant drug discovery subject areas will be helpful.
• An established set of relationships across biotech/venture landscape (preferably in the Boston/US East Coast geographies) and have proven track record to efficiently implement pipeline impacting transactions/projects
• Demonstrated knowledge across several disease areas relevant to Lilly’s business.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the biotech and academic ecosystem with strong preference for direct experience in Boston/Cambridge.
• Solid understanding of new technologies, knowledge of drug discovery processes and stages of projects and external deal structures.
• Strong ability to multitask efficiently and prioritize quickly; problem-solving and project management skills.
• Experience of working in a sophisticated global matrix environment as well as leading and using the matrix.
• Outstanding interpersonal and negotiation skills and willingness/ability to deal with conflicts.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills with ability to represent Lilly at international meetings.
• Strong database, informatics, and digital literacy.

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.
As a condition of employment with Eli Lilly and Company and its subsidiaries in the United States and Puerto Rico, you must be fully COVID-19 vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination satisfactory to the company. If you would like to request an accommodation for medical or religious reasons, you may do so at [email protected].