Associate Director, Alliance and External Affairs

Associate Director, Alliance and External Affairs

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and Med Tech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.

We are searching for the best talent for an Associate Director, Alliance and External Affairs. This is a hybrid, office-based role located in High Wycombe, UK, with a planned move to Maidenhead, UK in October 2026, requiring three days on-site each week.

Purpose:

The Associate Director, Alliance & External Affairs provides strategic and operational leadership across IM Office of the Chief Medical Officer's (OCMO's) alliance portfolio, supporting due diligence, licensing agreements, integrations, divestitures, third-party agreement management, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure effective service delivery and alignment with business and sector need.

You will be responsible for :

• Lead and support due diligence activities, providing operational and safety recommendations for licensing transactions, mergers, acquisitions, integrations, and divestitures.
• Own the end-to-end development, execution, and documentation of product and company safety integration and divestiture plans and associated deliverables.
• Ensure successful delivery of integration and divestiture activities while maintaining alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Support the creation, maintenance, governance, and retirement of third-party agreements.

Strategic Alliance & Business Development Leadership and Cross-functional Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with Business Development to support licensing activities, due diligence efforts, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic alliance initiatives.
• Support IM OCMO Innovative Medicine R&D, and J&J cross-functional partners in developing and maintaining strategic external relationships.
• Provide strategic coordination and direction across IM OCMO and partner organizations to ensure effective collaboration and service delivery and drive business outcomes.
• Influence and negotiate with external partners and senior internal stakeholders to drive business outcomes.
• Communicate priorities, including operational and regulatory impacts, across key stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities and risks and communicate recommendations to leadership.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Identify, evaluate, and implement process and technology improvements that enhance organizational effectiveness and efficiency, and lead continuous improvement initiatives in partnership with senior management.
• Analyze operational challenges and develop innovative solutions to address complex and evolving business needs.
• Champion the responsible use of approved AI and digital tools to support routine productivity, information synthesis, meeting preparation, documentation and communications and workflow optimization that improve efficiency and business outcomes.

Compliance, Inspection & Subject Matter Expertise

• Ensure activities are executed in accordance with applicable quality, compliance, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide audit and inspection support and serve as a subject matter expert, as appropriate.
• Maintain oversight of alliance-related activities to ensure alignment with governance and operational standards.

Qualifications / Requirements:

Education:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree is required
• Advance degree is preferred

Required:

• Minimum of 8 years of relatable work experience
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in Pharmacovigilance, Clinical Development/Operations, Medical Affairs, or a related healthcare field, including experience supporting operational processes, workflows, and systems.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects and coordinating cross-functional activities in a highly matrixed, regulated environment.
• Working knowledge of GxP, quality, compliance, and regulatory requirements relevant to pharmaceutical operations.
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex operational, regulatory, and business topics clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including the ability to analyze complex issues, assess risks and trade-offs, develop pragmatic solutions, and make sound recommendations in a fast-paced, regulated environment.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and stakeholders simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail, meeting deadlines, and adapting to changing business needs.
• Proven ability to engage, influence, and collaborate effectively with senior leaders, external partners, and cross-functional stakeholders across a highly matrixed…