Senior Director - Innovation Lead

Use Your Power for Purpose

This role provides leadership for business development-related evaluations, with a particular emphasis on those in research and early clinical development. The position is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and facilitating the securing of drug candidates, technologies, and collaborations that accelerate research and early clinical development in alignment with the strategies of the four therapeutic areas. It also partners with the Discovery Network to champion the evaluation of artificial intelligence, computational technologies, and discovery technologies to enhance the work of Preclinical & Translational Sciences (P&TS) across modalities.

• Serve as a strategic advisor to P&TS and Business Development leadership, shaping the identification, evaluation, and prioritization of high-impact external innovation and partnering opportunities that strengthen the research and early clinical pipeline and advance long-term portfolio objectives.
• Lead cross-functional strategic assessments of molecule-based opportunities, partnering with P&TS leadership, diligence teams, and Business Development to evaluate scientific, technical, and portfolio fit. Influence investment and partnership decisions through clear articulation of the strategic value, competitive advantage, and potential patient impact of external opportunities.
• Provide enterprise-level leadership in the evaluation of emerging technology platforms and capabilities, collaborating with P&TS leaders, Discovery Network stakeholders, and Business Development to assess opportunities across modalities and ensure alignment with future scientific and business strategies.
• Influence portfolio strategy and resource allocation decisions by advising senior leaders on the prioritization of internal and external preclinical and early clinical investments, balancing scientific opportunity, organizational capabilities, and business objectives.
• Drive strategic alignment across P&TS, fostering connectivity among senior leaders, therapeutic area teams, and functional partners to anticipate emerging scientific trends, align priorities, and inform portfolio and innovation strategies.
• Direct competitive landscape and scientific intelligence efforts, synthesizing external insights, market dynamics, and emerging science into actionable recommendations that guide portfolio strategy, diligence activities, and research investment decisions.
• Champion transformative innovation across P&TS, partnering with Discovery Network and functional leaders to identify, evaluate, and advance disruptive experimental, digital, AI-enabled, and computational approaches that accelerate discovery and early clinical development across existing and emerging modalities.
• Shape organizational culture and operating excellence within P&TS, fostering a high-performing environment characterized by collaboration, transparency, strategic thinking, and accountability while promoting alignment around enterprise priorities and portfolio vision.

• PhD, MD-PhD, or PharmD with 12+ years of industry experience in research within one or more of Oncology, Immunology, or Metabolic Disease.
• Experience (5+ years) leading pre-clinical research teams to deliver multiple drug candidates (either small or large molecules) through both candidate nomination and IND filing.
• Experience with identifying and evaluating drug candidates to support business development.
• Experience with multiple internal/external partnerships in a biopharmaceutical environment.
• Current knowledge of trends in both drug discovery and translational development. Strong familiarity with the applicability of computational technologies to modern drug research & development.
• A proactive and strategic thinker, with strong data-driven decision-making skills
• Strong verbal, written, and presentation communication skills
• Highly collaborative with outstanding relationship building skills with both internal company leadership and external development partners.
• Has a global perspective and mindset, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and geographies.
• Capacity to adapt to a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Demonstrates a passion for both science and its application to help patients.

• Key point of contact for BD, P&TS Scientific Affairs & Strategy Lead, and P&TS due diligence teams as it relates to both drug candidate-based in-licensing and related partnering activities.
• Key collaborator for the Discovery Network as it relates to identification and evaluation of innovative approaches in research & early clinical development, including both lab-based and computational technologies.
• Coordinates with Scientific Operations team and key partners across P&TS to drive a clear and consistent communication rhythm of the Pfizer research and early clinical portfolio across therapeutic areas.
• Aligns with group leads of P&TS leadership and their direct reports on…