Sr Alliance Manager, External Innovation

Role purpose

Responsible for end-to-end coordination of external collaborations (deal execution and post-deal alliance management) with biotech companies and academic institutions.

Primary operational and governance interface between Novo Nordisk and external partners to ensure collaborations are efficiently negotiated, well-governed, and successfully executed from contract signature through scientific and pipeline outcomes.

• Deal execution & contracting coordination:
  • Coordinate deal execution for external collaborations, including alignment of internal stakeholders (scientific, legal, BD, finance) and support negotiation of research scope, milestones, governance, and contractual terms.
  • Work with Sourcing Directors, Alliance Management, Legal, IP, and BD to translate scientific intent into executable agreements and ensure contracts meet Novo Nordisk standards and compliance requirements.
  • Support progression of opportunities through R&D External Innovation governance and decision processes.
• Post-deal alliance management & project coordination:
  • Day-to-day alliance lead after deal signature: establish and run governance structures; coordinate project meetings, milestones, timelines, and deliverables; track budgets, payments, and contractual obligations.
  • Ensure clear roles and communication between Novo Nordisk teams and external partners; proactively manage risks/issues/dependencies and elevate when needed.
• Scientific & operational enablement:
  • Support internal teams and external partners to maintain focus on scientific objectives and ensure planned data/materials/knowledge transfer.
  • Coordinate with internal scientists who may act as project leads on certain SRAs while maintaining alliance oversight.
• Stakeholder management & integration:
  • Enable integration of externally generated outputs into internal programs/workflows.
  • Maintain documentation, reporting, and compliance records for managed collaborations.

• Education:
  
  PhD in life sciences, pharmacology, chemistry, biology, or related discipline.
• Experience:
  
  5+ years in alliance management and project management; external collaborations within pharma/biotech; hands‑on management of biotech partnerships and academic SRAs/co‑research agreements.
• Familiarity with research collaboration contracts, milestone-based agreements, and governance models in R&D collaborations.

Based in Shanghai; up to ~20% travel within China as required.