Executive Director, Discovery Oncology

About Innovative Medicine

Our expertise in Innovative Medicine is informed and inspired by patients, whose insights fuel our science-based advancements. Visionaries like you work on teams that save lives by developing the medicines of tomorrow.

Join us in developing treatments, finding cures, and pioneering the path from lab to life while championing patients every step of the way.

Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine

About Oncology

Our expertise in Innovative Medicine is informed and inspired by patients, whose insights fuel our science-based advancements. Visionaries like you work on teams that save lives by developing the medicines of tomorrow.

Our Oncology team is focused on the elimination of cancer by discovering new pathways and modalities to finding treatments and cures. We lead where medicine is going and need innovators with an unwavering commitment to results.

Join us in developing treatments, finding cures, and pioneering the path from lab to life while championing patients every step of the way.

Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine

We are searching for the best talent for an Executive Director, Discovery Oncology position. You will be responsible for leading and guiding the Oncology discovery research in selected cancer indications. The Executive Director, Discovery Oncology defines and executes on the strategy for Oncology Discovery. This individual will develop a portfolio of therapeutics addressing core pathways in Oncology from project concept through to entrance into clinical trials.

You will also be responsible for:

• Leads a global group of approximately 20-40 people (including regular FTEs, temporary contractors and postdoctoral fellows), guiding their science with an emphasis on scientific quality and rigor.
• In partnership with Oncology leadership, including TA head, clinical, strategic and functional leaders, defines the scientific strategy for the TA and develops a portfolio of assets for solid cancer indications.
• As a Disease Area Stronghold discovery leader executes on the strategy for the end-to-end Oncology portfolio.
• Creates an environment that values innovation, leadership, scientific excellence, urgency, and personal accountability.
• Manages resource allocations across programs, included shared resources across labs.
• Proactively influences across functional areas and external partners to align project activities with strategic goals.
• Establishes internal and external collaborations to facilitate execution of Discovery strategy.
• Partners with external collaborators and innovation centers to evaluate and discover new approaches, technologies, and targets in support of the Oncology portfolio.
• Partners with business development to evaluate external assets and bring new molecules into the pipeline.
• Runs collaborations with both academic and industry partners.
• Provides management oversight including personal talent development, training, coaching and guidance to discovery scientists.
• Ensures compliance with all J&J training, while ensuring safe laboratory working practices for self and reports.
• Ensures consistent experiments/data generation for target validation and progression through discovery stages.

You will be responsible for the following Leadership Priorities:

• Oversee and influence the initiation and the progression of multiple small and large molecules as well as cell therapy discovery research programs that result in the identification of Clinical Candidates.
• Set and execute the scientific strategy for solid tumor indication(s).
• Act as an ambassador for the respective Discovery Portfolio with frequent interactions with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrate excellent managerial skills to enable his/her global team to deliver on their objectives and to develop their careers.
• Provide input on hiring, promotions, resources and budget allocations within the department.
• Direct the proper use and implementation for new technology to establish long-term research plans.
• Identify novel scenarios and nascent scientific/technical opportunities in a specific scientific area.
• Communicate overall strategy of the projects to others including senior leadership.
• Build collaborative relationships with and influence key stakeholders; internally and externally.
• Create a high-performance work environment that values innovation, leadership, scientific excellence, urgency, and personal accountability.
• Attract and cultivate talent.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• PhD with deep content knowledge in Oncology.
• 15+ years of demonstrated leadership and drug discovery experience in the area of Oncology, preferably in solid malignancies.
• Experience:
  • Solid background in drug discovery across modalities (small, large molecules, cell therapy), including immune therapies.
  • Background in cellular, molecular and/or immune tumor biology with a good understanding of the therapeutic landscape in Oncology.
  • Strong record of leading programs to the identification of Clinical Candidates.
  • Strong track record of publications in the field.
  • Broad scope of impact beyond individual projects, eg leading research platforms, target classes, etc.
  • Strong external network and recognized as an expert in the field by peers.
  • Demonstrated competence for team leadership and/or people skills to manage a team with members in different continents.
  • Leading or being part of a significant organization change.
  • Heavy influencing across organization boundaries and without direct authority.
  • Enterprise thinking.
  • Detail-oriented as well as being able to see the big picture.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills; able to effectively present scientific data and concepts to international standards.
  • Shaping and articulating a vision that inspires, engages, and brings others along a change journey.
  • Ability to attract and develop talent.