Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships & Collaborations
About This Role:
Biogen’s West Coast Hub (WCH) is seeking an experienced and dynamic Associate Director to lead strategic partnerships and collaborations across translational science, clinical development, biomarkers, and external innovation. This role will be instrumental in shaping and executing Biogen’s external engagement strategy, ensuring operational excellence and scientific alignment across a diverse portfolio of collaborations.
The Associate Director will serve as a key interface between Biogen WCH and external partners, including academic institutions, biotech companies, consortia, and technology innovators. This role requires strong project management capabilities, contract literacy, scientific acumen, and the ability to navigate complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
What You'll Do:
Strategic Partnership Management
Serve as the primary operational and relationship lead for high-priority collaborations.
Lead kickoff meetings, manage internal and external touchpoints, drive reports and documentation, and ensure alignment with contract terms and scientific objectives.
Support contract negotiation, execution, amendment, and renewal processes in partnership with Legal, Finance, and business owners and functional leads.
Track deliverables, milestones, and payments across collaborations with varying levels of complexity and engagement, working closely with the WCH Contracts Operations team.
Operational Excellence & Best Practices
Develop and implement WCH-wide standards and best practices for partnership lifecycle management, including contract tracking, renewal workflows, and collaboration governance.
Create scalable tools and templates to streamline partnership operations and improve cross-functional visibility.
Partner with WCH project management, biometrics, biomarkers, research, translational sciences, and clinical development teams to ensure scientific and operational alignment.
Work closely with Head of Strategy, Operations, and Excellence to ensure WCH priorities are realized and collaborations are aligned with strategic goals.
Partner with WCH Research, Development, Business Development, and Alliance Management to support peri-IND assets and technologies where appropriate, ensuring seamless transition and alignment.
Apply internal governance processes to ensure collaborations and partnerships advance, broad teams are aligned and informed, and assets and programs bring value to Biogen’s portfolio.
Cross-Functional & External Engagement
Collaborate with internal business owners, alliance managers, and scientific leads to ensure strategic alignment and long-term value realization.
Represent Biogen in external meetings with academic and industry collaborators, consortia, and technology partners.
Facilitate internal alignment meetings and external governance forums to drive transparency and accountability.
Help drive projects to completion, with an eye towards transparency, scientific rigor, and timing of business needs.
Portfolio & Data Coordination
Support data-sharing initiatives, publication planning, and integration of external data into Biogen’s translational and clinical platforms.
Coordinate with the biomarker operations, data science teams, regulatory teams, and research teams to ensure data integrity and compliance across collaborations.
Who You Are:
You are a strategic thinker with a strong operational mindset and a passion for external innovation and scientific collaborations. You thrive in complex, matrixed environments and are comfortable managing multiple high-impact collaborations simultaneously. You bring a blend of scientific understanding, project management rigor, and stakeholder engagement skills.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in life sciences or related field; advanced degree (MS, PhD, MBA) preferred.
8+ years of experience in biotech/pharma, with at least 3 years in alliance management, project management, or strategic partnerships.
Proven experience working with external stakeholders, including academic institutions, CROs, and biotech partners.
Strong understanding of clinical development, translational science, biomarkers, and data-driven collaborations.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex contracts and multi-phase partnerships.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
Experience with governance frameworks and drug development processes.
Ability to collaborate with senior leadership to drive strategic priorities.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in immunology or related therapeutic areas.
Familiarity with investigator-initiated studies, consortia, and external data sharing or integration, in particular as they pertain to regional and international data privacy requirements.
Background in scientific research or translational medicine.
Additional Information:
This role is based out of Biogen’s West Coast Hub in South San Francisco and follows a hybrid work model. Occasional travel may be required for partner meetings, conferences, or internal alignment sessions.
Additional Information
Base salary offered is determined through an analytical approach utilizing a combination of factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills & experience, job location, and internal equity.
Regular employees are eligible to receive both short term and long-term incentives, including cash bonus and equity incentive opportunities, designed to reward recent achievements and recognize your future potential based on individual, business unit and company performance.
In addition to compensation, Biogen offers a full and highly competitive range of benefits designed to support our employees’ and their families physical, financial, emotional, and social well-being; including, but not limited to:
- Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurances
- Fitness & Wellness programs including a fitness reimbursement
- Short- and Long-Term Disability insurance
- A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and an additional end-of-year shutdown time off (Dec 26-Dec 31)
- Up to 12 company paid holidays + 3 paid days off for Personal Significance
- 80 hours of sick time per calendar year
- Paid Maternity and Parental Leave benefit
- 401(k) program participation with company matched contributions
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year
- Employee Resource Groups participation
Why Biogen?
We are a global team with a commitment to excellence, and a pioneering spirit. As a mid-sized biotechnology company, we provide the stability and resources of a well-established business while fostering an environment where individual contributions make a significant impact. Our team encompasses some of the most talented and passionate achievers who have unparalleled opportunities for learning, growth, and expanding their skills. Above all, we work together to deliver life-changing medicines, with every role playing a vital part in our mission. Caring Deeply. Achieving Excellence. Changing Lives.
At Biogen, we are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients we serve. We know that diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives make us a stronger and more innovative company, and we are focused on building teams where every employee feels empowered and inspired. Read on to learn more about our DE&I efforts.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Biogen is an E-Verify Employer in the United States.
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