Director of Business Development and Alliance Management - Odyssey Therapeutics

About Us

Odyssey Therapeutics is propelling drug development beyond what is now possible to deliver medicines that address critical needs of patients with inflammatory diseases and cancer. We achieve unprecedented speed and efficiency by bringing together a target-centric approach, a toolbox of cutting-edge technologies, and a team of accomplished, world-class drug hunters.  By reimagining the drug development process, we are creating a deep and broad drug pipeline that holds the potential to transform human health. 

Position Details

Position:  Director Alliance Management
Location: Boston, MA
Employment Type: Full-time
Department: TBD

The Opportunity

We are seeking a driven individual who can create value through effective leadership and management of Odyssey's strategic partnerships. He/she will work closely with internal and external stakeholders cross-functionally coordinating activities with internal working groups across R&D, business development, project management, legal and finance functions. The Director of Alliance Management will be responsible for shaping and managing obligations and leading specific alliance-related activities to maximize value and deliver results within deadlines. He/she will ensure agreement on goals, rules of engagement, committee structures, and business processes with the partner and facilitate an engagement model capable of systematically identifying and dealing with any partnership challenges that can arise.

In this role - you will work in a highly cross-disciplinary, fast-moving, and fluid environment, and will be drawing upon extensive experience in the biotech space. You will possess strong interpersonal skills with a strong work ethic and a desire to deliver.

As a critical member of the team, you will be a key voice in the evolution of Odyssey, offering opportunity for growth and impact. Odyssey prides itself as an exceptionally talented team with a broad range of skills. Together with your colleagues, you will help shape the Odyssey culture, strategic direction, and outcomes

Key Responsibilities

Program Management

• Proactively monitors contractual obligations and deliverables for both Odyssey and its alliance partner(s) to ensure responsibilities are met according to the agreed upon timeline.
• Understands the relevant contractual agreement(s) in detail, including strategic intent, obligations, and potential changes in partnership agreements. Leads the process for revising contractual agreements/amendments as necessary.
• Attends joint team meetings and/or on-site collaborator visits to stay abreast of joint team progress and tracking to contractual obligations; records minutes and action items from the meetings.
• Communicates effectively with relevant team and senior management to provide updates on status of alliance.

Alliance Management:

• Act as the primary point of contact for partner organizations, facilitating effective communication and collaboration.
• Plans and manages the operational aspects of the alliance, including joint governance committee, appropriate communications, coordination of activities and solving business problems.
• Proactively identifies potential issues and takes the lead to resolve them; gaining internal alignment and taking accountability for resolution with partner.
• Assists in the development of internal tools, systems, processes, and best practices for the smooth operation of the alliance management function.
• Collaborates with external partner's alliance managers and internal key stakeholders to establish a strong working relationship, ensure effective governance, successful execution of our partnered assets, and further establish Odyssey as a preferred strategic partner of choice.

Strategic Partnership Development:

• Actively identifies opportunities to improve the partnership.
• Participates in BD discussions to support new partnerships.
• Understands the partner's business objectives and how the companies align.
• Builds strong relationships with key stakeholders

Cross-functional Collaboration:

• Educates team members on contract terms, obligations, milestones and roles and responsibilities.
• Partners closely with Program Team leadership to ensure Odyssey is prepared for alliance interactions and strategic objectives of the alliance are met.
• Collaborates closely with internal stakeholders, including program teams, leadership, business development, legal, and finance teams, to ensure alignment of objectives and smooth execution of partnership goals and activities.
• Facilitates effective knowledge transfer between partner organizations and internal teams, fostering a culture of innovation and shared learning.
• Coordinates joint projects, meetings, and workshops, promoting active collaboration and synergy among cross-functional teams; tracks action items and timelines to complete.

Market and Competitive Analysis:

• Competitive intelligence relevant to deal
• Experience building and managing data rooms
• Analyzes market data and competitor activities to identify potential opportunities and threats.
• Provides strategic insights and recommendations to senior management regarding potential partnership initiatives and market expansion strategies.

About You

• Bachelor's Degree. Advanced life-science degree is strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of corporate development experience with 3+ years in an alliance management or similar multi-stakeholder project management role, ideally in a big pharma or biotech environment.
• Broad understanding of global pharmaceutical and biotech industries, with a solid understanding of drug discovery and development processes including regulatory, commercial, manufacturing and legal aspects.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams, including senior management members to achieve shared goals.
• Excellent interpersonal, networking and communication skills. Highly effective in leading by influence in a matrixed environment with the ability to earn the trust and respect of a range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently on both strategic and tactical levels with little to no day-to-day direct supervision of work.
• Ability to effectively prioritize work across diverse and dynamic set of deliverables.
• Ability to travel and work some off-business hours.