Careers at Editas

Director/Senior Director, Alliance Management – 1134 – Cambridge, MA

Job Description

Location — Cambridge, MA

What if you could repair broken genes? That is the question we ask ourselves at Editas Medicine. We’re focused on translating the power and potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cpf1 (also known as Cas12a) genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of medicines for people living with serious diseases around the world. Our goal is to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize trans-formative, durable, precision genomic medicines for many diseases.

We’re looking for talented, dedicated, passionate people to join our team and help us pioneer this field and do big, bold things that have never been achieved before.

Are you full of hope, possibilities, and a belief that, working together, we can truly revolutionize the development of medicines to help patients around the world. If the answer is yes, then Editas Medicine is the place for you.

We are seeking an experienced alliance management professional to serve as the key interface between Editas and its partners and to enable both parties to realize the full potential of each alliance. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience managing multi-program corporate alliances, as well as alliances with academic institutions and technology-driven peers. In addition, experience as the alliance manager at the smaller company in a significant corporate alliance is also desirable. This role is highly cross-functional and will report to the Vice President of Business Development, with the Senior Director, Alliance Management being a key member of both the finance and business development teams.

Responsibilities
1. Work with new and existing partners to ensure that Editas and the partner achieve our goals in the alliance.
o Ensure proactive and effective communication and governance. Coordinate across both organizations to meet both the letter and the spirit of the alliance governance provisions. Understand the partner’s internal people, roles, and decision-making processes in order to proactively engage with them to make decisions, as well as to know how and when to best engage as unexpected events emerge.
o Develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of each contract as well as any associated or related contracts. Ensure we are adhering to our obligations and that our partner is adhering to theirs, including resourcing, finances, timelines, reports and information-sharing, disclosures, and decision-making.
o While keeping a close eye on the contractual commitments and boundaries, maintain a wider perspective and continually consider the principles, spirit, and long-term goals of the alliance in order to ensure we are always driving towards those objectives.
o Identify issues and opportunities that are “extra-contractual” and work both internally and with the partner to construct a path forward to address or capitalize on them.
o Coordinate external communication plans and execution to ensure critical information is shared in timely manner and to enable each party to effectively communicate with third parties in a meaningful manner.
o Foster alliance management understanding and skills across the organization.

2. Contribute to the development and execution of durable, effective alliances by partnering with team members in business development to help structure th right relationships before they begin and to ensure contract language represents feasible deliverables for Editas and for our partners.

3. Lead alliance renegotiation as opportunities for improvement arise. Lead process and decision-making around the conclusion of alliances when they reach the end of their term or any other termination event.

Requirements

• BS with 12+ years, or advanced degree with 8+ years in biotech or pharmaceutical environments. Minimum of 5 years in alliance management required.
• Track record of having managed successful alliances, as well as a desire and ability to perform both at a strategic leadership level as well as in a hands-on capacity.
• Thorough understanding of contracts.
• MBA and potentially other advanced scientific degrees or training preferred.
• Strong general management and leadership qualities and experience working to influence across the company.
• Thorough understanding of the drug development process and working knowledge of the essential activities for all key functional areas.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, including specifically, the skills needed to manage difficult conversations and interactions as they arise.
• Ability to work with scientific team members at all levels.