Executive Director of Biotherapeutics

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. We respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

About the role

Johnson & Johnson's Biologics Discovery, a Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., a division of Johnson & Johnson's Family of Companies is recruiting for an Executive Director of Biotherapeutics based in either Spring House, PA or Cambridge, MA.

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.

We are seeking an accomplished, visionary Executive Director to lead our Protein Design and function team. Reporting to the Global Head of Biologics Discovery, this strategic leader will be instrumental in shaping and executing industry-leading protein design and ensuring strong design-to-function outcomes for complex protein therapeutics. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with other functions within Biologics Discovery and the In Silico Discovery organization to leverage cutting-edge computational tools throughout the biologics discovery process. This role demands a proven innovator with a distinguished record of advancing complex biologics modalities, disrupting conventional discovery approaches, and consistently delivering groundbreaking molecules to clinical development.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Innovation: Define and articulate a competitive vision and strategy on function-first Lead Design that aligns with the company's overall R&D goals and therapeutic area priorities. Identify and champion novel scientific approaches and technological advancements to enhance the speed, efficiency, and success rate of biologics design achieving desired pharmacology, with a strong focus on end-to-end concept leveraging both internal and external capabilities.
• Scientific Oversight & Execution: Provide rigorous scientific oversight and strategic direction to all biologics protein sciences and design teams while working closely with Therapeutic Area partners. Ensure consistent success and delivery of pipeline while pushing industry pace and standard. Cultivate rapid data-driven decision-making and informed risk-taking culture.
• Technological Advancement & Disruption: Continuously evaluate and integrate state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies that can significantly improve or disrupt current biologics discovery paradigms. Partner seamlessly with In Silico Discovery partners to evaluate, advance, and integrate next-generation computational tools to significantly improve speed and success in complex reagent and therapeutic design and disease biology-relevant pharmacology.
• Talent Leadership & Development: Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of scientists and leaders. Foster a culture of accountability, scientific excellence, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning. Implement robust talent planning and development strategies to ensure the growth and retention of key personnel and build future leadership capabilities within the organization.
• Portfolio Management: Partner closely with Therapeutic Areas and Portfolio management team to prioritize discovery programs, research, and allocate resources effectively to build and deliver a robust and diverse pipeline of biologics.
• Competitive Landscape Awareness: Maintain a deep understanding of the competitive landscape, emerging trends, and potential disruptive technologies in the biologics discovery space. Leverage this intelligence to inform strategic planning and identify opportunities for differentiation. Work seamlessly with Johnson & Johnson External Innovation partners to bring innovation into the organization and continuously elevate our pipeline with Therapeutic Area partners.
• Collaboration & Communication: Foster strong collaborations in a matrixed organization, with internal research functions, translational science, development, and clinical teams. Effectively communicate research strategies, progress, and key findings to senior leadership, internal stakeholders, and external partners.
• Resource and Budget Management: Maximize and continuously optimize investment performance to ensure optimal operation and delivery on strategic objectives.
• External Representation: Represent the company externally at scientific conferences, in interactions with academic collaborators, and potential partners. Establish and invest in relevant external key opinion leader networks to foster next-generation technology and scientific discovery to enhance drug discovery.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Immunology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Computational Biology).
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in biologics within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, with a significant portion spent at a senior leadership level.
• Demonstrated Track Record of Innovation: Proven history of driving innovation in biologics, evidenced by contributions to successful drug candidates, publications in high-impact journals, patents, or the implementation of novel, impactful technologies and strategies. Specific examples of improving or disrupting traditional approaches in in vivo, in vitro discovery, and protein design are highly desirable.
• Expertise in Complex Biologics: In-depth understanding and experience in the discovery and design of complex biologic modalities (e.g., multispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, cell therapies, gene therapies, novel protein scaffolds) that is centered around target biology and MoA.
• Technological Leadership: A clear record of staying at the forefront of relevant technologies and successfully implementing new approaches that have demonstrably improved discovery processes and outcomes.
• Proven leadership experience managing multi-disciplinary teams of scientists and leaders.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills with the ability to translate scientific opportunities into actionable research strategies, and a strong record of successful delivery.
• Excellent execution skills with a focus on delivering high-quality results in an industry pace-setting manner.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze competitive landscapes and identify strategic opportunities.
• Exceptional talent management and development skills, with a passion for building and empowering high-performing teams.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization and with external partners.
• Experience managing significant departmental budgets and resources.
• Excel in fast-paced, matrixed, and global work environments.

Benefits

• The company maintains highly competitive, performance-based compensation programs.
• Eligible for an annual performance bonus in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan. The annual performance bonus is a cash bonus intended to provide an incentive to achieve annual targeted results by rewarding individual and corporate performance over a calendar/performance year. Bonuses are awarded at the Company’s discretion on an individual basis.
• Employees and/or eligible dependents may participate in the following Company-sponsored employee benefit programs: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, business accident insurance, and group legal insurance.
• Employees may be eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).
• Time Off Benefits:
  • Vacation – up to 120 hours per calendar year
  • Sick time - up to 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington – up to 56 hours per calendar year
  • Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays – up to 13 days per calendar year
  • Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year

Pay

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $173,000 to $299,000.