Associate Dean, Corporate Partnerships and Innovation

EXM: 16

Job Summary:

The Associate Dean, Corporate Partnerships and Innovation provides executive-level leadership for the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM) corporate engagement enterprise, including industry-funded research and clinical trials, and supports research innovation and commercialization pathways through a partnership with the Innovation and New Ventures Office (INVO).

The position is housed in Feinberg Development and Alumni Relations, reporting to the FSM Vice Dean and Northwestern Medicine Executive for Development, with a formal strategic partnership with the Associate Vice President for Innovation and New Ventures (INVO). As a senior manager and leader, the Associate Dean works closely with faculty to plan, implement, and continually enhance programs, activities and alliances to foster research and innovation. The person in this role sets strategic vision and long term partnership direction for the medical school, and collaborates with NU Sponsored Research, Corporate Engagement, NUCATS, and clinical research operations to develop integrated, high impact partnerships.

*Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $174,928.00 - $228,646.00 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Sets long-term strategy for corporate engagement, including multi-year partnership planning and alignment with institutional research priorities.
• Develops strategic frameworks and decision structures to evaluate new partnerships, prioritize opportunities, and guide commercialization pathways.
• Provides leadership for enterprise-level corporate engagement goals in collaboration with senior Feinberg leadership, INVO, and additional university partners.
• Oversees strategic communications positioning FSM research capabilities to industry.
• Develops a formal strategic partnership with INVO to build commercialization pathways, enhance licensing readiness, and support new venture opportunities; co-develops translational criteria and stage-gate processes

Collaboration

• Collaborates with multiple internal University partners on resource integration, structures, and compliance. Key internal relationships include:
• FSM Vice Dean for Scientific Affairs and Graduate Education
• NU Sponsored Research
• NU Corporate Engagement
• NU Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute
• Northwestern Medicine (NM) clinical research operations
• Additional institutes and centers within the Feinberg School of Medicine
• Engages department chairs, center directors, and faculty to identify strategic opportunities.
• Cultivates executive-level relationships with senior corporate executives and R&D leaders across biotech, pharma, medtech, and related industries.
• Provides strategic input on master research agreements governed by NU Sponsored Research; ensures alignment between corporate partnerships, faculty research strengths, clinical trial needs, and commercialization potential.

Corporate Partnerships and Program Development

• Develops and leads the Feinberg operating model and governance structures for industry partnership; collaborates with Northwestern's Corporate Engagement office to accommodate expansion of industry partnerships beyond the medical school.
• Provides strategic oversight of corporate research partnership pipelines and evaluates high-impact opportunities aligned with Feinberg and Northwestern priorities.
• Cultivates and manages senior-level corporate relationships for complex, multi-program collaborations.
• Oversees proposals and partnership structures supporting research funding, technology translation, and clinical trials.
• Develops strategy for industry-sponsored clinical trials; cultivates sponsor relationships; expands trial opportunities aligned with Feinberg priorities.
• Ensures coordination among faculty, Sponsored Research, INVO, and industry during proposal development and execution.
• Guides negotiations on research programs, IP alignment, pilot collaborations, and translational initiatives.

Events

• Leads executive-level corporate engagement events and site visits.
• Coordinates participation of deans, senior leadership, and faculty for complex engagements.
• Ensures follow-up actions and long-term engagement plans from strategic meetings.

Administration

• Oversees preparation of high-level briefings, opportunity summaries, and major partnership proposals.
• Ensures cross-functional coordination for reporting, compliance review, tracking, and stewardship.
• Leads cross-unit data integration for corporate partnerships and commercialization pathways.
• Maintains oversight of partnership metrics and enterprise-level dashboards.

Budget

• Provides strategic oversight for budgets related to corporate partnerships, innovation initiatives, and related activities.
• Aligns financial planning with long-term partnership strategy and commercialization goals.
• Projects multi-year partnership revenue streams, industry funding trends, and resource requirements with administrative leaders.

Supervisory

• Supervises staff responsible for corporate partnerships and innovation functions.
• Provides leadership, coaching, strategic goal development, and performance evaluation.
• Oversees cross-functional teams and collaborates with faculty and administrative leaders to advance institutional priorities.

Miscellaneous

Performed other duties

Minimum Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• Doctorate degree (PhD, MD, or equivalent senior scientific/industry experience) in a scientific discipline with experience in the industrial setting.
• 10+ years' progressive leadership in biotech, pharma, medtech, life sciences, corporate partnerships, commercialization, or related innovation-intensive sectors.
• Significant experience leading complex academic-industry collaborations, research partnerships, or commercialization initiatives.
• Leadership in corporate engagement, commercialization strategy, and industry-academic collaboration.
• Expertise in life sciences industry partnership development; strong negotiation, strategic planning, persuasive communication, and stakeholder management.
• Ability to collaborate across complex industry and/or academic structures.
• Strong knowledge of IP, research compliance, and industry norms.
• Interest in the business of higher education and research.
• Demonstrated competency in management responsibilities including strategic planning, leadership, financial stewardship and organizational teamwork.
• Proven communication, interpersonal, and analytic skills.
• An appreciation and expectation for responsiveness, follow-through, and accountability.

Preferred Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• Formal training in biomedical research collaborating across disciplines, and/or experience in industry strategic alliances and business development.
• Experience in industry, with proven success in collaborating with academic institutions.
• Previous management in a university or industry environment.
• A leadership style that is inspirational, confident, and committed to team building.
• An appropriate level of risk taking.
• A capacity for vision and innovation to deal effectively with the continually changing world of medicine.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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