Senior Director - Open Innovation Lead
- United States - California - La Jolla
- United States - Washington – Bothell
- United States - Pennsylvania - Collegeville
- United States - New York - New York City
- United States - Missouri - St. Louis
- United States - Massachusetts - Cambridge
- United States - Connecticut - Groton
Use Your Power for Purpose
This role provides leadership for business development-related evaluations, with a particular emphasis on those in research and early clinical development. The position is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and facilitating the securing of drug candidates, technologies, and collaborations that accelerate research and early clinical development in alignment with the strategies of the four therapeutic areas. It also partners with the Discovery Network to champion the evaluation of artificial intelligence, computational technologies, and discovery technologies to enhance the work of Preclinical & Translational Sciences (P&TS) across modalities.
What You Will Achieve
In this role, you will:
- Serve as a strategic advisor to P&TS and Business Development leadership, shaping the identification, evaluation, and prioritization of high-impact external innovation and partnering opportunities that strengthen the research and early clinical pipeline and advance long-term portfolio objectives.
- Lead cross-functional strategic assessments of molecule-based opportunities, partnering with P&TS leadership, diligence teams, and Business Development to evaluate scientific, technical, and portfolio fit. Influence investment and partnership decisions through clear articulation of the strategic value, competitive advantage, and potential patient impact of external opportunities.
- Provide enterprise-level leadership in the evaluation of emerging technology platforms and capabilities, collaborating with P&TS leaders, Discovery Network stakeholders, and Business Development to assess opportunities across modalities and ensure alignment with future scientific and business strategies.
- Influence portfolio strategy and resource allocation decisions by advising senior leaders on the prioritization of internal and external preclinical and early clinical investments, balancing scientific opportunity, organizational capabilities, and business objectives.
- Drive strategic alignment across P&TS, fostering connectivity among senior leaders, therapeutic area teams, and functional partners to anticipate emerging scientific trends, align priorities, and inform portfolio and innovation strategies.
- Direct competitive landscape and scientific intelligence efforts, synthesizing external insights, market dynamics, and emerging science into actionable recommendations that guide portfolio strategy, diligence activities, and research investment decisions.
- Champion transformative innovation across P&TS, partnering with Discovery Network and functional leaders to identify, evaluate, and advance disruptive experimental, digital, AI-enabled, and computational approaches that accelerate discovery and early clinical development across existing and emerging modalities.
- Shape organizational culture and operating excellence within P&TS, fostering a high-performing environment characterized by collaboration, transparency, strategic thinking, and accountability while promoting alignment around enterprise priorities and portfolio vision.
Requirements
- PhD, MD-PhD, or PharmD with 12+ years of industry experience in research within one or more of Oncology, Immunology, or Metabolic Disease.
- Experience (5+ years) leading pre-clinical research teams to deliver multiple drug candidates (either small or large molecules) through both candidate nomination and IND filing.
- Experience with identifying and evaluating drug candidates to support business development.
- Experience with multiple internal/external partnerships in a biopharmaceutical environment.
- Current knowledge of trends in both drug discovery and translational development. Strong familiarity with the applicability of computational technologies to modern drug research & development.
- A proactive and strategic thinker, with strong data-driven decision-making skills
- Strong verbal, written, and presentation communication skills
- Highly collaborative with outstanding relationship building skills with both internal company leadership and external development partners.
- Has a global perspective and mindset, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and geographies.
- Capacity to adapt to a fast-paced and changing environment.
- Demonstrates a passion for both science and its application to help patients.
Organizational Relationships:
- Key point of contact for BD, P&TS Scientific Affairs & Strategy Lead, and P&TS due diligence teams as it relates to both drug candidate-based in-licensing and related partnering activities.
- Key collaborator for the Discovery Network as it relates to identification and evaluation of innovative approaches in research & early clinical development, including both lab-based and computational technologies.
- Coordinates with Scientific Operations team and key partners across P&TS to drive a clear and consistent communication rhythm of the Pfizer research and early clinical portfolio across therapeutic areas.
- Aligns with group leads of P&TS leadership and their direct reports on identifying opportunities for where external innovation can contribute to the development of Pfizer’s research & early clinical portfolio, including for alternative modalities.
Preferred Requirements
- Experience working in a global or multinational organization biopharma
- Deep knowledge of therapeutic areas relevant to Pfizer's portfolio
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously
- Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills
- High level of emotional intelligence and adaptability
- Strong leadership and team management capabilities
- Experience using common AI tools, including generative technologies such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, to support problem solving and enhance productivity. Demonstrated curiosity for exploring how these tools can improve outcomes and understanding of responsible AI practices, including risk management and ethical use
Candidate demonstrates a breadth of diverse leadership experiences and capabilities including: the ability to influence and collaborate with peers, develop and coach others, oversee and guide the work of other colleagues to achieve meaningful outcomes and create business impact.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Travel up to 20%
Relocation support available
Work Location Assignment: This is a hybrid role requiring you to live within commuting distance and work on-site an average of 2.5 days per week or more as needed.
#LI-PFE

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $214,900.00 to $358,100.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 22.5% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.



This role is posted in multiple locations. If you are applying for the role in an secondary job posting location where pay transparency regulations apply, your Talent Advisor will share the local pay information with you during the first interview.


Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.
U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.

Sunshine Act
Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider’s name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.
EEO & Employment Eligibility
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.
Pfizer endeavors to make www.pfizer.com/careers accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process and/or interviewing, please email disabilityrecruitment@pfizer.com. This is to be used solely for accommodation requests with respect to the accessibility of our website, online application process and/or interviewing. Requests for any other reason will not be returned.
To learn more about acceptable and prohibited uses of AI during the recruitment process, please review our candidate AI-use guidelines available on Pfizer Careers.

Bus Dev & Strategic Planning
Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives
Research confirms what intuition tells us: that purpose-driven companies perform better, are more innovative, attract and retain the best people, and know how to unleash the power of those people. Pfizer’s purpose—Breakthroughs that change patients' lives—fuels everything we do and reflects our passion for building on our legacy as one of the greatest contributors of good to the world.
Each word in our purpose has meaning and reflects the value we strive to bring to patients and society:
“Breakthroughs” - These are the innovations, scientific and commercial, that we seek to deliver every day. All colleagues, regardless of role, level or location, strive for breakthroughs every day.
“Change” - We want to do more than simply improve patients’ medical conditions; we want to dramatically change their lives for the better.
“Patients’ lives” - We consider not only patients, but everyone they touch—including their families, caregivers, and friends—and everything they love to do. It’s an intentionally holistic view.
Our purpose ensures that patients remain at the center of all we do. We live our purpose by sourcing the best science in the world; partnering with others in the healthcare system to improve access to our medicines; using digital technologies to enhance our drug discovery and development, as well as patient outcomes; and leading the conversation to advocate for pro-innovation/pro-patient policies.
Every decision we make and every action we take is done with the patient in mind—and to nurture an environment where breakthroughs can thrive.
Our Values
To fully realize Pfizer’s purpose, we have established a clear set of expectations regarding “what” we need to achieve for patients and “how” we will go about achieving those goals.
The “how” is represented by four simple, powerful values—courage, excellence, equity, and joy—that define our company and our culture.
Courage: Breakthroughs start by challenging convention, especially in the face of uncertainty or adversity. This happens when we think big, speak up, and are decisive.
Excellence: We can only change patients’ lives when we perform at our best together. This happens when we focus on what matters, agree who does what, and measure our outcomes.
Equity: We believe that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and cared for. This happens when we are inclusive, act with integrity, and reduce healthcare disparities.
Joy: We give ourselves to our work, but it also gives to us. We find joy when we take pride, recognize one another, and have fun.
Pfizer Research & Development
Pfizer Research & Development serves as the beating heart of Pfizer's trailblazing product pipeline, the essence of our mission to bring life-changing medicines to the world.
With an unwavering commitment to innovation, we use a multidisciplinary approach that blends scientific expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and strategic collaborations, igniting a powerful engine that propels groundbreaking discoveries into life-saving treatments for patients in need.
Through our relentless pursuit of progress, we envision a future where cutting-edge medicines pave the way to healthier, happier lives worldwide.
Benefits at Pfizer
Pfizer offers competitive compensation and benefits programs designed to meet the diverse needs of our colleagues. Our Pay for Performance Philosophy and Practices reward colleagues based on the contributions they make to our business.
Our Competitive Benefits Programs help our colleagues by:
- Promoting Health and Wellness to help colleagues maintain and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Pfizer offerings include health and disability insurance, preventative health programs, medical screenings, free or reduced-cost vaccinations, discounts on Pfizer products, mental health support, nutrition and fitness counseling and more.
- Strengthening Colleagues’ Financial Security by providing company contributions to retirement plans, life insurance and financial planning education to help colleagues achieve their financial goals.
- Providing Benefits and Time off for the Moments that Matter to ensure Pfizer colleagues have the time away from the office to recharge, recover and return to work as the best version of themselves. Vacation, Holiday time and Sick time are just the beginning, with a 12 week parental leave policy for both parents of a new born, 10 day of caregiver leave for those times when your family needs you whether it’s a child, spouse or parent, bereavement leave, and additional country-specific programs.
- And so much more, depending on your country and site, Pfizer offers childcare facilities or discount programs, on-site health and/or fitness centers, movement and mindfulness solutions, “Log in for your Day” work flexibility and so much more.
For U.S. based jobs, view an overview of Pfizer’s U.S. benefits program (opens in a new window)