Senior Director, Scientific Partnerships and Alliances

The Allen Institute accelerates science for a healthier world through large-scale research designed to answer some of the most complex questions in biology. Our multi-disciplinary teams generate foundational knowledge, tools, and data to understand how our brain, cells, and immune system work. We share our work openly so others can build on it, move faster, and ask bigger questions. We drive discovery forward and create new possibilities for improving human health.

The Brain Health Accelerator (BHA) is building a new model for collaborative brain disease research, by bringing together human-centered discovery, advanced technologies and computational approaches, open science, and translational development across neurodegenerative diseases. BHA is designed as collaborative ecosystem with the hub centered at the Allen Institute, spanning discovery science, technology development, patient and disease communities, with the aim of accelerating progress forwards therapeutic translation for neurodegenerative disorders. Achieving these goals will require partnerships that extend far beyond the walls of the Allen Institute and new models for working together across disciplines, diseases and constituencies.

The Senior Director, Scientific Alliances & Partnerships will be a senior member of the BHA leadership team and play a critical role in translating this vision into a strategy for external collaboration and partnership to support our mission of connecting discovery to translation and impact for patients. Working closely with BHA’s senior leadership team, the broader BHA scientific team and partners across the Allen Institute, this role with shape partnership strategy; build and steward relationships with researchers, consortia, disease and patient communities, funders, technology organizations and industry and be a bridge between the BHA scientific team and partners in the scientific community.

The role combines scientific strategy, relationship building, program development and organizational leadership. This is a senior level role that will not only manage an existing portfolio but partner to build BHA’s partnership strategy and alliance management functions from the ground up and actively shape both how BHA partners and what it becomes as it grows into a global collaborative initiative and ecosystem.

At the Allen Institute, we believe that science is for everyone – and should be open to everyone. We are dedicated to combating biases and reducing barriers to STEM careers more broadly.

We also believe that science is better when it includes different perspectives and voices. We strive to make the Allen Institute a place where everyone feels like they belong and are empowered to do their best work in a supportive environment.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and strongly encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our open positions.

• PhD or equivalent scientific experience
• Significant leadership experience in complex biomedical research environments, which could be academic, industry or not-for-profit science relevant organizations
• Success developing and leading multi-institutional scientific partnerships
• Experience building relationships, systems and practices from the ground up, with judgement and perspective
• Scientific fluency in disciplines relevant to BHA (neuroscience, neurodegenerative disease, molecular/genomic approaches)
• Experience with engaging credibly with a range of external stakeholders, including scientists, funders and organizational leaders
• Demonstrated ability to work and partner effectively across a complex organization. You will be working in a highly matrixed environment, with a range of internal partners, including program management, scientific operations, business development, finance, legal, sponsored research
• Proven advanced communication skills and ability to translate science and strategy to range of stakeholders and partners
• Experience with navigating ambiguity and influence across organizational boundaries and within a highly matrixed environment; manage diverse constituencies and navigate challenges and disagreements

• Experience with large scale-collaborative science, therapeutic development, public-private partnerships or research consortia management
• Experience developing funding strategies and cultivating funder relationships around ambitious scientific programs, partnerships, or initiatives
• Ideally experience across more than one sector (industry, academia, not-for-profit organization)
• Experience building and leading a high-performance team while working effectively through a very collaborative, highly matrixed organization

• Fine motor movements in fingers/hands to operate computers and other office equipment

• This role is currently able to work both remotely and onsite in a hybrid work environment. We are a Washington State employer, and the primary work location for all Allen Institute employees is 615 Westlake Ave N.; any remote work must be performed in Washington State.

Travel

• Occasional attendance and participation in national and international conferences required [note that travel may not be required to attend]

• Please include a cover letter with your application
• **Please note, this opportunity offers relocation assistance**
• **Please note, this opportunity does not sponsor work visas**

$227,550 - $298,650 *

* Final salary depends on the required education for the role, experience, level of skills relevant to the role, and work location, where applicable.