Business Operations Lead- External Innovation

Role Summary

The Business Operations Lead, External Innovation (EI) is a strategic and essential role responsible for delivering Biomedical Research’s external innovation and academic collaboration strategy with efficiency and compliance. The BR Business Operations Lead supports the BR EI team’s goals by leading core operational responsibilities, supporting the Global Head of Academic Partnership and External Innovation, aligning resources, and engaging with the wider BR community. Location: Cambridge, MA.

Responsibilities

• Strategic and operational impact: Implement external innovation and academic collaboration strategy efficiently and compliantly; interface with key stakeholders, including Disease Areas (DAs)/Functional Areas (FAs), Ethics Risks and Compliance (ERC), Legal, Finance, academia, and Heads of Operations, aligning projects, resources, and priorities; as a member of the EI Leadership Team, facilitate complex coordination and process improvement; lead cross-functional projects within AP&EI to support BR’s and DAs/FAs’ strategic interests with academic partners (e.g., Early Career Investigator Program, Lead for EI workstreams, Lean In sessions, EI Updates; Offsite ownership: lead working group for setting agenda, logistics, and host for the offsite).
• Governance of the External Scientific Monetary Support Program (ESMSP): Critical in governance of BR’s ESMSP and fully accountable for the External Scientific Monetary Sponsorship Fund; lead the Global Sponsorship Governance Committee meetings; manage the GEMS database ensuring compliance, audit readiness, and reduced reputational risk; review and triage external sponsorship requests (>150/year) for ESMS, collaborating with DAs/FAs, ERC, and Finance to develop funding strategies and ensure legal compliance (validity of the requestor and engagement with the ERC country representative for country code compliance).
• Visibility, Branding, And Partner Experience: Centralize activities shaping BR’s external image, review COMMS third-party requests, prepare partnering materials, brochures, presentations, and web presence; coordinate events at partnering conferences and government delegation visits; serve on panels based on topic.
• Leadership support and financial stewardship: Provide reliable operational and executive support for the Global Head of AP&EI, including complex internal and external engagements, leadership meetings, travel, and onboarding; plan, track, and optimize the global EI budget with Finance to ensure spending is aligned with strategy and transparently managed.

Qualifications

• Required: Must be able to maintain confidentiality on sensitive matters as needed
• Required: Previous experience in preparing presentations, partnering brochures, web design
• Required: Able to multitask and prioritize multiple responsibilities and projects, and flexibility to adapt to changing priorities
• Required: Strong organizational abilities and time management skills with keen attention to detail
• Required: Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and align interests of multiple parties
• Required: Strong interpersonal skills, high level of self-motivation and drive
• Required: Excellent written and oral communication skills

Education

• Required: B.S. or B.A. in a science or business-related field
• Preferred: Master’s degree in a science or business-related field

Skills

• MS Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint proficiency and SharePoint/database design experience
• Experience preparing presentations, partnering brochures, web design
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work cross-functionally
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills with keen attention to detail