R&D External Innovation Director

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MAIN FOCUS AND MISSION:

Servier is committed to strengthening its pipeline in Oncology and Neurology through focused internal R&D and high-impact external partnerships. Building trusted relationships across the world’s leading innovation ecosystems is essential to identifying differentiated science, technologies and therapeutic opportunities and bringing them to patients faster.

To support Servier’s development in Japan and its growing engagement across Asia-Pacific, we are seeking a Senior Director, External Innovation, Japan. Based in Tokyo, the role will lead Servier’s engagement with the Japanese life-sciences ecosystem and identify innovative therapeutic assets, scientific collaborations and technology opportunities aligned with Servier’s global R&D and Business Development priorities.

The successful candidate will act as a key local interface between R&D External Innovation, Global Business Development, the Japan Business Development Director, Japan R&D and other relevant local and global functions. The role will ensure that opportunities sourced in Japan are effectively qualified, aligned with global therapeutic-area roadmaps and transferred to the appropriate global project or deal lead, while maintaining continuity with partners throughout evaluation phases.

The position reports to the Head of Global R&D External Innovation, based in Paris-Saclay, France, and operates in close and structured alignment with Global Business Development and the Japan Business Development Director. As Servier’s presence and partnering activity in Asia-Pacific continue to develop, the scope may evolve to include coordination or leadership of selected regional External Innovation and partnering activities.

Responsibilities and duties:

Ecosystem strategy and presence

•  Develop and execute a Japan External Innovation and partnering plan derived from Servier’s global R&D, therapeutic-area and Business Development roadmaps.

• Build and continuously update a comprehensive understanding of the Japanese life-sciences ecosystem, including scientific centres of excellence, academic institutions, technology transfer offices, biotechs, pharmaceutical companies, venture funds, incubators, bioclusters and public innovation bodies.

•  Establish trusted, long-term relationships with priority ecosystem stakeholders and position Servier as an accessible, credible and preferred partner.

•  Represent Servier at selected scientific, innovation and partnering forums, in coordination with R&D External Innovation, Global Business Development, Japan leadership and Communications.

Opportunity sourcing, qualification and triage

•  Identify therapeutic assets, research collaborations, platform technologies and other partnering opportunities aligned with Servier’s strategic priorities.

•  Conduct initial scientific and strategic qualification, including fit with roadmaps, differentiation, development stage, ownership, competitive context and partner expectations.

•  Ensure timely documentation and introduction of relevant opportunities into Servier’s global screening, triage and evaluation processes.

•  Develop proactive mappings of priority scientific areas and monitor emerging technologies, new company creation, financing activity and changes in the Japanese innovation landscape.

Partnership with Global Business Development

•  Act as the Japan-based relay for Global Business Development and the Japan Business Development Director, providing local intelligence and access to relevant companies, executives, investors and other decision-makers.

•  Participate in relevant therapeutic-area triage and evaluation forums and contribute Japan-specific insights throughout scouting and assessment.

•  Support partner meetings, management interactions and selected workstreams during evaluations and negotiations, maintaining continuity between the locally sourced relationship and the global project or deal lead.

•  Where agreed with Global Business Development, coordinate or lead selected Japan-based activities for specific opportunities, while respecting the accountability of the designated global project or deal lead.

• Help identify and advance Japan-for-global, APAC-for-global and global-for-Japan partnering opportunities.

Cross-functional and regional coordination

•  Maintain structured alignment with R&D External Innovation, Global Business Development, Japan R&D, clinical, regulatory, commercial, medical and affiliate stakeholders.

• Facilitate transparent information sharing, clear allocation of responsibilities and consistent external communication across External Innovation, Business Development and local teams.

•  Support visits and engagement programmes for global Servier leaders and teams in Japan.

• Contribute to APAC ecosystem intelligence and selected regional initiatives in cooperation with colleagues in China, South Korea, Australia and other relevant markets.

•  As the organisation develops, potentially assume broader coordination or leadership responsibilities for selected APAC External Innovation and partnering activities.

Intelligence, reporting and impact

•  Provide concise, decision-relevant updates on the Japanese scientific and partnering landscape, including macro-trends, competitive activity, ecosystem gaps and emerging opportunities.

•  Maintain a clear view of the local opportunity funnel, relationship priorities and progress against agreed objectives.

•  Contribute to global External Innovation and Business Development planning, governance preparation and portfolio discussions.

•  Propose measurable annual objectives covering ecosystem access, quality of sourced opportunities, progression through triage and evaluation, partner engagement and contribution to global deals or collaborations.

Desired qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Life Sciences, Medicine or a related scientific discipline; PhD or MD strongly preferred.

•  Typically 12+ years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical R&D, biotechnology, Search & Evaluation, External Innovation, technology transfer, venture investing or life-sciences Business Development.

• Demonstrated ability to assess scientific opportunities and translate complex science into clear partnering recommendations.

•  Experience supporting cross-functional evaluations, due diligence activities, research collaborations, option-based transactions or licensing processes.

•  Strong understanding of drug discovery and development, ideally in oncology, neuroscience or rare diseases, and familiarity with relevant therapeutic modalities.

•  Established credibility and network across the Japanese life-sciences ecosystem, including academia, technology transfer offices, biotechs, pharmaceutical companies, investors, incubators and public innovation bodies.

• Experience working across Japanese and global decision-making environments, with the cultural fluency required to build trust and navigate complex stakeholder dynamics.

•  Native-level Japanese and full professional fluency in English.

Leadership and collaboration skills:

•  Ability to operate with autonomy while contributing actively to global, regional and cross-functional teams.

•  Strong collaboration and influencing skills in a matrix organisation, with the ability to align scientific, business and local stakeholders around common priorities.

• Sound judgement and the ability to distinguish promising science from actionable partnering opportunities.

• Strong programme and process management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities and maintain disciplined follow-through.

• Excellent relationship-building, networking and partnering skills, with credibility across scientific, executive and investor audiences.

•  High cultural intelligence and the ability to bridge Japanese and global communication and decision-making practices.

•  Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to articulate complex science and partnering recommendations clearly and concisely.

Location and travel:

This position is based at Servier Japan headquarters in Tokyo. Frequent travel within Japan and periodic international travel across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States will be required.

Whatever your area of expertise, your work within the Servier Group helps advance therapeutic progress for the benefit of patients. You will be part of teams recognized for their scientific excellence and reach your full potential in a professional environment that encourages you to develop yourself. Tailor-made onboarding journeys, mobility opportunities, quality trainings, responsible management, team spirit... All this and more in a workplace focused on your well-being.

At Servier, we are committed to therapeutic progress to serve patient needs. We put the diversity of our employees as a source of richness for the fulfillment of this vocation.