Reporting to the Director of Licensing and Contracts, the Associate Director of Licensing will 1) manage, mentor and train a team of Licensing staff, 2) oversee IP management and agreement negotiation by team members and be accountable for collaborative work by team members with new business development leaders within Innovation and across DFCI, 3) be accountable for the quality and accuracy of the work of their direct reports, and 4) provide input to the Innovation Leadership Team on department and institution-wide initiatives and processes. 

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals. 

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Intellectual Property

• Accountable for the management of the portfolio of technologies assigned to their team, possesses high-level knowledge of the IP portfolio for the entire team, represents portfolio of team to internal and external stakeholders, and is often the final decision maker on portfolio management and IP strategy for the team.
• Possesses robust knowledge of IP law that is integrated into daily work, suggests and contributes to creative solutions, and collaborates with IP counsel to proactively strengthen IP position.

Agreements/Transactions

• Utilizes all institutional templates, as well develops draft agreements when a suitable template is not available. Identifies needs for contract language and templates and contributes to their development.
• Independently negotiates all agreement types, with a primary focus on supporting such work by team members. Guides and advises team members in creating appropriate term sheets for deals.
• Integrates knowledge of IP law into negotiation of all contracts. Consults and collaborates with DFCI business leaders and OGC, when appropriate, to structure deals relating to new business development.
• Resource for DFCI colleagues external to Innovation on templates, best practices, and policies.

Business Development

• Oversees development of presentations on DFCI technology by team members incorporating faculty input and works with Innovation Leadership Team to identify opportunities within the team portfolio for new business development
• Establishes new relationships each year with industry contacts and maintains dialogue for purposes of future collaboration or licensing. Primary business contact for specific business partners.
• Leverages existing business network to enter into new collaborations and licenses.
• Accountable for work by senior team members to: operationalize and/or refine existing and new alliances and for ongoing management of such relationships by team members. 
• Supports and advises team members who are leading negotiations for agreements required to establish or maintain an alliance

PI Relationship Management/Communication

• Independently responds to inquiries from PIs and other parties, including on behalf of direct reports as needed or delegates follow up as appropriate to team members.
• Drafts complex but concise and clear written messages
• Accountable for coordination of meetings with PIs and other parties by team members, supports team member leading discussions.
• As applicable to specific deals on their team, accountable for proactive relationship management by team members post agreement execution. Manages at least one institution-wide relationship with a third party post agreement execution.
• Supports team members on all of the above in difficult situations, including direct participation in meetings and discussions if necessary.
• Articulates and is responsible for educating PIs and external parties on institutional policies and practices. Instructs team members and is accountable for compliance by team members to policies and best practices.
• Possesses the ability to gain the trust of PIs supported across the team

Leadership

• Accountable for compliance by team to applicable policies and SOPs
• Tracks metrics for his/her team

MINIMUM JOB QUALIFICATIONS:                  

• Bachelor’s degree in business, law or science required; an advanced degree, such as a Master’s or PhD preferred.
• 5 years of direct licensing experience in academic technology transfer, or in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and/or technology industries required.
• Evaluation of deal sheet required to determine experience and assess competencies of transactions and demonstrated IP knowledge.
• Prior experience in managerial role overseeing others in contract negotiation and IP management required.
• Existing relationships within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and/or technology industries preferred.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong.  As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty and staff.  Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply. 

EEO Statement 

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other groups as protected by law.