Posted: 13 April 2022
Innovation – Company Creation – New Role
Our Client
WEHI is one of Australia’s leading and pre-eminent biomedical research organisations at the forefront of innovation. They have a commitment to excellence and investment in research, advanced technologies and developing new medicines and diagnostics. Their strategic plan is to further develop the entrepreneurial culture and capabilities across their organisation.
The Opportunity
This newly created role will build on WEHI’s recent successful efforts to develop the entrepreneurial mindset. Your key remit will be to promote, develop, lead and support the entrepreneurship growth mindset across the organisation. You will have the capability to identify and create new companies either independently (start-ups) or based on our client’s intellectual property (spinouts).
Internally, you will work with the BDO team, internal departments and with the scientists, to foster culture change and facilitate preparation of business plans and creation of new ventures.
Externally, you will work with investors, VC firms and other strategic partners to create companies, access capital and negotiate associated business terms. You will maintain and develop policies around entrepreneurship and support other team members in the establishment of best practices for new company creation.
The Requirements
- Extensive experience in business development in an academic or commercial environment.
- Track record in drafting and delivering business plans, and successful company creation in the life science area.
- A successful track record in securing funding from and negotiating commercialisation agreements with commercial, academic and government partners.
- Ability to build and manage relationships with a broad range of academic, clinical, and professional stakeholders, together with the aptitude to interact with both technical and non-technical group’s.
- Strong presentation and public speaking skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop strong networks.
- A PhD degree in a science-based discipline relevant to the pharmaceutical or biotechnology areas with significant laboratory research experience and significant commercial experience.
- Track record in developing and managing Entrepreneurship programs in academic or commercial environments.
- Excellent knowledge of key therapeutic areas in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry in terms of both market value drivers / unmet medical needs and benchmark licensing or acquisition deals.
- A well-developed understanding of the drivers of research, biomedical industry, and healthcare dynamics.
- A proven track record of high level analytical, conceptual problem solving and research project management.
- Good understanding of company governance. GAICD or similar an advantage.
The Offer
WEHI’s medical researchers have been serving the community for more than 100 years. They are committed to solving the most complex health problems and making transformative discoveries for cancer, infectious and immune diseases, developmental disorders, and healthy ageing.
This is a new & exciting opportunity to support WEHI to further embed entrepreneurship into their culture.
Please email your cover letter & CV to careers@mexec.com. Confidential enquiries to Marilyn Jones on 1300 0 MEXEC. Relocation available.
