Scientific Vice President - Obesity Research

About the Department

Our Research & Development organization brings together the best minds in life science innovation. The teams located in facilities in Greater Boston and Greater Copenhagen reflect the full R&D continuum, from early research through late-stage clinical development. Here, we are building for the future, creating a distinct R&D community based on collaboration, partnerships, and cutting-edge research across multiple modalities and therapeutic areas. We recognize that improving human health starts here and that patients rely on us. Our R&D hub merges biotech speed and agility with large pharmaceutical company quality, resources, and stability, uniting the best of both worlds to develop new medicines for patients.

The Position

Diabetes, Obesity, & Mash Therapeutic Area (DOM TA) is engaged in accelerating the path of novel cardiometabolic therapies for clinical development within Novo Nordisk. A main focus is discovery and evaluation of novel targets that can modulate cardiometabolic disease and advance the projects to deliver to the NN pipeline. The therapeutic area (TA) teams collaborate closely with the teams in DOM TA and Novo Nordisk sites around the globe.  The Scientific Vice President (Sci VP) of Obesity Research will drive a high level of scientific innovation in the therapy area of responsibility to assure the team is on the right path to support Novo Nordisk's therapeutic area aspirations. This is achieved through strong familiarity of state-of-the-art technologies and scientific trends that will position Novo Nordisk as a leader in the drug discovery efforts based on human centric approaches to build a sustainable and transformative pipeline.

The Scientific VP will secure the generation of the key scientific questions that will drive increase in disease understanding that will enable discovery of pathways and targets to fuel the pipeline growth.

Key responsibilities include: Represent Diabetes, Obesity, MASH Global Research (DOMGR) on key Novo Nordisk human centric E2E strategy and execution. Scientific VP driving innovation in DOMGR. Provide scientific support and guidance to scientific coordinators within the DOMGR. Be a scientific coordinator for determined projects.

This position may be located in either the US or Denmark. 

Relationships

Reports to the Corporate Vice President of Diabetes, Obesity & MASH Global Research (DOMGR) and will be a member of the DOMGR Leadership Team.

Position holder is viewed as a Novo Nordisk scientific expert within obesity/cardiometabolic disease and as a result of that has direct influence on many internal and external stakeholders. Position holder will furthermore have frequent interaction with KOLs and other key external stakeholders and potential collaborators.

Key Stakeholders are: DOM TA LT, Research & Early Development (R&ED) LT, Development, Commercial, Global translation, TDE, Therapy area heads. National and international KOLs. Academic institutions, globally. External partners.

This is an individual contributor role and holds no direct people management responsibility.

Essential Functions

• Drive innovation in obesity and cardiometabolic disease via human integrated evidence generation approach; as such working with the DOMGR head and LT to drive the scientific direction of the therapy area and research strategy
• Ensure human data (genetics, multiomics, cohort datasets) are used effectively to drive target selection and portfolio project via digital/AI technology platforms
• Challenge projects scientifically in the early and late portfolio and as such assure the scientific rigor and quality of the project work as well as data packages to increase confidence in project relevance to derive value potential for the right patient population
• Scientific responsibility in the therapeutic area research strategy discussions assuring that the key areas of unmet need are pursued as well as assuring the TA research strategy has elements translatable to the research organization for future execution
• Work together with the leadership and the cross-functional partners to identify scientific gaps in research direction as well as capabilities to mitigate and reduce gaps
• Identify external groups for potential collaboration to mitigate gaps and/or increase pipeline
• Champion external opportunities through different internal committees to assure scientific case is made to support entering external opportunity
• Communication:
  • Communicate in a structured and well-articulated way, the scientific rationale behind scientific strategy to the key members of research committees, peers as well as key collaborators within the Novo Nordisk network
  • Position holder must make sure to keep regular contact to KOL’s within obesity world-wide making sure we have access to their knowledge – this contact must be based on valid scientific hypothesis and requires constantly keeping up to date on the newest relevant science

Physical Requirements

International & Domestic Travel. 25% overnight travel required.

Qualifications

• Education:
  • PhD required. Degree within chemistry, pharmaceutical or biology preferred
• Experience:
  • 15+ years of relevant experience required

• Relevant experience may include:
  • Scientific, and general business experience, the majority of which from the pharmaceutical or related industry
  • Experience with the drug development and life cycle management process, preferably from direct participation in project teams and cross-functional teamwork through substantial parts of the product development life cycle
  • Experience in delivering targets and exploratory biomarkers through application of human genetics and omics in patient studies and population studies
  • Working in a project oriented, international matrix organization
  • Track record in drug development within obesity/cardiometabolic disease either by pharma background or in academia
  • Strong international network with access to KOLs
• Personal skills:
  • Scientific or people leadership experience, project and sub-team level
  • Ability to work very independently
  • The position holder must have strong network and interpersonal skills combined with the ability to impact and influence both scientist and top management
  • The position holder must have excellent communication and presentation skills to engage with the key internal and external stakeholders
  • Ability and willingness to quickly adjust to new situations in a continuously developing environment
  • Team oriented personality with high degree of flexibility and cross-cultural awareness
  • Ability to network within Novo Nordisk as well as externally to advance the Company’s objectives

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk we recognize that it is no longer good enough to aspire to be the best company in the world. We need to aspire to be the best company for the world and we know that this is only possible with talented employees with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and cultures. We are therefore committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates the diversity of our employees, the patients we serve and communities we operate in. Together, we’re life changing.

Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.

If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.