Director, AIRx External Partnership Management Lead

Director, AI Research Accelerator CRO & External Partnerships

Takeda Research is constructing a Lab of Tomorrow built on AI, automation, new ways of working, and talent with the singular vision of delivering differentiated medicines to the clinic at speed and cost. To catalyze these efforts, Takeda is creating two complementary units: AI Research Accelerator (AIRx) and Discovery Automation & Robotics (DAR).

AIRx will consist of a dedicated group of experienced drug hunters with the autonomy of a biotech and the resources of a leading pharmaceutical company. It is designed to incubate the future AI-powered operating models and deliver candidates to the clinic at industry leading speed and success rates.

Who are we looking for?

Can you go beyond managing a CRO relationship, developing true partnerships that can show acceleration of our programs, the development of new capabilities and executive skills to traverse the needs of an agile team in the environment of a pharmaceutical company with energy and an entrepreneurial mind-set.

Role Purpose

AIRx executes the majority of its wet-lab work externally — its speed, cost, and quality targets all depend on CROs operating as a true extension of the team. The Director, AIRx CRO & External Partnerships is the single accountable owner of all CRO relationships for AIRx.

This is not a contracting role. CROs must be actively managed with clear expectations, frequent direction-setting, real-time performance management, and direct accountability for milestones and quality. This role drives this through daily coordination with CRO teams, regular on-site presence at key partners (including periodic visits to domestic and international CROs), and tight integration with AIRx scientific leads.

This role owns the full external execution lifecycle — partner identification, contracting, data specification, and ongoing performance management — and ensures CRO outputs feed AIRx data systems in a format ready for AI/ML decision-making. The ideal candidate brings deep CRO landscape knowledge, an established external network, and the operational rigor to run multiple parallel partnerships at AIRx's pace and quality bar. This role will constructively challenge and execute operational effectiveness and be able to manage internal processes at speed and strategize sustainable approaches that scalable.

Accountabilities

Active CRO management

• Manage CROs with active oversight — not arm's-length vendor management. Set expectations, drive cadences, and hold partners directly accountable for milestones and quality.
• Maintain regular on-site presence at key CRO partners, including periodic visits to critical domestic and international partners; use site time to deepen relationships, resolve issues directly, and reinforce AIRx ways of working.
• Demonstrate and continuously improve speed of services with the required quality
• Drive daily and weekly coordination between CRO teams and AIRx scientific leads to ensure tight execution against shared milestones.
• Identify performance issues proactively — at the working level, before they become escalations — and resolve in real time to protect program timelines.

Partner selection & contracting

• Identify and evaluate CRO partners for chemistry, biology, DMPK, and other capabilities required by AIRx programs.
• Own contracts, SOWs, timelines, and quality standards; partner with Takeda procurement, legal, and alliance management as necessary.
• Build and maintain a preferred supplier network capable of responding at AIRx's pace and quality requirements.
• Develop innovative CRO capabilities through active partnerships that drive AIRx goals

Data, budget & landscape

• Coordinate data handoffs to ensure CRO outputs are captured in AIRx data systems (TetraScience, SAIL) in a standardized, decision-ready format suitable for AI/ML pipelines.
• Track and manage outsourcing spend across programs; provide budget visibility to Head of AIRx and Program Manager.
• Monitor the external CRO and innovation landscape for new capabilities, providers, and partnership models that strengthen AIRx execution.

Qualifications & Competencies

• Degree in life sciences or chemistry; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical outsourcing, CRO management, or alliance management within drug discovery; biotech experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrable experience in developing new capabilities and ways of working that drive innovation and accelerated outcomes with Outsourced partners.
• Deep knowledge of the CRO landscape across chemistry, biology, and DMPK capabilities; established personal network of CRO and external partner relationships.
• Proven track record actively managing complex, multi-CRO programs — not just contracting them — with urgency, rigor, and budget discipline.
• Hands-on, operational style; comfortable embedding in scientific team dynamics rather than managing at arm's length.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally on a regular basis.
• Strong contract negotiation, vendor management, and performance oversight skills.
• Experience supporting AI/ML-enabled or digital drug discovery programs strongly preferred; familiarity with data standardization requirements (TetraScience, FAIR data principles) a plus.

Additional Information

• The position will be based in Cambridge, MA. This position is currently classified as "hybrid" by Takeda's Hybrid and Remote Work policy
• Travel Requirement includes visits to critical domestic partners and quarterly visits to international partners

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary

We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. We are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices.

For Location:

Boston, MA

U.S. Base Salary Range:

$177,000.00 - $278,080.00

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.

For information about our benefits, please click here.

EEO Statement

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations

Boston, MA

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time