Director, Licensing & Business Development – Hospital for Sick Children

The Vortechs Group has been exclusively retained to find the next Director, Licensing & Business Development, at the Hospital for SickKids.

Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada’s most research-intensive hospital.

The Industry Partnership & Commercialization (IP&C) office of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) champions the development and commercialization of SickKids research. To achieve this goal, we foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, we forge commercial partnerships and we help to build start-up companies. Read more about the IP&C office here: ipc.sickkids.ca.

The IP&C Team is looking for a strategic, high-energy, and driven individual to join as Director, Licensing & Business Development.

Read the entire position specification here: https://vortechsgroup.com/director-licensing-business-development-hospital-for-sick-children/

In this role, you will:

• Lead a team of licensing and business development professionals developing and supporting commercialization strategies for SickKids technologies/innovations that address unmet market needs.
• Provide guidance and support to researchers at SickKids in translating their laboratory and clinical research excellence into commercial products for the public benefit.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement, in consultation with the Executive Director, technology transfer strategies to maximize benefit to hospital stakeholders.
• Prepare and recommend policies and guidelines, in consultation with appropriate stakeholders, that facilitate technology sourcing, evaluation and commercialization through licensing and formation of new ventures.
• Manage project/case and overall pipeline for Business Development team.

• Negotiate and manage major IP related agreements for the institution.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Business Development team in the office, including supervision of permanent and temporary staff.
• Provide coaching and career development to staff and interns.
• Serve as the point of contact for all licensees and other partners.

Direct Reports

Senior Manager(s)-Business Development, and/or Commercialization Consultant.

Required Qualifications

• Passion for commercialization of early stage technologies.
• Positive outlook, sense of urgency, and great team player.
• 10+ years of direct relevant work experience.
• 5+ years of experience in licensing technologies and drafting/negotiation of agreements, including NDAs and commercial licenses.
• Excellent communication skills – ability to have candid, firm and respectful conversations with others.
• 5-7 years of successful senior management experience in corporate, academic, startup and/or entrepreneurial setting with technology transfer, business development, intellectual property management, and related activities.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to identify and hire talent, coach staff, manage and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget.
• Experience and strong technical competence negotiating deal terms, complex and standard, with industry perspective and understanding of relevant comps (e.g. royalty rates, term sheets, IP).
• Understanding of, and experience in, negotiating start-up company creation agreements, including shareholder agreements.
• Proven success engaging the private sector in a variety of commercial endeavors.
• Action-oriented and innovative leader for business development and implementation.

Desired Qualifications

• Understanding of early product development.
• Prior experience in market research and business case preparation.
• Ability to understand and discuss scientific foundations of life sciences technology development (genomics, pharmaceuticals, etc.).
• Understanding of the academic research environment.
• Experience working effectively in a large organization or corporation.
• Understanding of life sciences industry, technology trends, industry current events
• Start-up company experience including knowledge and experience with convertible debentures, equity documents, cap tables, etc.

Education Required

• Advanced university degree in life sciences (MSc, PhD, MD or similar)
• MBA is preferred
• CLP designation is an asset

Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. We can sponsor a visa and welcome US Citizens to apply. Interested candidates should send resume, deal sheet and salary expectations to Lisa Rooney at Lisa@vortechsgroup.com.