Director – Gateway Labs South Korea

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us. 

Job Purpose

The Director, Gateway Labs, South Korea supports Lilly's external innovation strategy by working with the Site head to identify and evaluate promising biotech companies in South Korea alongside our partners, for inclusion in the Lilly Gateway Labs community. This role supports in managing the working relationship with partners, coordinates Gateway Labs programming with Catalyze360, and works closely with resident biotechs over their time in the community to help accelerate their science.

Roles & Responsibilities:

This position supports the Site head in providing oversight of the site and associated portfolio companies, as well as assisting the Site head in identifying and selecting companies to invite into the community. This role will be a key point of contact for both biotech community members and our operational partner Samsung Biologics. The successful candidate will interact with biotech community members and will play a role as an internal champion for companies at the site. They will also help create an inclusive community while providing scientific and operational support to resident companies.

• Biotech identification & selection
  • Support the Site head in identifying, screening, and selecting innovative biotechs in South Korea for the Gateway Labs programme.
  • Support the Site head by conducting scientific and technical assessment of prospective companies to evaluate fit with Lilly's therapeutic area strategy.
  • Maintain awareness of the South Korean biotech ecosystem to surface new opportunities.
  • Apply working knowledge of drug development and the South Korean biotech landscape to support the Site head in evaluating how prospective opportunities complement the existing portfolio.
• Portfolio company support & acceleration
  • Work closely with site head and resident biotech companies over the course of their time in the programme, providing continuity of support as their science and assets progress.
  • Link portfolio companies with relevant scientific and technical expertise within Lilly to help address development needs at each stage.
  • Support the Site head in providing ongoing guidance on development approaches and help identify inflection points where additional Lilly support could accelerate a company's progress.
  • Maintain visibility into each company's development trajectory to inform timely, well-grounded portfolio recommendations to Gateway Labs leadership.
• Relationship management
  • Support the Site head as day-to-day point of contact for the relationship with Lilly partners, portfolio companies, and operational partners
  • Help maintain operational support systems to LGL brand
  • Coordinate joint activities and touchpoints to ensure alignment on shared programme goals.
  • Identify and help resolve operational issues in partnership with our operational partners.
• Gateway Labs programme coordination
  • Coordinate programming and activities with Catalyze360 and other Lilly innovation functions to support resident biotech companies.
  • Connect portfolio companies with relevant expertise within Lilly (e.g., Lilly Research Labs, therapeutic area teams).
  • Track portfolio company progress and report updates to Gateway Labs leadership.
  • Help organize symposia and technical sessions that connect resident companies with relevant Lilly expertise.
• Stakeholder engagement
  • Support the Site head in building and maintaining relationships with local biotechs, investors, and life science stakeholders in Korea.
  • Support the Site head in fostering relationships with venture funds and academic partners to help strengthen Lilly's presence in the South Korean innovation ecosystem.
  • Support the Site head in representing Lilly Gateway Labs at relevant industry events and forums in South Korea.
  • Support the Site head in delivering LGL site operations strategy in partnership with the LGL team and operational partners.

Qualification

• Graduate degree (PhD, MD, MBA, or equivalent advanced degree in a life sciences discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience post-PhD/MD in the biotech industry, business development, alliance management, or innovation/venture-related roles within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Extensive knowledge and some direct experience of the drug development process, from pre-clinical through proof-of-concept, and how it applies across therapeutic areas.
• Ability to translate between scientific/technical functions to help biotech companies navigate the cross-functional nature of drug development.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively across cultures and with global, cross-functional teams.
• Fluency in Korean and English.
• Track record of appropriately handling sensitive and confidential information, including in discussions with entrepreneurs and investors.
• Strong self-management and organizational skills, with the ability to independently manage workload and adjust priorities as needed.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.