Director/VP of Partnerships and Business Development

Background

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is one of several neurodegenerative diseases known as tauopathies. Tauopathies involve the gradual deterioration of brain cells and are characterized by the aggregation of the protein called tau in the brain.  This tau buildup sometimes becomes toxic and affects nerve cells that control walking, balance, mobility, vision, speech and swallowing.  Neither PSP, nor other tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease, have known causes, treatments, or cures.   

In 2009, Richard Rainwater was diagnosed with PSP.  As a result of this diagnosis, the Rainwater Charitable Foundation expanded its focus to include this emerging field of PSP medical research. Mr. Rainwater assembled a team of the leading physicians and researchers from around the world and charged them with working together innovatively to find a cure for tauopathies. This group of over forty principal investigators (PI), dubbed the Tau Consortium (TC), researches the causes, progression, and potential treatments of these diseases. Since that time, RCF has invested over $130M into research and other efforts to find treatments for tauopathies.

The Rainwater Charitable Foundation is a private foundation organized as a trust.  The foundation’s gifts are designated by Rainwater Distribution Trustees.

The Role

The Director/VP of Research Partnerships and Business Development reports directly to the President of the Rainwater Charitable Foundation and works closely with the Tau Consortium Committee of the RCF (consisting of three of the foundation’s Distribution Trustees) and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).  RCF is seeking an experienced leader who will be a catalyst for accelerating promising research and partnerships (including primarily the Tau Consortium) toward the ultimate goal of finding treatments for tauopathies. S/he will possess the ability to interact productively with leaders in the research field and their institutions, other foundations, pharma and biotech companies and federal agencies to identify opportunities and to create new platforms to address bottlenecks and accelerate potential treatments.    S/he will have sound judgment, strong inter-personal skills and negotiating ability, proficiency to think both strategically and operationally, persistence, attention to detail and follow-through to ensure completion of work in a matrix environment.

A science background is preferred but not required. Strong applicants will have experience in the medical research field.

Required Abilities and Skills

Strong leadership, organizational and problem-solving skills are essential as is the ability to build consensus among a diverse group of stakeholders.  The ideal candidate will be a superior communicator who is able to interact comfortably with scientists, regulators, patient groups, and investors to develop key relationships.  S/he will possess a strong work ethic, and be willing to travel occasionally to visit other researchers in the USA and abroad.

Additional job skills include the ability to:

• Work comfortably in both start-up and regulated non-profit work environments (including navigating approvals and compliance in a private foundation setting).
• Understand applicable IRS tax exempt rules and the foundation’s governing trust document.
• Work effectively with minimal supervision.
• Manage multiple projects.
• Build successful working relationships across multiple groups/disciplines.
• Establish personal work priorities and meet timelines, understanding how his/her work affects work of teammates.
• Manage IP rights and other contractual obligations with the assistance of IP consultants and attorneys.
• Make sound decisions about scheduling, allocation of resources and managing priorities.
• Communicate clearly and professionally both in writing and verbally.

Time commitment, location and engagement structure are negotiable for the right person.   The ideal candidate would reside in the Fort-Worth/Dallas area and must be willing to travel up to 25% of the time).

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, Grow and Maintain Key Partnerships

• Own the lifecycle of partnerships including engagement, deal-making, and maintenance.
• Conduct research to identify potential partners toward the advancement of the foundation’s central mission.  Partners include but are not limited to, patient advocacy groups, federal funding agencies such as the NIH, federal regulatory agencies such as the FDA, venture capital firms, pharma and biotech companies, funded researchers and other funders.
• Recruit and structure partnerships that support the foundation’s goals.
• Work closely and collaboratively with other staff members and SAB members to maintain existing efforts and strategically advance the foundation’s mission.
• Develop and manage positive and constructive relationships with potential funders and internal and external stakeholders.
• Engage with pharma/biotech companies in precompetitive areas.

Oversee Contract Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact and lead negotiator for all medical research contracts such as grant agreements, gift agreements, confidentiality, and non-disclosure agreements.
• Serve as thought leader and thought partner, alongside the foundation’s counsel for both internal staff and external partners regarding IP and other contract issues.
• Ensure that medical research gift agreements, grant agreements and other contracts are handled on a timely basis.
• Oversee development and maintenance of a database of contracts so that the foundation understands what rights and obligations it has with respect to any and all contractual partners.

Prioritize Business Development

• Develop and manage the implementation of the overall funding strategy which ultimately will include a diverse range of funding streams.
• Evolve existing business models and help establish new alternate income propositions with a focus on accelerating treatments for tauopathies patients.
• Identify and track funding prospects, consultants, and partners as they arise and maintain the appropriate tracking tools.
• Work collaboratively with RCF staff and others to find innovative ways to take promising research out of academic labs and into drug discovery incubators.
• Work with internal and external drug discovery experts to hand off promising programs ready for external funding (typically IND approved drugs).

Other Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with other staff and consultants on key strategic questions including costing out key initiatives and developing strategy for the Tau Consortium and broader medical research work.
• Help to coordinate communication efforts with existing and potential partners.
• Execute in a fast-paced and constantly evolving environment.

• Assist teammates in coordinating events such as the semi-annual Tau Consortium gatherings, the international Global Tauopathies research conference, and the EuroTau conference.

Education and Experience

The ideal candidate will possess:

• A proven track record as a team or organizational leader.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Effective communication, strong writing, and presentation skills.
• Commitment and passion to mission of the Tau Consortium and the Rainwater Charitable Foundation.
• Experience and strong aptitude in fiscal management, budgeting, and forecasting.
• A working understanding of IP in the pharma/biotech and medical research space.
• MBA or extensive business experience highly desirable, science background/experience preferred.
• Advanced computers skills: excel, on-line communication tools preferred.
• Strong Director-level candidates will have 10+ years of project/program management experience.  Strong VP-level candidates will have 15+ years of experience.

The position will remain open until filled.  Interested applicants should send resume and cover letter identifying ‘Director/VP’ in the subject line.