Director, AIRx External Partnership Management Lead

AIRxexecutesthe majority ofits wet-lab work externally — its speed, cost, and quality targets all depend on CROs operating as a true extension of the team. TheDirector,AIRxCRO & External Partnerships is thesingle accountableowner of all CRO relationships forAIRx.

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 roledrives 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 withAIRxscientific leads.

Thisroleowns the full external execution lifecycle — partner identification, contracting, data specification, and ongoing performance management — and ensures CRO outputs feedAIRxdata 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 atAIRx'space and quality bar.

Accountabilities

Active CRO management

• Manage CROs with active oversight — notarm'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 reinforceAIRxways of working.

• Drive dailyandweekly coordination between CRO teams andAIRxscientific leads to ensure tight execution against shared milestones.

• Identifyperformance issues proactively — at the workinglevel, beforethey become escalations — and resolve in real time to protect program timelines.

Partnerselection& contracting

• Identifyand evaluate CRO partners for chemistry, biology, DMPK, and other capabilities required byAIRxprograms.

• Own contracts, SOWs, timelines, and quality standards; partner with Takeda procurement, legal, and alliancemanagementas necessary.

• Build andmaintaina preferred supplier network capable of responding atAIRx'space and quality requirements.

Data, budget & landscape

• Coordinate data handoffs to ensure CRO outputs are captured inAIRxdata systems (TetraScience, SAIL) in a standardized, decision-ready format suitable for AI/ML pipelines.

• Trackand manageoutsourcing spend across programs; provide budget visibility to Head ofAIRxand Program Manager.

• Monitor the external CRO and innovation landscape for new capabilities, providers, and partnership modelsthatstrengthenAIRxexecution.

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 experiencestronglypreferred.

• Deep knowledge of the CRO landscape across chemistry, biology, and DMPK capabilities;establishedpersonal network of CRO and external partner relationships.

• Proventrack recordactively 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.