Executive Director, Translational Strategy and Innovation

Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) is recruiting an Executive Director of Translational Strategy and Innovation to lead a diverse portfolio of early-stage biomedical and healthcare innovation projects advancing discoveries from bench-to-bedside. The Executive Director will provide strategic, scientific, and operational leadership to accelerate these translational projects, ensuring timely achievement of project milestones, effective resource allocation and alignment with institutional priorities. The Executive Director will work closely with VP&S research leadership and an advisory council of executives with leadership experience in biotech, venture capital and at major pharmaceutical companies.

A key focus of this role is developing and executing multi-year business plans, piloting innovations across the healthcare ecosystem, and cultivating partnerships with investors, venture capital firms, private equity, biotech and medtech companies, incubators, and other funding agencies to support commercialization and innovation success. This role will bridge the medical school and industry, integrating insights from market and investment landscapes across biotech/pharma, medtech, digital health/AI, and diagnostics to support strategic decision-making and innovation success. Working collaboratively across the VP&S research and clinical enterprise, the director will design frameworks that promote innovation, translation and impact in therapeutics. The ideal candidate will have experience working at or with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life science organizations and will demonstrate the ability to work across various scientific modalities, including cell and gene therapies, small and large molecules, and antibody-based therapeutics.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Oversee a broad portfolio of early-stage translational projects, guiding teams from research and development through to clinical and commercial translation (“bench to bedside”).
• Scientific Integration: Apply a deep understanding of translational and preclinical science to align research initiatives with downstream development needs.
• Team Development: Build and lead a high-performing team of project managers and staff; oversee hiring, career development, performance management, and team structure to ensure effective project execution, timely milestone achievement, and overall program success.
• Program Planning: Develop and implement multi-year business plans, including pilot implementations within the healthcare ecosystem. Establish metrics, timelines, and feedback cycles to monitor progress, ensure accountability, and drive continuous improvement.
• Market Analysis: Conduct market, scientific, regulatory and clinical opportunity assessments to inform strategic decision-making and investment readiness.
• Partnership Development: Lead high-level negotiations, communications, and presentations across diverse stakeholder groups, including academic researchers, corporate partners, investors, and industry collaborators. Effectively bridge cultural and organizational differences to build consensus, foster partnerships, and advance project goals.
• Institutional Alignment: Advise senior leadership on the long-term program strategy. Evaluate organizational structure and effectiveness to drive continuous improvement in processes, team performance, and impact.
• Cross-Campus Collaboration: Coordinate with key partners, including Columbia Business School, Columbia Doctors, New York-Presbyterian, Columbia Technology Ventures (CTV), Columbia Development, and external industry collaborators.
• Other duties may be assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in and experience, plus 7 years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications

Other Requirements

• Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or equivalent advanced degree in a relevant scientific or biomedical discipline, or MBA with significant life science experience.
• 10 plus years of experience in the healthcare technology, life sciences, or venture/startup ecosystem
• Demonstrated success leading early-stage ventures, including business development, fundraising, and strategic partnership execution.
• Strong understanding of innovation and development in therapeutics (biotech/pharma), medtech, or digital health.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects in a high-growth or research-driven environment.
• Exceptional analytical and quantitative skills; proficiency with project management and productivity tools.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior executives, faculty, and industry partners.
• Deep understanding of the end-to-end development process from discovery through clinical development and commercialization.
• “Hands-on” leadership style—strategic yet comfortable working tactically to drive progress.
• Demonstrated leadership, planning, and organizational change management skills.
• Advanced financial expertise in budget planning and forecasting.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Knowledge of industry standards, regulatory frameworks, and compliance requirements.
• Ability to influence and collaborate across organizational levels and disciplines.

Position Details

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Grade 107
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $300,000.00 - $350,000.00

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.