Job Postings
Printable Version:
Director of Science
- Job Title:
- Director of Science
- Location:
- New York City
- Reports to:
- Dr. Bernstein
- Posted:
- April 2008
The Position
The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise seeks a Director of Science to be a key member of the new executive team and to partner with the Executive Director. In January of this year, Alan Bernstein, PhD joined the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise as its inaugural Executive Director to establish the Enterprise’s permanent secretariat. From 2004 until the end of the 2007, an interim secretariat was hosted at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Dr. Bernstein has had a career in healthcare and healthcare sciences spanning over 30 years, and was most recently the founding president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Over the past seven years, he helped build CIHR into one of the world’s leading research agencies, supporting more than 11,000 health researchers with an annual budget of approximately US$1 billion.
Dr. Bernstein has begun to build the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise’s management team, having already recruited a Director of Operations and in the process of recruiting a Director of External Affairs. The Director of Science will report directly to Dr. Bernstein.
The Director of Science will be the senior technical “face” of the organization and will lead all science-related initiatives. S/he will be a very important spokesperson for the organization, particularly within the HIV vaccine scientific community and will also be a thought leader who is independent of any one particular research focus in order to be seen as a neutral leader.
Specific Responsibilities
The successful candidate for the new Director of Science:
Executive Leadership and Management
- Oversees the process for updating the Scientific Strategic Plan (SSP) to define areas where further scientific and capital resources are required to accelerate HIV vaccine development.
- Liaises with the Enterprise’s Scientific Stewardship Committee (SSC) to monitor the field and determine topics for expert working group consultations.
Scientific Development
- Takes the lead on the creation of the annual “State of HIV Vaccine Science” reports.
- Works with the researchers from the scientific endeavours launched in support of the Enterprise SSP (CHAVI, CAVD, CHVI, EDCTP and others) to ensure that their efforts continue to align with the goals and mission of the Enterprise and that the groups are coordinated at a global level so that the whole is greater than the sum of the activities at the individual consortia level.
Advocacy and Communication
- Promotes greater coordination among HIV vaccine researchers worldwide by working with the scientific leaders of other key Enterprise stakeholder organizations to maximize their involvement and mutual engagement.
- Engages new scientific stakeholders from the HIV vaccine field and other relevant fields to address the priority areas of the SSP and to collaborate with current stakeholders.
The Person
A preferred candidate must have the following qualifications:
Qualifications & Experience
- Recognized and respected as a scientific leader.
- A very strong understanding of the HIV vaccine research and development process, including upstream research, preferably based on first-hand experience.
- A high level of scientific and personal credibility is critical, and this must be accompanied by very high levels of communication and interpersonal skills.
- 10-15 years of leadership experience in HIV vaccine research
- A track record of achievement and ideally publications that will result in a high degree of scientific credibility among his/her peers in industry and academia and will add to the reputation of the Enterprise as an organization with a very solid science base.
- Meaningful experience in industry and/or interfacing with industry and regulatory bodies such as FDA and EMEA would be a plus.
- A Ph.D. or MD with international experience/exposure and project management experience.
- A very high level of communication skills and is comfortable making presentations to large and small groups with the scientific content targeted appropriately to the level of the audience.
Leadership & Management Behavioral Competencies
- A builder of strong, productive personal and professional relationships and interconnected networks of people and organizations.
- Highly developed and effective interpersonal and communication skills, verbal and written; able to communicate sensitively and compellingly with individuals as well as large groups across cultures and languages.
- Encourages open communication and participation with an emphasis on transparency and the sharing of information.
- Strong conceptual thinker who can drive quickly to a clear and concise synthesis of even the most complex issues and concepts.
- A visionary leader who exudes a passion for the mission that is inspiring and contagious.
- Defines ambitious goals and establishes priorities, designing processes and managing projects and resources that align to achieve those goals.
- Able to handle challenging situations, including daunting tasks and complex interpersonal issues, with a calm, assured, unflagging approach that keeps all “eyes on the prize.”
- A champion of innovation who responds to complex problems and challenges by applying new perspectives and exploring a variety of relevant possible solutions.
- A team player who is willing to work with and patiently align diverse stakeholders who maintain their individual autonomy and decision-making.
Personal Characteristics
- Excellent interpersonal skills and cultural competencies
- Dynamic, energetic
- A diplomat with strong persuasive capabilities
- A bridge-builder
- Values-driven with a high degree of integrity and moral authority
- A resilient temperament
- A consensus-builder who is able to listen to the views of multiple, diverse constituents while persistently working to achieve agreement
- Experience in and appreciation for multiple global cultures
- Insightful understanding of people, their agendas and motivations
- Self-confident but acting with humility as a servant leader
-
Richard von Rueden, MD
Partner
direct line + 1 617 330 2155
mobile + 1 617 595 1788
e-mail rvonrueden@heidrick.com
-
Mary Ellen DeFrancesco
Associate
direct line + 1 617 330 2163
mobile + 1 443 803 6928
e-mail medefrancesco@heidrick.com
-
Vivian Velona
Executive Assistant
direct line +1 617 330 2191
e-mail vvelona@heidrick.com
-
Heidrick & Struggles
150 Federal Street, Suite 2700
Boston, MA 02110
telephone +1 617 737 6300
facsimile +1 617 737 1888
www.heidrick.com
-
Ann Gales
Partner
(London)
direct line + 44 20 7075 4013
email agales@heidrick.com
-
Niren Thanky
Associate
(London)
direct line + 44 20 7075 4229
email nthanky@heidrick.com
-
Joanna Clayton
Executive Assistant
(London)
direct line + 44 20 7075 4220
-
Heidrick & Struggles
3 Burlington Gardens
London, W1S 3EP
telephone + 44 20 7075 4000
facsimile +44 20 7075 4001
Printable Version:
Director of External Relations
- Job Title:
- Director of External Relations
- Location:
- New York City
- Reports to:
- Dr. Bernstein
- Posted:
- April 2008
The Position
The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise seeks a Director of External Relations to be a key member of the new executive team. In January of this year, Alan Bernstein, PhD joined the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise as its inaugural Executive Director to establish the Enterprise’s permanent secretariat. From 2004 until the end of the 2007, an interim secretariat was hosted at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Dr. Bernstein has had a career in health research spanning over 30 years, and was most recently the founding president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Over the past seven years, he helped build CIHR into one of the world’s leading research agencies, supporting more than 11,000 health researchers with an annual budget of approximately US$1 billion.
Dr. Bernstein has begun to build the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise’s management team, having already recruited a Director of Operations and in the process of recruiting a Director of Science. The Director of External Relations will report directly to Dr. Bernstein.
The Director of External Relations leads and manages all partnership building and communications initiatives. While the Director of Science has primary responsibility for interfacing with the scientific constituency, the Director of External Relations is primarily responsible for interacting with the funding constituency and the broader stakeholder community, as well as the general public.
The Director of External Relations oversees a staff of three or four individuals with communications, alliance management, and other partnership building functions.
Specific Responsibilities
The successful candidate for the new Director of Science:
Executive Leadership and Management
- Contributes to the development of the Enterprise as an alliance of independent agencies and stakeholders, ensuring their continuous engagement and participation in all Enterprise activities.
- Overall responsibility for developing external relations with key stakeholders and other funders, researchers, and advocates within the HIV vaccine field, extending to other HIV prevention and treatment and non-HIV vaccine efforts.
- Effectively engages partners in the scientific funding, government, NGO, and life science industry sectors to advance the mission of the Enterprise.
- Analyzes and evaluates opportunities to more deeply engage those stakeholders/partners to increase visibility of Enterprise activities, offer compelling evidence, promote policies, boost political will and bring in new resources in support of the Enterprise’s goals.
- Works closely with the Executive Director and senior management to create an integrated, focused communications plan that is executable across this global alliance based on a strategy to meet internal and external communications needs.
- Responsible for all communication efforts, including media relations, public affairs and communications issues management globally. Partners with the appropriate senior staff in providing strategic communications assistance for work on global media issues, advocacy, constituency-building strategies, fund-raising and science communications.
- Prepares the Executive Director, Director of Science and other senior executives to represent the Enterprise on a variety of issues globally. Crafts responses to complex issues and oversee media training for the appropriate internal representatives.
- Interacts with senior management and the Council and Scientific Stewardship Committee to provide strategic communications counsel and to identify important communications issues.
Advocacy and Communication
- Researches and analyzes funding allocations, decision making, and regulatory structures relevant to the broader work of the alliance to help determine best methods for achieving desired results to support wider mission attainment.
- Builds and develops relevant constituencies around the world.
- Develops and implements a strong Internet-based communications strategy and interactive media to build partnerships and communicate with stakeholders and the public.
- Maintains relationships with critical constituencies around the world, and communicates on a range of complex subjects accurately and sensitively.
- Manages public relations and public affairs contractors and agencies hired to provide counsel/support to the Enterprise.
- Provides advice and services, as needed, to other Enterprise key stakeholders, ensuring that the alliance communicates with one voice and a consistent set of messages.
The Person
A preferred candidate must have the following qualifications:
Qualifications & Experience
- Advanced degree in communications, international relations, public policy, development or a related field.
- Constituency-building skills and savvy, garnered through at least ten years of directly related experience.
- Experience with the coordination and management of complex partnerships, especially in the international arena.
- Proven experience in the conception, design, implementation, and management of strategic communications, policy, and advocacy strategies, preferably within a government, international agency, or non-profit.
- Ability to develop and maintain close working relationships and partnerships with government bodies, non-profit organizations, foundations, and industry.
- Minimum of 10-15 years progressively responsible communications experience, preferably with a not-for-profit, science-related organization, foundation, or corporation; preference given to candidates with international communications/media relations/public affairs management experience.
- Demonstrated ability to identify, establish, and maintain effective working relationships with critical media contacts and experience as a spokesperson in roles requiring knowledge of complex and technical issues.
- Experience with the complex issues related to HIV and with the international community in general would be an asset.
- Comfort working in a very fast-paced, growing entrepreneurial environment.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to create persuasive and clear oral and written communications.
Leadership & Management Behavioral Competencies
- A builder of strong, productive personal and professional relationships and interconnected networks of people and organizations.
- Highly developed and effective interpersonal and communication skills, verbal and written; communicates sensitively and convincingly with individuals as well as large groups across cultures and languages.
- Able to communicate a compelling picture of how the organization – and the field overall – will evolve that clearly ties current initiatives to longer-term strategies and values.
- Encourages open communication and participation with an emphasis on transparency and the sharing of information.
- Effectively communicates clearly and concisely complex issues and concepts.
- Exudes a passion for the mission and a global focus, evangelizing tirelessly inside and outside the organization.
- Able to handle challenging situations and complex internal and external relationships, with a calm, assured, unflagging approach that keeps all “eyes on the prize.”
- Translates organizational goals into well-defined plans and outcomes.
- A team player who is willing to work with and patiently align diverse stakeholders who maintain their individual autonomy and decision-making.
Personal Characteristics
- Excellent interpersonal skills and cultural competencies
- Dynamic, energetic
- Values-driven with a high degree of integrity and moral authority
- A resilient temperament
- Experience in and appreciation for multiple global cultures
- Insightful understanding of people, their agendas and motivations
- Self-confident but acting with humility
-
Richard von Rueden, MD
Partner
direct line + 1 617 330 2155
mobile + 1 617 595 1788
e-mail rvonrueden@heidrick.com
-
Mary Ellen DeFrancesco
Associate
direct line + 1 617 330 2163
mobile + 1 443 803 6928
e-mail medefrancesco@heidrick.com
-
Vivian Velona
Executive Assistant
direct line +1 617 330 2191
e-mail vvelona@heidrick.com
-
Heidrick & Struggles
150 Federal Street, Suite 2700
Boston, MA 02110
telephone +1 617 737 6300
facsimile +1 617 737 1888
www.heidrick.com
-
Stephen Peeps
Partner
direct line + 1 650 856 7845
email speeps@heidrick.com
-
Marilyn McElroy
Senior Associate
direct line + 1 831 625 6683
email mmcelroy@heidrick.com
-
Rosalind Boykin
Executive Assistant
direct line + 1 415 291 5257
e-mail rboykin@heidrick.com
-
Heidrick & Struggles
3 Burlington Gardens
London, W1S 3EP
telephone + 44 20 7075 4000
facsimile +44 20 7075 4001