Manager, R&D Strategic Partnerships
Illumina
Summary
Illumina is seeking a Manager, R&D Strategic Partnerships with strong program management expertise to lead execution across complex, R&D strategic partnerships and strategic account programs. This role will translate strategic objectives and partner commitments into actionable program plans, establish effective governance, guide cross-functional teams, and coordinate delivery across R&D and other functions. Depending on the partnership model, the role may also manage the external partner relationship and lead formal joint governance. Because the portfolio is evolving, the successful candidate must be comfortable bringing structure to ambiguity, working independently, managing multiple programs, and communicating effectively with internal leaders and external stakeholders.
Job description
Key Responsibilities
- Program leadership: Serve as the accountable program manager for assigned partnerships, determining resource needs, and coordinating execution across matrixed internal teams and external stakeholders.
- Integrated planning and tools: Translate strategic objectives, agreement terms, and partner commitments into integrated program plans covering scope, milestones, resources, budgets, dependencies, and critical paths. Maintain schedules, dashboards, and portfolio reporting.
- Governance: Establish and lead internal and joint governance forums, operating cadences, decision processes, escalation paths, and ways of working.
- Delivery, risk, and decision management: Drive execution against the program plan, track internal and external commitments, identify and manage risks and issues, facilitate tradeoff decisions, and escalate barriers with clear recommendations.
- Partner relationship management: In some cases, serve as a primary external contact, managing the partner relationship and maintaining alignment between the partner and Illumina teams.
- Alliance management practices: Own and improve reusable partnership tools, templates, governance models, and operating practices, recommending changes that strengthen execution across the portfolio.
Qualifications and Success Profile
- Demonstrated experience guiding cross-functional teams and leading complex programs in a matrixed organization, preferably in life sciences, healthcare, medical technology, or another regulated industry.
- Experience working directly with external partners and translating agreements, business objectives, and partner commitments into execution plans.
- Advanced proficiency with Smartsheet and strong program management capabilities, including integrated planning, dependency and critical path management, resource planning, risk management, change control, and executive reporting.
- Ability to develop program plans and governance structures from limited or ambiguous starting information.
- Strong facilitation, communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to create accountability and drive decisions without direct authority.
- Ability to connect technical, operational, commercial, and contractual inputs and communicate effectively with working teams, external stakeholders, and senior leaders.
- Experience supporting strategic partnerships, strategic accounts, clinical implementation, early access, co-development, evidence generation, or product and workflow integration is preferred.
Education and Experience
Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years of experience; or equivalent experience.
Requirements
- Demonstrated experience guiding cross-functional teams and leading complex programs in a matrixed organization
- Experience working directly with external partners and translating agreements, business objectives, and partner commitments into execution plans
- Advanced proficiency with Smartsheet
- Strong program management capabilities including integrated planning, dependency and critical path management, resource planning, risk management, change control, and executive reporting
- Ability to develop program plans and governance structures from limited or ambiguous starting information
- Strong facilitation, communication, negotiation, and influencing skills
- Ability to create accountability and drive decisions without direct authority
- Ability to connect technical, operational, commercial, and contractual inputs
- Minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years of experience; or equivalent experience
Benefits
- Genomics sequencing access
- Family planning
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Retirement benefits
- Paid time off
- Bonus program
- Commission program
- Equity
Company overview
Illumina is a global leader in genomics technology, founded in 1998 and headquartered in San Diego, California. As a pioneering biotechnology company, Illumina specializes in developing, manufacturing, and marketing integrated systems for genetic analysis, with a primary focus on DNA sequencing and array-based technologies. The company's mission is to improve human health by unlocking the power of the genome, serving customers across research, clinical, and applied markets worldwide. Illumina's innovative platforms, including the NovaSeq, HiSeq, MiSeq, and NextSeq series, have revolutionized genomic research and clinical applications, enabling breakthroughs in personalized medicine, disease research, and drug development. With over 9,000 employees across 27 countries, Illumina has established itself as the dominant force in next-generation sequencing, processing more than 90% of all DNA sequencing data globally. The company's technologies support diverse applications from cancer research and rare disease diagnosis to agricultural genomics and infectious disease surveillance, making genomic insights accessible to researchers and clinicians worldwide.