The Academic Medical Center (AMC) and the Free University Medical Center (VUmc) have merged their research institutes into eight so-called Alliance Institutes. For one of these Alliance Institutes, Amsterdam Neuroscience, we are looking for a dedicated business developer.

Working at AMC The dedicated Business Developer will be based at Innovation eXchange Amsterdam (IXA), the expertise center of AMC, VUmc, VU, UvA and HvA in which these five institutes have combined their knowledge transfer offices. As member of the IXA Office AMC-Neuroscience team, the Business Developer will serve the AMC part of Amsterdam Neuroscience, the largest neuroscience institute in the Netherlands, which combines AMC’s and VUmc’s innovative neuroscience research and clinical care in many brain diseases.

As the front office of Amsterdam Neuroscience, the IXA-Neuroscience team is responsible for developing and managing research collaborations that support innovative research in brain disease diagnosis and treatment. In order to develop the highest impact collaborative research, the IXA-Neuroscience team must perform strategic business development activities at a level benefitting the technical and business complexity of the neuroscience field.

Functioning as the key market connector within the IXA-Neuroscience team at AMC for Amsterdam Neuroscience, the Dedicated Business Developer employs a wide range of activities to scout external leads and obtain deeply insightful market intelligence about external research needs. From this intelligence, key outside contacts are developed toward enduring relationships. This network is continuously engaged to find potential matches between internal research interests and external commercial needs. This position requires broad insight about activities in neuroscience drug discovery, the current landscape in pharmaceutical clinical trials and marketed drugs, biomarkers, diagnostics and devices, as well as detailed understanding of research agreement formats, patent strategy, and clinical development strategies. In addition to explicit knowledge about the life science industry, this position will rely upon a deep understanding of internal neuroscience research capacities, and an equal mixture of business intuition and strategic insights coupled with an intense drive to develop new business.

The Business Developer will work in close harmony with the Scientific Directors of Amsterdam Neuroscience, and the Industry Alliance Office (IAO) at VUmc. Through IXA Office VU-VUmc, the IAO team at VUmc coordinates for Neuroscience the negotiation, signing and monitoring of all contracts executed.

Responsibilities: As Business Developer, you propel the search and acquisition for new collaborative research with outside parties, especially pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Your key responsibilities will be:

• be part of the IXA Office AMC Neuroscience team and closely collaborate with the IAO team resp. IXA Office VU-VUmc; become primary BD manager for the Amsterdam Neuroscience directors Diederik van de Beek and Arjen Brussaard; 
• strong contribution to Amsterdam Neuroscience’s scientific and business strategy; 
• setting mid-term (2-3 years) BD objectives and developing, maintaining and executing a plan to achieve these; 
• generating profound research funding that adds significantly and sustainably to Amsterdam Neuroscience research budgets from other sources; acquisition and contracting of a substantial volume of commercial research projects and being involved with the projects of other IXA Neuroscience team members, both at AMC and VUmc; 
• development and maintenance of external network within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, and internal network among PI’s within the institute; 
• continuously evaluating and reporting market developments in neuroscience drug discovery to the principal investigators from the respective groups; 
• maintaining a deep understanding of internal research capacities and interests and evaluating where these align with external research needs and forming a strong bond with the respective groups and individuals within Amsterdam Neuroscience to ensure meaningful definition of collaborations in formation; 
• acting as a primary point of contact for outside partners, from initial contact, through relationship building, proposition, and development into new collaborations. Managing partners’ requests by matching collaboration requirements for outside parties (‘demand’) with capacity and expertise in internal research and clinical capabilities (‘supply’); 
• taking the lead in definition of collaboration work plan concepts, budget development, and agreement terms; 
• working with AMC’s Legal Research Support team to draft, negotiate, execute, and manage legal agreements; 
• identification of promising inventions made by Amsterdam Neuroscience researchers that can lead to new products for the benefit of patients, and with the IXA Neuroscience team responsible for their further development (e.g. patenting, licensing and spin-off formation).

Your experience

Your profile

• an education at least a graduate academic level (preferably PhD on a neuroscience-related topic). A broad scientific education with experience in research and/or clinical care settings;
• an MBA relevant experience in a life science business setting, and/or commercial business development experience, is seen as a plus;
• broad understanding about brain diseases such Bacterial Meningitis, CIDP, Parkinson’s disease, neurovascular disorders (stroke) and psychiatric illnesses;
• deep insight into current areas of neuroscience drug discovery and strategic insights that support pursuit of collaboration;
• an existing network of decision-makers in potential collaborating companies is seen as a plus; excellent communication in written and spoken English.

We offer you ample opportunities for development, deepening and widening, extra training and a place to grow! Working in the AMC means working in an inspiring and professional environment where development is stimulated in every respect.

• The gross per month salary range is € 6.066 based on 36 hours (scale 13 CAO UMC). 
• In addition to your salary you receive also a holiday allowance (8%) and a year-end bonus (8,3%). 
• We offer a contract for a period of 24 months that may be extended. 
• On top of the salary is saved monthly for the Personal Budget (at least 1,55% of the salary) what you can use for training or personal development. 
• In addition to excellent accessibility with public transport, The AMC also has sufficient parking spaces for employees. 
• Pension is accrued at the ABP. The AMC contributes a large part of the premium (70%). 
• We have a very active staff association and organize various (sports) activities and events throughout the year.

Look for an overview of all our other employment conditions on www.werkenbijamc.nl/arbeidsvoorwaarden.

AMC

Het AMC is meer dan een ziekenhuis alleen. Het is een wereld waar patiëntenzorg, onderzoek en onderwijs zijn geïntegreerd, en waarin het altijd om mensen draait. Een academische wereld vol mogelijkheden voor talenten die een plek zoeken om te excelleren. Groot denken. Durven dromen, Internationaal samenwerken. En je nooit laten beperken door ‘kan niet’ of ’lukt toch niet’. Dát is de mentaliteit in het AMC.