Job Description

Director of Alliance Management, Institutional Research Partnerships

The Director of Alliance Management, Institutional Research Partnerships will be responsible for leading and scaling Natera's strategic collaborations with leading academic centers, health systems, hospital networks, and precision medicine teams. This is a critical, externally facing role that will own contracting and successful execution of research collaborations, including data sharing and biobanking initiatives, investigator-initiated studies (IIS) and real-world evidence (RWE) programs.

This leader will serve as the primary liaison between Natera and its strategic institutional partnersaligning cross-functional stakeholders, driving accountability, and building long-term, trust-based partnerships that support scientific progress.

Key Responsibilities

Alliance Strategy & Relationship Management

• Own the contracting and operational management of research partnerships with academic medical centers, health systems, and research institutions.
• Serve as the point of contact for key external stakeholders (PIs, research administrators, clinical leadership) and internal stakeholders (Medical Affairs, Clinical Trials, Business Development, Regulatory).
• Ensure seamless contracting, onboarding, communication, and long-term partner satisfaction through structured engagement and governance models, especially joint steering committees (JSC).

Execution & Program Oversight

• Drive execution of partnership deliverables including collaborative studies, protocol design, data-sharing frameworks, contract milestones, and scientific publications.
• Coordinate internal project teams to ensure alignment on timelines, compliance, data access, and resource allocation.
• Monitor and proactively mitigate risks to partnership success and escalate issues as needed.

Scientific & Operational Enablement

• Support development of joint research agendas, including clinical utility studies, biomarker discovery, and precision medicine programs
• Facilitate publication planning, abstract submission, and co-authorships in collaboration with Natera Medical and Scientific Affairs teams.
• Partner with R&D and Data Science to support integration of clinical-genomic data pipelines from academic collaborators.

Internal Collaboration & Strategy Development

• Work closely with Business Development, Legal, Medical Affairs, and Product to scope, negotiate, and launch new partnerships aligned to Natera's strategic goals.
• Support health systems and oncology business units in identifying high-value partners for evidence generation and translational research, to further Natera's business objectives.
• Contribute to the evolution of partnership models (e.g., sponsored research, joint ventures, shared IP) and internal alliance playbooks.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in alliance management, business development, academic/industry partnerships, or clinical research operations, preferably in diagnostics, biopharma, or health tech.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder research collaborations with academic medical centers or large health systems, including joint steering committees
• Strong working knowledge of institutional research structures (IRBs, CRUs, data governance, grants, publications).
• Experience working with or supporting investigator-initiated trials, collaborative research studies, or real-world evidence programs.
• Background in genomics, molecular diagnostics, or population health science is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with HIPAA, IRB processes, and data-sharing regulations.
• Experience managing alliances that integrate genomic, phenotypic, or EMR data for research or product development.

Personal Characteristics

• Exceptionally organized, with strong project management skills and attention to detail.
• Relationship-driven, with excellent interpersonal, communication, and diplomacy skills.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, solving problems, and aligning diverse stakeholder groups.
• Scientific curiosity and a passion for improving patient care through data and discovery.

Location & Travel

• Remote acceptable, with preference for proximity to San Francisco Bay Area or Austin, TX.
• Travel expected (~3040%) to visit current and prospective partners, attend scientific meetings, and support cross-functional planning.

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