Associate Director – Project Management, External Innovation

Eli Lilly and Company

. Maintain the external meeting tracker, including partners, purposes, attendees, outcomes, and follow-ups .

Posted 11/11/2026full-timeIndianapolis • Massachusetts • United StatesSenior💰 $150,000 - $220,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in project management within pharmaceutical and biotech settings, with a strong focus on collaboration, risk management, and effective communication. Proficient in utilizing AI tools for tracking and reporting, while maintaining discretion and managing multi-party programs.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Project ManagementScientific Fluency in Drug DeliveryAI Tools ProficiencyWritten Communication SkillsMulti-Party Program Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Project ManagementBudgetingForecastingResource ManagementOperational PlanningRisk ManagementTimeline ManagementMaterial Transfer AgreementsCollaboration MilestonesDecision Tracking

Soft Skills

Strong JudgmentDiscretionProactive Follow-ThroughAbility to Work with AmbiguitySelf-Directed

Tools & Technologies

AI ToolsCopilotClaudeCowork Agent

Industry Keywords

PharmaceuticalBiotechMedical DeviceExternal InnovationAlliance ManagementBusiness DevelopmentScientific DisciplineEngineering Discipline

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Maintain the external meeting tracker, including partners, purposes, attendees, outcomes, and follow-ups
Maintain consolidated action and decision logs across forums and active collaborations, tracking actions to closure
Own email correspondence with external companies, including scheduling, information requests, follow-ups, and status updates
Triage inbound meeting and information requests and prepare concise briefs
Own project management for active collaborations from kickoff through completion
Build and maintain collaboration workplans and timelines with milestones, owners, and dependencies
Run stand-ups and partner check-ins; set agendas, capture decisions and actions, and track actions to closure
Track deliverables, agreements, material transfers, and spend against plan
Follow up with legal, procurement, finance, and technical teams on open items
Build and maintain integrated plans, milestones, and dependencies for active partnerships
Run working-level cadences with external partner teams and internal project managers
Surface risks, schedule slips, and decisions needed before escalation
Coordinate cross-functional inputs and keep agreements and material transfers moving
Build AI-supported dashboards covering evaluations by stage, decision cycle time, partnership milestones, and external spend against budget
Quantify outcomes such as decisions enabled, time saved, and deals advanced
Support Lilly's External Innovation function for drug delivery, devices, and connected solutions

Requirements

What you’ll need

Earned Bachelor's degree in a scientific or engineering discipline
6+ years of project or program management in pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, or combination product settings
Scientific and technical fluency in drug delivery or a closely related area
Strong written communication and ability to create concise, business-impact-focused executive updates
Highly skilled with AI tools for synthesis, tracking, and reporting, including Copilot, Claude, or Cowork Agent
Sound judgment regarding escalation and comfort working with ambiguity and shifting priorities
Discretion with confidential partners and deal information
Master's degree in a scientific or engineering discipline preferred
Experience managing multi-party programs and timelines, risks, and dependencies across legal, IP, quality, and technical teams preferred
Experience with budgeting, forecasting, resource management, and operational/business planning preferred
Experience in business development, alliance management, or external innovation and scouting preferred
Experience with material transfer agreements, evaluation agreements, and collaboration milestones preferred
Proactive, self-directed follow-through with minimal oversight preferred

Benefits

Comp & perks

Company bonus, depending in part on company and individual performance
Company-sponsored 401(k)
Pension
Vacation benefits
Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits
Flexible benefits, including healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts
Life insurance and death benefits
Time off and leave of absence benefits
Well-being benefits, including employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities
Employee resource groups and support networks