Head of Innovation & Partnering China, Advanced Synthesis

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across five continents. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

The Head of Innovation & Partnering China is a senior scientific and innovation leadership role responsible for shaping and advancing Lonza’s innovation capabilities and external partnerships in China.

The role will lead the evolution of the local innovation footprint, maximizing chemistry and bioconjugation capabilities while strengthening automation, digitalization and strategic collaboration with academia, technology providers and customers. It will also contribute to the broader Advanced Synthesis strategy in China, helping develop differentiated technologies, partnerships and services that support future growth.

This position combines scientific leadership, entrepreneurial pipeline ownership and external partnering, working closely with Global R&D, Operations, Commercial, Marketing, technology experts, customers, academic institutions and external innovation partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the innovation agenda in China, with accountability for the Nansha R&D organization, local chemistry and bioconjugation capabilities, automation initiatives and strategic external partnerships.
• Define and execute the local innovation strategy in alignment with global R&D and Advanced Synthesis priorities, taking end-to-end ownership of the local innovation pipeline from opportunity identification through execution.
• Drive the development of differentiated capabilities in synthetic chemistry, bioconjugation, automation, digital technologies, data science and modeling to accelerate development, improve manufacturing performance and create customer value.
• Build and manage high-impact partnerships with customers, academia, technology providers and scientific networks, identifying opportunities to access new capabilities, accelerate innovation and strengthen Lonza’s external ecosystem.
• Lead pipeline prioritization, resource allocation, governance and short- and long-term planning, balancing scientific opportunity, business impact, capacity and investment.
• Build and develop a high-performing innovation organization and partner closely with Commercial, Marketing, Operations and global R&D teams to create new services, business models and differentiated offerings.

Key Requirements:

• PhD or equivalent advanced qualification in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Biochemical Engineering or a related scientific discipline.
• Extensive experience within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology or CDMO industry, with strong expertise in pharmaceutical development and particularly synthetic chemistry; experience in bioconjugation is highly valued.
• Proven experience developing and translating innovation strategies into executable programs, with strong understanding of R&D pipeline management, scientific governance and technology evaluation.
• Strong track record of building external partnerships across customers, academia, technology providers or other innovation ecosystems, combined with the ability to identify and develop differentiated technologies and services.
• Proven leadership experience across multidisciplinary scientific teams and organizational transformation, including talent development, capability building and succession planning.
• Strong strategic, entrepreneurial and commercially aware mindset, with the ability to influence across scientific and executive stakeholders. Experience with automation, digital technologies, data science and modeling is highly valued.
• Business-fluent English is required.

Every day, Lonza’s products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world. The satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.

Lonza is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a qualified individual with disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.