EVP Head of Innovation

Overview The Head of Innovation / Next Generation Platforms is a strategic leader responsible for driving scientific and technological breakthroughs that enhance Evotec’s drug discovery and development capabilities. This role, reporting to the Chief Scientific Officer, leads a dedicated R&D team focused on disruptive technologies and platform innovation, agnostic to therapeutic areas. The role leads central R&D programs with potential big revenue impact and reports to an Innovation Board. It supports co-development projects with partners and strengthens Evotec’s position as a data-driven biotech company. It includes a small central scouting & ideation team that collects and assesses opportunities and presents them to the Innovation Board, aligned with technology platform leads. Key Responsibilities Strategic leadership in innovation & platform development Define and execute Evotec’s Next Generation Platforms strategy, aligned with innovation goals and industry trends; select areas to pursue Monitor selected Innovation programs, present to the Innovation Board, and track progress Lead development, validation, and integration/transfer into Operations of advanced biological, digital, and computational platforms to accelerate drug discovery Oversee transition of innovations from proof-of-concept to scalable solutions within Evotec’s service and partnership model Act as scientific/strategic voice for platform innovation; represent Evotec externally Cross-functional & external collaboration with R&D, Operations, and BD to align with customer needs and commercial opportunities Drive co-development partnerships with biotech, pharma, and academia to expand technology leadership Collaborate with Therapeutic Area Heads to tailor platform innovations to disease areas (Immunology, Oncology, Neurology, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases) Ensure integration of Next Generation Platforms into workflows Establish a central scouting & ideation team to identify opportunities and present major opportunities to the Innovation Board Develop and manage the investment roadmap for Next Generation Platforms with ROI expectations Oversee budgeting and resource allocation for platform investments Establish KPIs and metrics to track innovation impact and viability Capability Building & Technology Acceleration: lead a small team to initiate selected tech projects and build a multidisciplinary team as needed Ensure validated technology projects are handed over to Operations Innovation Board Leadership & Governance: design, establish and lead the Innovation Board; develop proposal processes; facilitate quarterly meetings; document decisions; ensure accountability Ensure alignment of IB processes with Strategy, Transformation, Finance, Project Management, and Commercial functions Knowledge & Experience Deep expertise in technology innovation trends in Drug Discovery and/or Biotech Proven track record leading innovation and technology development in biotech, pharma, or academia Experience managing complex projects and multidisciplinary stakeholder environments Financial acumen with project-based ownership for ROI, budgeting, and resource planning Partnership development experience in co-innovation and strategic collaborations; understanding of IP and compliance in investing in innovative technology Ability to translate scientific/technological innovation into commercially viable solutions PhD or equivalent experience in Life Sciences, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, AI, or related field Thought Leadership Shaping Strategy: The Head of Innovation/Next Generation Platforms is forward-thinking, anticipating market shifts and shaping actions to capitalize on opportunities. Leading Innovation: Demonstrates the ability to develop and execute platform strategies, driving scientific platforms and aligning with organizational goals; partners with R&D and Operations leaders to drive change. Business Leadership Driving Outcomes: Understands commercial strategies and applies them to achieve business success. Building Customer Value: Engages with customers to identify innovation opportunities and deliver solutions that provide long-term value. Influencing and collaborating: Works with colleagues across functions to ensure strategy understanding and fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. Leading Teams: Delegates effectively, maintains a clear vision, and develops team members. ENG: In the frame of our Diversity policy, Evotec considers, with equal competences, all applications including people with disabilities. Seniority Executive Employment type Full-time Job function Product Management Industries Biotechnology Research and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing #J-18808-Ljbffr