University Health Network

Principal, Business Development and Commercialization

University Health Network$115K — $165K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of relevant business experience or equivalent.
  • Master's in oncology, immuno-oncology, or related field; PhD/MBA preferred.
  • Expertise in clinical and translational research environments, especially in oncology.
  • Experience in negotiating and completing research support and licensing deals.
  • Strong understanding of detailed legal agreements and licensing practices.
  • Experience in pharmaceutical/biotech business development or technology transfer required.
  • Strong presentation skills and effective communication for diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

  • Engage researchers to understand priorities and advance commercialization.
  • Drive contract execution and timely negotiation of licensing and research agreements.
  • Lead opportunities for commercialization funds and external funding.
  • Manage portfolio's contracting activities, ensuring reduced cycle times.
  • Collaborate with various departments for alignment with institutional policies.

Benefits

  • Competitive offer packages.
  • Close access to transit and UHN shuttle service.
  • Flexible work environment.
  • Opportunities for development and promotions.
  • Corporate discounts on travel, dining, parking, and more.
Full Job Description
*Repost* Union: Non-Union Number of vacancies: 1 New or Replacement Position: New Site: Mars/Hybrid Department: Commercialization Reports to: Ernest Ho Salary Range: $115,730 to $165,730 per annum Hours: 37.5 Shifts: Days Status: Temporary Full-Time Closing Date: August 5, 2026 Position Summary: Research at UHN is comprised of two major institutes: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and UHN Research Institutes. Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is where cutting edge oncology research is moved forward every day towards our mission of impacting patients globally. UHN Research Institutes is internationally recognized for its multidisciplinary biomedical research which encompasses activity across the UHN sites (other than Princess Margaret Cancer Centre) and drives the convergence of care, research, and education across a broad scope of disease fields and disciplines; as such it is a cornerstone of UHN's innovation ecosystem. These areas include Krembil Brain Institute, Schroeder Arthritis Institute, Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, KITE Research Institute, McEwen Stem Cell Institute, Ajmera Transplant Centre, and The Institute for Education Research, as well as research in respiratory health, metabolism and organ function, and health systems and policy. UHN's commercialization successes include the Medly cardiac digital health platform, EVLP lung transplant system, Adela Bio Inc., and more. These companies, first incubated within UHN, are among many others that have collectively injected more than $5 billion into the economy. among others, which have reshaped patient care and global standards in their respective fields. The Business Development and Commercialization Principal will play a key role in advancing UHN's research commercialization objectives including driving efficient execution and timely turnaround of licensing, sponsored research, and other research-related agreements across his or her assigned portfolio primarily within the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. This role requires a dynamic, commercially minded professional with strong academic credentials, demonstrated contract negotiation expertise, and the ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships in fast-paced research and industry environments. The Principal is responsible for maximizing the commercial success of research conducted within their assigned portfolio. In close collaboration with the Head of Business Development & Commercialization, Principal Investigators, Institute Directors, and research teams, the Principal also supports end-to-end revenue generation activities, including opportunity evaluation, IP protection, marketing, licensing, and company formation. Depending on the stage of each asset within the portfolio, the Principal assesses market potential, develops IP and marketing strategies, engages pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners, and leads the negotiation and execution of sponsored research agreements, licensing agreements, and related term sheets, with a strong emphasis on efficient deal structuring and timely contract closure. A key focus of this role is improving the efficiency and turnaround time of sponsored research agreements and industry licensing, balancing institutional risk management with the need to rapidly enable industry-academic collaborations. Duties 3 Proactively engage researchers within the assigned portfolio to understand research priorities and advance commercialization by translating research activities into executable licensing and sponsored research opportunities 3 Drive deal flow and contract execution activities in a collaborative team environment, with accountability for timely negotiation and completion of licensing and sponsored research agreements. 3 Support and lead opportunities for UHN commercialization funds and external ecosystem funding, as required. 3 In alignment with the Head of Business Development & Commercialization, take primary ownership of the assigned portfolio's contracting activities, including: Leading the negotiation and turnaround of sponsored research, licensing, and related research agreements such as confidentiality and service agreements and coordinating internal stakeholders to reduce cycle times and remove bottlenecks in contract approvals 3 Work closely with Licensing & Commercialization, IP Management, Marketing, Operations, Research Legal, and the UHN Foundation to ensure contracts align with institutional policies while enabling rapid deal execution. Qualifications 3 Minimum of 10 years of relevant business experience or equivalent 3 Completion of a Master's degree in oncology, immuno-oncology, or a related field, preferably with a translational research and or commercialization specialization or recognized equivalent experience required; PhD and/or MBA highly preferred 3 Demonstrated expertise in clinical and translational research environments, with strong working knowledge of Clinical oncology, Oncology broadly 3 Experience in the negotiation and completion of research support, licensing and/or partnership deals is required. 3 Demonstrable and relevant industry and/or investment experience with a strong focus on licensing, sponsored research agreements, and contract execution in complex research environments is required. 3 Very good knowledge of licensing practice and capacity for autonomously understanding and evaluating detailed legal agreements required 3 Experience working in pharmaceutical or biotech business development, technology transfer, venture capital or related environment required 3 Good knowledge of patent practice required 3 Strong presentation skills required 3 Experience launching and leading startup biotech companies (including sourcing seed and venture capital funding and divestments) would be an asset 3 Knowledge of internet patent and other database searches desirable 3 Ability to multi-task and prioritize while working under pressure with tight deadlines is required 3 Self-starter with demonstrated history of taking initiatives 3 Ability and comfort communicating to a range of stakeholders, from researchers to CEOs, from a business and science perspective Additional Information Why join UHN? In addition to working alongside some of the most talented and inspiring healthcare professionals in the world, UHN offers a wide range of benefits, programs and perks. It is the comprehensiveness of these offerings that makes it a differentiating factor, allowing you to find value where it matters most to you, now and throughout your career at UHN. 3 Competitive offer packages 3 Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service 3 A flexible work environment 3 Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization 3 Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including: travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.) Current UHN employees must have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, to be eligible for consideration. All applications must be submitted before the posting close date. UHN uses email to communicate with selected candidates. Please ensure you check your email regularly. At University Health Network (UHN), artificial intelligence technologies may be used to assist in the screening, assessment, and selection of candidates for this position. Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any information provided by a candidate be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, UHN reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of their application.

About University Health Network

University Health Network (UHN) is a healthcare organization that provides patient care, research, and education services. The organization operates several hospitals and clinics in Toronto, Ontario, including Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. UHN offers a range of medical services, including cancer care, cardiovascular care, neurosciences, transplantation, and rehabilitation. The organization is affiliated with the University of Toronto and is one of Canada's largest research hospitals. UHN employs over 16,000 people and serves patients from across Canada and around the world.
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