Director, R&D Strategic Partnership Management

What if the work you did every day could impact the lives of people you know? Or all of humanity?At Illumina, we are expanding access to genomic technology to realize health equity for billions of people around the world. Our efforts enable life-changing discoveries that are transforming human health through the early detection and diagnosis of diseases and new treatment options for patients.Working at Illumina means being part of something bigger than yourself. Every person, in every role, has the opportunity to make a difference. Surrounded by extraordinary people, inspiring leaders, and world changing projects, you will do more and become more than you ever thought possible.The Director, R&D Strategic Partnership Management will establish and lead a team to drive execution of a portfolio of Illumina’s most complex, high-value strategic partnerships. This role is responsible for building a scalable operating model that ensures disciplined execution, clear accountability, proactive risk management, and senior leadership visibility across multi-year, cross-functional partnerships. This leader will manage a team of partnership program managers and serve as an orchestration layer across R&D, corporate & business development, commercial, service & support, and focused business groups, as well as with external partners, combining best-in-class alliance & project management practices and governance models. Key ResponsibilitiesBuild and scale the R&D strategic partnerships team:Shape and evolve the vision, scope, and mandate of the R&D Strategic Partnership Management functionEstablish a clear operating model, governance, and decision rights to enable speed, accountability, and transparencyDefine and standardize partnership execution practices, templates, and operating cadences, while maintaining flexibility for partnership-specific needsDesign and actively manage a flexible prioritization and staffing model to deploy resources against highest-impact partnershipsBuild, lead, and scale a high-performing team of Partnership Program Managers, including hiring, coaching, and performance managementEnsure effective hand-offs and transitions from Corporate Strategy, Business Development, and other teams as partnerships transition into execution-heavy phasesStrategic partnership portfolio execution & governanceOversee execution of strategically important, cross-functional partnerships with significant R&D complexity and delivery riskServe as the central execution leader for named partnerships, aligning stakeholders on roles, responsibilities, escalation paths, and ways of workingEstablish and lead governance forums, including executive Steering Committees, cross-functional core team cadences, and joint partner meetingsEnsure partner commitments are clearly tracked, delivered, and escalated appropriately, closing gaps between strategic intent, contractual agreements, and on-the-ground executionProactively manage dependencies, risks, and resource constraints across matrixed internal teams and external partnersOwn portfolio-level visibility through dashboards, executive readouts, and governance materials for internal and external stakeholdersExecutive engagement, influence, and alignmentManage interactions with senior leaders and governance forums to surface risks, tradeoffs, opportunities, and recommendationsInfluence decision-making to ensure alignment with enterprise strategy, priorities, and resource plansServe as a trusted thought partner to leadership, helping navigate ambiguity and drive decision‑oriented discussionsContinuously evolve partnership and program management practices to improve clarity, accountability, and execution speedBuild strong internal and external relationships to enable alignment and deliveryStrategic program leadership – in addition to scaling the team, this role may directly own execution across select high-value partnerships or initiativesServe as the single accountable program manager to own execution, leveraging cross-functional resourcesEstablish partnership governance and operating cadence across steering committees, cross-functional core team, extended and function-specific teams, and external partner forumsDevelop and manage program plans, milestones, success metrics, critical paths, and decision points aligned with executive prioritiesTranslate scope, budget, timeline, and risks into actionable plans, proposals, and execution strategiesEnsure consistent progress, follow‑through, and timely escalation of issues impacting strategic outcomesPartner with functional leaders on risk mitigation, contingencies, and change management plans, reinforcing a high quality partner experienceQualifications / Success ProfileMBA, PhD or other advanced degree preferred; technical or scientific background strongly preferred with strong business acumen12+ years of experience in strategic program management within life sciences, healthcare, or regulated industriesProven leader of people and of a portfolio of partnerships, with experience scaling teams while managing strategic partnerships with significant complexity and enterprise visibilityDemonstrated ability to translate strategic intent into executable plans and sustain momentum across multiple workstreamsEffective in matrixed organizations, influencing stakeholders at all levels, including senior executivesStrong written and verbal communicator; skilled at executive-level synthesis, facilitation, and decision framingOutcome-oriented, adaptable, and comfortable operating amid ambiguity; anticipates and proactively addresses risks earlyOwnership mindset with a strong sense of urgency and personal accountability; brings structure to complexity without adding unnecessary overheadExperience with project and program management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, PPM platforms), PMP or equivalent certification preferred#LI-HYBRIDThe estimated base salary range for the Director, R&D Strategic Partnership Management role based in the United