EVP, Head of Innovation - Next Generation Platforms (all genders)

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. Reporting to the Chief Scientific Officer and a member of the Management Board, this role leads a dedicated R&D team focused on disruptive technologies and platform innovation, independent of specific therapeutic areas. The incumbent will lead a small number of central R&D programs with game-changing revenue potential (\“big bets\“). Details of the innovation areas will be developed, agreed upon, and monitored by the Innovation Board.

This function serves as a catalyst for transformative innovation, supporting co-development projects with partners and reinforcing Evotec’s position as a leading data-driven biotech company. It includes a small central scouting and ideation team that collects and assesses innovation opportunities and presents them to the Innovation Board, aligned and supported in part by the Head of Therapeutic Areas, the Head of In Silico / AI, or Segment Heads, depending on the relevant technology platforms.

This role shapes the future of Evotec’s innovation ecosystem, ensuring that next-generation platforms drive scientific breakthroughs and business growth. It enables Evotec’s strategic transformation, positioning the company at the forefront of industrialized drug discovery and development, driven by superior data and AI.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute Evotec’s Next Generation Platforms strategy, ensuring alignment with corporate innovation goals and industry trends. This includes selecting the innovation areas to be pursued.
• Continuously monitor all selected innovation programs, present them to the Innovation Board, and ensure progress.
• Lead the development, validation, and integration / transfer into Operations of advanced biological, digital, and computational platforms to accelerate drug discovery.
• Oversee the transition of innovations from proof-of-concept to scalable solutions within Evotec’s service and partnership model.
• Act as the scientific and strategic voice for platform innovation, representing Evotec in key external collaborations, conferences, and thought leadership forums.
• Partner with R&D, Operations, and BD teams to align innovation efforts with customer needs and commercial opportunities.
• Drive co-development partnerships with biotech, pharma, and academic institutions to expand Evotec’s technology leadership.
• Collaborate with Therapeutic Area Heads to tailor platform innovations to specific disease areas (e.g., Immunology, Oncology, Neurology, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases).
• Ensure seamless integration of Next Generation Platforms into Evotec’s drug discovery and development workflows.
• Establish a small central scouting and ideation team that collects and assesses innovation opportunities and presents selected major opportunities to the Innovation Board.
• Develop and manage the investment roadmap for Next Generation Platforms, ensuring alignment with business priorities and ROI expectations.
• Oversee budgeting and resource allocation, ensuring that platform investments are efficiently leveraged.
• Establish KPIs and success metrics to track innovation impact, ensuring scientific and commercial viability.
• Lead a small scouting and ideation team that identifies and initiates selected next-generation innovation technology projects.
• Build, as needed, a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and data experts to establish and execute selected technology projects, fostering a culture of breakthrough innovation.
• Ensure Evotec remains at the forefront of cutting-edge science and technology in drug discovery by transferring validated technology projects to Operations.

Knowledge & Experience

• Deep expertise in technological innovation trends in the drug discovery and / or biotech industry.
• Proven track record in leading innovation and technology development in biotech, pharma, or academia.
• Experience managing complex projects and multidisciplinary stakeholder environments.
• Strong financial acumen and experience with project-based ROI ownership, budget management, and resource planning.
• Strong partnership development experience, particularly in co-innovation and strategic collaborations.
• Solid understanding of IP and compliance-related aspects of investing in innovative technology projects and activities.
• Excellent ability to translate scientific and technological innovation into commercially viable solutions.
• PhD or equivalent experience in Life Sciences, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, AI, or a related field.

Competencies

• Forward-Thinking Leadership — Anticipates market shifts, understands current and future players, and proactively shapes actions to capitalize on opportunities.
• Leading Innovation — Demonstrates the ability to develop and execute platform innovation strategies, driving scientific platforms and aligning them with organizational goals and values. Shapes technology platform strategies in partnership with R&D and Operations leaders to drive change and pioneer new approaches.
• Commercial Acumen — Demonstrates a solid understanding of commercial strategies and applies them to achieve business success.
• Building Customer Value — Frequently initiates contact with customers, showing genuine interest in their needs and feedback to identify innovation opportunities. Demonstrates a thorough understanding of customer preferences and anticipates their needs effectively. Provides well-thought-out solutions to customer issues, aiming for long-term satisfaction and value.
• Influencing and Collaborating Effectively — Works across functions to ensure the Innovation / Next Generation Platforms strategy is understood. Encourages strong engagement within the team, fostering a culture of collaboration and support. Integrates feedback seamlessly into work processes, using it to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
• Leading Teams — Effectively delegates, trusts team members to handle responsibilities while providing necessary support and development. Consistently communicates a clear vision and direction, ensuring team alignment and understanding. Demonstrates strategic thinking in problem-solving, addressing root causes and implementing long-term solutions.

FR : Dans le cadre de sa politique Diversité, Evotec étudie, à compétences égales, toutes les candidatures dont celles des personnes en situation de handicap.

ENG : In the frame of our Diversity policy, Evotec considers, with equal competences, all applications including people with disabilities.

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