Section Lead, Life Science Business Development – KU Lighthouse

Are you an experienced leader with a strong background in life science innovation and a passion for building high-performing teams and portfolios? KU Lighthouse, the Innovation Center for both researchers and students, at the University of Copenhagen is looking for a Section Lead for Life Science Business Development to lead and develop our Life Science Business Development team and be daily responsible for the research output innovation portfolio at UCPH.

About the Position In this role, you will take on day-to-day leadership responsibility for our Life Science business developers and the innovation portfolio management. The team at UCPH that supports researchers in translation of research output into spinouts and 3rd party partnerships. You will ensure high-quality case progression, strong prioritisation, and alignment across teams, while fostering a collaborative and performance-driven environment. You will play a key role in shaping how life science innovations move from research to real-world impact. The full BD team at KU Lighthouse supports +400 Innovation leads and +200 innovation project in maturing to spinout/3rd party license across the University per year.

Core Responsibilities Leadership & Team Management

• A leader that can set direction, coordinate and achieve commitment from team members
• Task allocation, follow-up, and quality assurance of case work
• Coaching and professional development of team members, incl. performance feedback and workload balancing by setting priorities and efficient task handling
• Ensuring active engagement of the BD team across relevant university departments
• Active outreach & stakeholder management e.g. towards department heads and faculty leadership (Life Science)

Portfolio & Operations Management

• Daily prioritisation and coordination of leads and cases in UCPH’s innovation portfolio
• Operational ownership of lead generation targets (volume and quality)
• Development, implementation and optimisation of portfolio processes (e.g. stage-gate models)

Cross-Team Coordination

• Close collaboration with other teams within KU Lighthouse & KU INNO
• Alignment of portfolio priorities and standards across teams

You will report directly to KU Lighthouse Management, Karin Beukel.

What We Imagine You Bring You are a senior professional who combines deep life science expertise with strong leadership and operational capabilities.

Experience & Background

• MSc or PhD in a relevant life science field (+MBA is an advantage)
• 15+ years of experience within:
  • Research commercialisation
  • Startup ecosystems or industry innovation
• Proven experience with portfolio and/or complex project management
• Line or project management experience of senior specialists

Technical & Operational Skills

• Strong project management capabilities
• Ability to manage complexity and collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders
• Experience with portfolio management, including stage-gate development and implementation
• Ability to work in a systematic and structured way, familiarity with tools such as Inteum and WorkZone is an advantage

Key Competencies Leadership & Decision-Making

• Strong operational leadership combined with strategic awareness, enabling efficient execution in daily complex tasks aligned with strategic direction
• Ability to make calm, informed decisions under uncertainty
• Confidence in prioritization, with a collaborative mindset
• Constructive challenger of cases and assumptions

Commercial & Innovation Insight

• Deep understanding in project management & stage gate – having taken responsibility for securing project maturation in complex innovation projects
• Deep understanding of innovation maturation, venture development, licensing and risk
• Solid experience with market validation and business model assessment
• Experience with university technology transfer
• Ability to assess investor readiness and engage industry stakeholders
• Understanding of IP and regulatory landscapes (without being the technical expert)

Structure, Data & Quality

• Strong analytical and data-driven mindset
• Ability to establish and enforce standards and processes (SOPs)
• Systematic approach to case tracking and reporting
• Focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence

Success Indicators In this role, success will be defined by:

• Building a strong collaborative Life Science BD team
• Securing improved personal development schemes for team members
• A predictable and transparent management of cases through development stages
• High-quality and consistent support across the portfolio, with clear priorities
• Strong collaboration with other KU Lighthouse teams
• High credibility with researchers, department heads, partners, and stakeholders

What We Offer At KU Lighthouse, you will:

• Take on a central leadership role in shaping life science innovation
• Work closely with world-class researchers and a strong ecosystem
• Be part of an ambitious, collaborative, and impact-driven environment
• Have the opportunity to influence both strategy and operations
• Join a team with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a focus on real-world impact

Salary and Employment Terms

Employment will be as section lead (chefkonsulent med personaleledelse) according to the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The position is full-time.

Your Application

Your application, including CV, diplomas, and other relevant documents, must be submitted electronically via the University of Copenhagen’s job portal no later than 5th of July. We expect to conduct interviews on an ongoing basis.

Further Information

For further information about the position, please contact KU Lighthouse Management Karin Beukel at kabe@adm.ku.dk or by phone +45 50507216. The University of Copenhagen aims to reflect the diversity of the surrounding society and encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background.

About KU INNO and the University of Copenhagen

The University of Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest university, with an annual turnover of approximately DKK 11 billion, more than 10,000 employees, and 36,000 students. UCPH is among Europe’s leading research universities and plays an active role in developing solutions to some of society’s greatest challenges.

KU Lighthouse is the UCPH innovation center and part of a larger organization KU INNO. KU INNO works to strengthen innovation and societal impact at the University. We support researchers in commercializing breakthrough discoveries, help students develop innovation skills, provide legal, strategic, and organizational expertise, and connect external partners with the University’s knowledge. KU INNO currently consists of approximately 110 employees.

The University of Copenhagen aims to reflect the diversity of the surrounding society and encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background.

Denne stilling er publiceret af KU – FA – Kbh K via jobnet.dk