Director, New Approach Methodologies

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) seeks a Director, New Approach Methodologies to lead innovative scientific initiatives in the Scientific Research & Development department. The Director will design, implement, and oversee projects that advance cutting-edge biomedical research tools and strategies, working closely with global partners across sectors. This role requires strong leadership in research program development, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement. FNIH offers a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration, providing an opportunity to shape transformative research that addresses critical health challenges worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific and strategic leadership for FNIH's New Approach Methodologies portfolio, from concept through execution and dissemination.
• Design, launch, and manage complex, multi-year, multi-partner research initiatives focused on modernizing preclinical and translational methods.
• Define program goals, scientific objectives, milestones, and success metrics for New Approach Methodologies projects.
• Establish and oversee governance structures for consortia, including steering committees, working groups, and advisory panels.
• Coordinate and align diverse stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and nonprofit sectors around shared scientific priorities.
• Guide the design and implementation of validation studies and data-sharing frameworks for emerging research tools and models.
• Evaluate, prioritize, and refine candidate New Approach Methodologies based on scientific merit, feasibility, and potential impact.
• Ensure scientific rigor, data quality, and adherence to relevant regulatory and ethical standards across all projects.
• Manage project plans, budgets, contracts, and timelines; monitor risks and implement mitigation strategies to keep projects on track.
• Synthesize and interpret complex scientific data and literature to inform program direction and stakeholder decisions.
• Communicate program goals, progress, and outcomes through written reports, presentations, publications, and briefings for diverse audiences.
• Represent FNIH at scientific conferences, workshops, and working groups, and serve as a visible leader in the New Approach Methodologies community.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with current and prospective partners, funders, and collaborators.
• Collaborate closely with internal FNIH teams in development, communications, grants and contracts, and finance to support program sustainability.
• Contribute to FNIH's culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration by mentoring staff and sharing best practices in research program management.

Required Skills

• Program and project management in biomedical research
• Consortium and stakeholder management
• Preclinical and translational research design
• Knowledge of New Approach Methodologies (in vitro, in silico, organ-on-a-chip, etc.)
• Regulatory science and toxicology concepts
• Data interpretation and scientific analysis
• Strategic planning and roadmap development
• Risk assessment and mitigation for research programs
• Budget development and financial oversight
• Scientific writing and technical communication
• Presentation and public speaking skills
• Consensus building and facilitation
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Literature review and evidence synthesis
• Leadership and team mentorship