Job description
The Director of Alliance Management, Institutional Research Partnerships will be responsible for leading and scaling Natera’s strategic collaborations with leading academic centers, health systems, hospital networks, and precision medicine teams. This is a critical, externally facing role that will own contracting and successful execution of research collaborations, including data sharing and biobanking initiatives, investigator-initiated studies (IIS) and real-world evidence (RWE) programs.
This leader will serve as the primary liaison between Natera and its strategic institutional partners—aligning cross-functional stakeholders, driving accountability, and building long-term, trust-based partnerships that support scientific progress.
Key Responsibilities
Alliance Strategy & Relationship Management
- Own the contracting and operational management of research partnerships with academic medical centers, health systems, and research institutions.
- Serve as the point of contact for key external stakeholders (PIs, research administrators, clinical leadership) and internal stakeholders (Medical Affairs, Clinical Trials, Business Development, Regulatory).
- Ensure seamless contracting, onboarding, communication, and long-term partner satisfaction through structured engagement and governance models, especially joint steering committees (JSC).
Execution & Program Oversight
- Drive execution of partnership deliverables including collaborative studies, protocol design, data-sharing frameworks, contract milestones, and scientific publications.
- Coordinate internal project teams to ensure alignment on timelines, compliance, data access, and resource allocation.
- Monitor and proactively mitigate risks to partnership success and escalate issues as needed.
Scientific & Operational Enablement
- Support development of joint research agendas, including clinical utility studies, biomarker discovery, and precision medicine programs
- Facilitate publication planning, abstract submission, and co-authorships in collaboration with Natera Medical and Scientific Affairs teams.
- Partner with R&D and Data Science to support integration of clinical-genomic data pipelines from academic collaborators.
Internal Collaboration & Strategy Development
- Work closely with Business Development, Legal, Medical Affairs, and Product to scope, negotiate, and launch new partnerships aligned to Natera’s strategic goals.
- Support health systems and oncology business units in identifying high-value partners for evidence generation and translational research, to further Natera’s business objectives.
- Contribute to the evolution of partnership models (e.g., sponsored research, joint ventures, shared IP) and internal alliance playbooks.
Qualifications
7+ years of experience in alliance management, business development, academic/industry partnerships, or clinical research operations, preferably in diagnostics, biopharma, or health tech.
Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder research collaborations with academic medical centers or large health systems, including joint steering committees
Strong working knowledge of institutional research structures (IRBs, CRUs, data governance, grants, publications).
Experience working with or supporting investigator-initiated trials, collaborative research studies, or real-world evidence programs.
Background in genomics, molecular diagnostics, or population health science is highly desirable.
Familiarity with HIPAA, IRB processes, and data-sharing regulations.
Experience managing alliances that integrate genomic, phenotypic, or EMR data for research or product development.
Personal Characteristics
- Exceptionally organized, with strong project management skills and attention to detail.
- Relationship-driven, with excellent interpersonal, communication, and diplomacy skills.
- Comfortable navigating ambiguity, solving problems, and aligning diverse stakeholder groups.
- Scientific curiosity and a passion for improving patient care through data and discovery.
Location & Travel
- Remote acceptable, with preference for proximity to San Francisco Bay Area or Austin, TX.
- Travel expected (~30–40%) to visit current and prospective partners, attend scientific meetings, and support cross-functional planning.
The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific office location. This may differ in other locations due to cost of labor considerations.
San Carlos, CA
$1—$1 USD
The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific office location. This may differ in other locations due to cost of labor considerations.
Remote USA
$200,000—$250,000 USD
OUR OPPORTUNITY
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.
The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.
WHAT WE OFFER
Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!
For more information, visit www.natera.com.
Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.
If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.
Link: https://www.natera.com/notice-of-data-collection-california-residents/
Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.
For more information:
- BBB announcement on job scams
- FBI Cyber Crime resource page
