Executive director for the NNF Center for Vaccines and Immunology (NCVI)

BEMÆRK: Ansøgningsfristen er overskredet

Executive director for the NNF Center for Vaccines and Immunology (NCVI)
Department of Immunology and Microbiology
The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen



A translational research centre for vaccines and immunity

Based on a collaboration between the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) it is the vision to establish a new flagship – a translational research NNF Center for Vaccines and Immunity (NCVI). The aim of NCVI is to conduct basic as well as translational research with focus on developing new vaccines against respiratoryroute pathogens that have epidemic potential or promote the spread of anti-microbial resistance.

The two-pronged mission for NCVI is:

• Generation of knowledge on host immunity, host-pathogen interactions, and vaccine technologies.
• Translation of knowledge into vaccines that provide robust, durable, and broad immunity against respiratory pathogens.

NCVI will bridge basic discovery research and new vaccines' development and clinical testing against diverse respiratory pathogens. Importantly, the centre will establish expertise and infrastructure that can ‘pivot’ to target new respiratory pathogen threats should a new pandemic threat arise.

NVCI is expected to encompass more than 100 researchers and specialists and will be embedded at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology (ISIM) at Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen.

About the position

The Department of Immunology and Microbiology (ISIM) at Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen is looking to recruit an executive director (ED)of NCVI with a visionary approach to leadership and an internationally recognized research profile. The ED should have thorough experience in leadership at institutional or research programme level and have a natural ability and authority for leading scientific and support staff.

Central for the position is the building and development of a thriving environment for research and translational activities within vaccines and immunology. This includes attracting and fostering highly competent and engaged researchers and staff as well as securing infrastructure in synergy with the department and the faculty.

NCVI will be an engaged collaboration partnership between UCPH and NNF and the position as ED is combined with a position as Chief Executive Officer of NVAC, an NNF fully owned partnership company that combined with UCPH part of NCVI will drive the mission and the full value chain of the program. The two positions are as a rule prerequisite to each other and will overall constitute a full-time position.

The ED is expected to focus on further developing and implementing NCVI’s strategy across the full value chain from research to translation, especially including:

• Overall responsibility for ensuring NCVI’s annual progress and strategy development
• Overall responsibility for ensuring a fruitful interaction between stakeholders, processes, and strategy development
• Ensuring that NCVI has a promising and diverse vaccine research and IP portfolio.

The ED is moreover expected to conduct a visionary approach to leadership, especially including:

• Embodying the collaborative and translational mindset that will permeate NCVI
• Ensuring that NCVI can attract talent and external funding.
• Overall general management responsibility for NCVI’s

There will be great emphasis on the director being a recognized researcher as well as considerable experience in clinical development of vaccines and/or therapeutics.

About the department

Research at the Department ranges from basic to applied research and is contained within the four areas: Bacteriology, Immunology, Virology and Parasitology. ISIM hosts a broad portfolio of courses in immunology and microbiology. We also offer online courses and e-learning modules. The Department already houses four centres: Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Costerton Biofilm Center, LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center (SIC) and Centre for Medical Parasitology (CMP). We collaborate with other departments at the faculty and university, other universities, and institutions, both national and international.

We consider excellent leadership a necessity to obtaining the goals for the new center.

Expectations towards the executive director

The director should hold a strong track record of relevant senior leadership experience. This includes strategy development and implementation, financial planning/oversight, to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful, and nurturing the growth and development of employees. The director should be self-reflective, leading by example and drive the center’s performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback. Furthermore, the director can attract and develop top talent, motivate, and delegate effectively, celebrate diversity, and manage performance.

The executive director is expected to be an internationally recognized researcher within vaccines and immunity. The director has experience with the entire pipeline from discovery to clinical vaccine product development as well as in managing a research portfolio with complex intellectual property rights.

Requirements, qualifications, and evaluation criteria

We expect that you:

• are a visionary and experienced leader at institutional or research programme level, and that you have the desire and ability to design and develop the centre and its employees with respect for the various professional fields.
• are experienced in staff management of all groups of personnel as well as students.
• are experienced in financial management and organisational development.
• are a researcher at an international level within vaccinology and immunity.
• have an excellent research track record in the research field.
• can attract, motivate, develop, and retain the best talents through dynamic leadership.
• have a collegial, visionary, and innovative personality with a flair for communication and teamwork and have insight into the interactions between a university and its surrounding society.

Personal skills

We value that you:

• are a collaborative, team-oriented individual with strong interpersonal, facilitative and negotiation skills able to mediate and bring together collaborators to drive success.
• can quickly establish credibility and develop effective relationships as required to navigate and lead within a research center organization.

Salary and terms of employment

We expect to employ you in a fixed-term position for a period of 8 years. Starting date is 1 January 2024 or to be determined by agreement. Working hours will be on average equal to an employment rate of 50 to 80 percent of full time. Se above for the two combined positions that together constitute a full time position (37 hours).

The appointment as Executive Director is positioned as Senior Consultant with personnel management (’chefkonsulent med personaleledelse’).

Salary and other terms and conditions of appointment are set in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreement between the Danish Government and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) with a possibility to negotiate supplements due to qualifications and experience. Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The university will pay an additional 17.1 % to a pension fund.

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.

Further information

For further information, please contact Head of Department Charlotte Bonefeld, cmenne@sund.ku.dk.



Interesting may also be the site of the university’s unit for International Staff Mobility http://www.ism.ku.dk.

Application and proposal

Your application should include the documents below:

• an application describing your thoughts and visions for the development of NCVI in a 5-year plan (maximum three pages)
• a complete curriculum vitae and publication list
• an outline of your leadership experience and approach

The head of department has appointed an employment committee to assist with the selection of applicants for interviews, to participate in interviews, and to advise on the appointment.

The position is conditional on obtaining the grant support from NNF.

Please submit the application online with the required attachments.

The closing date for applications is 23.59 p.m. CET, Friday, 18 August 2023.

Apply through the advertisement at Jobportal. Please click ’Apply Now’ on the side of the advertisement.

Interviews for this position are likely to be held in week 36 2023.

The University of Copenhagen encourages all interested applicants to apply for this position.

INFORMATIONER OM STILLINGEN:

- Arbejdspladsen ligger i:

Tårnby Kommune

-Virksomheden tilbyder:

-Arbejdsgiver:

KU - SUND - PANUM KBH N, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 København N

-Ansøgning:

Ansøgningsfrist: 18-08-2023; - ansøgningsfristen er overskredet

Ved skriftlig henvendelse: https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=1307&ProjectId=159781&DepartmentId=19210&MediaId=4632&SkipAdvertisement=true

Se mere her: https://job.jobnet.dk/CV/FindWork/Details/5880621