At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!
As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.
At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.
Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!
Your Role: Vice President, Research & Breakthrough Innovation
As Vice President, Research & Breakthrough Innovation, you will be part of the global R&D leadership team to deliver Elanco’s long-term scientific vision. In this role, you’ll be responsible for leading the discovery organization, managing breakthrough innovation portfolios, and translating complex scientific concepts into sustainable commercial value for the enterprise.
Your Responsibilities:
- Lead the identification and validation of novel scientific platforms and therapeutic modalities to fuel Elanco’s long-term research pipeline.
- Oversee the management of global research portfolios, making high-impact decisions on resource allocation and financial oversight for innovation budgets.
- Drive breakthrough innovation initiatives by identifying and evaluating unique scientific challenges and providing guidance to teams to develop pioneering solutions.
- Build and extend strategic relationships with global external innovation ecosystems, regulators, and partners to enhance Elanco’s competitive edge in research.
- Direct the translation of early-stage research into commercially viable assets, ensuring a robust bridge between scientific discovery and market readiness.
What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):
- Education: Advanced degree (PhD, DVM, or equivalent) in a relevant scientific field.
- Experience: A minimum of 12 years of experience in research leadership and breakthrough innovation management within the animal health or pharmaceutical industry.
- Expertise in managing large-scale research portfolios and visionary leadership in discovery operations.
What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications):
- Experience with both large and small molecules and/or monoclonal antibodies.
- Proven track record of successful external innovation partnership development and global regulatory navigation.
- Demonstrated ability to influence at the executive level and drive cross-functional alignment across a global organization.
- Significant experience in financial management of multi-million dollar R&D budgets and asset management.
- Experience leading diverse, high-performing scientific teams in a global, matrixed environment.
Additional Information:
Travel: 25%
Location: Global Elanco Headquarters - Indianapolis, IN - Hybrid Work Environment
Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrecognized groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!
Elanco Benefits and Perks:
We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well-being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:
• Multiple relocation packages
• Two weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer and year-end) in the US (in addition to PTO)
• 8-week parental leave
• 9 Employee Resource Groups
• Annual bonus offering
• Flexible work arrangements
• Up to 6% 401K matching
Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status
Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.
Skills Required
- Advanced degree (PhD, DVM, or equivalent) in a relevant scientific field
- Minimum of 12 years of experience in research leadership and breakthrough innovation management
- Expertise in managing large-scale research portfolios
- Visionary leadership in discovery operations
Elanco Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Elanco and has not been reviewed or approved by Elanco.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off options are broad, including PTO, flexible leave, and the ability to purchase additional vacation. These provisions are highlighted as supportive of work-life balance.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage includes medical, dental, and vision alongside company-paid life, disability, and wellness support. Pet insurance and assistance programs reinforce a comprehensive wellbeing offering.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings include a U.S. 401(k) and, for some employees, access to a defined benefit pension. These programs add meaningful long-term value to total rewards.
Elanco Insights
What We Do
At Elanco, we work to improve the health of animals through innovative products and services for pets and farm animals around the world. As a global animal health company, we provide solutions that empower our customers to advance a vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life. Since 1954, Elanco has committed to empowering veterinarians, farmers, and all those who care for animals with the tools they need to help animals live healthy lives. Healthier animals are the key to making our lives better - This is the fundamental belief uniting all global Elanco employees. That’s why we are committed to the idea that our business can be a unique force for good for all in society. Through our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ framework of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments, we focus on delivering sustainable solutions to advance the well-being of animals, people and the planet. This program also enables our employees around the world to take paid time off to make an impact as a volunteer, offering their time or talent to give back to our customers, causes and communities. #ElancoHealthyPurpose #WeAreElanco
