Business Operations Manager

Johnson & Johnson Innovation is recruiting a Business Operations Manager of Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS.  The goal of Johnson & Johnson Innovation is to advance transformative healthcare solutions that improve the lives of people around the world and, in so doing, to deliver value to Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”).  JJI accomplishes this by catalyzing new science and technology through collaboration and exchange of ideas. This growing team is looking for a colleague inspired to help build and innovate new ways of fostering a productive life-science ecosystem.
 

JLABS (“JLABS”) is the external R&D engine of Johnson & Johnson, catalyzing a community of entrepreneurs in health, operating a network of life science incubators focusing and accelerating emerging technologies through its development, and supporting the portfolio to successful partnering and funding.  
 

The Business Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction through the effective management of the Site and Business Operations.  Accountable for planning, organizing, and providing timely responses to inquiries, managing day to day Business Operations, and resolving resident issues.  You are a key member of the JLABS On-Site Team, responsible for providing guidance and direction to the Site Head in regard to Portfolio Management and Finance. You will work in partnership with Operations to lead and manage site business operations and facility projects.  You will maintain customer relationships and serve as a key point of contact for daily operational inquiries.  This role is responsible for the implementation and delivery of customer facing operating systems, processes, and policies that facilitate management reporting, communications, data management, organizational planning, facility planning, financial planning and various business functions.  This role is responsible for the management of third-party client facing onsite contractors. Given this facility is a standalone operation, this individual shall be the back up to the Senior Operations Manager to manage this facility, both from a strategic operation and an emergency response perspective.  This position is on call 24/7.
 

The physical operation of the incubator facility is the most critical risk aspect of the JLABS Incubator business because of the Environmental Health and Safety, Intellectual Property and security risks involved in such an operation.  It is also of upmost importance to protecting the J&J brand given the scope of supporting up to 50 different legal entities on site.  Given the high level of risk with operating such a facility, the Business Operations Manager shall be responsible for managing business security on site and the risk mitigation program as it relates to insurance.

This role collaborates with internal Portfolio, Finance, Business Development, Innovation Activation, Communications, Legal, EHS&S, Security, Facilities & Operations, Government Affairs, external site vendors, external business partners and senior leadership to maintain efficient and effective operations while continuously assessing and improving the site operations and customer support/service model for JLABS and its resident companies. The Business Operations Manager will proactively identify continuous improvement opportunities to improve and maintain compliance and best practices.  They will monitor and adjust business processes and technology as needed to implement process efficiencies and correct process gaps/failures. They will provide recommendations and direction of where SOPs and compliance controls are required and lead all aspects of the documentation and execution of financial reconciliation activities. This position is the key contact for compliance initiatives, leading internal & external audits which requires strong collaboration with different partners in Finance, Innovation Activation, Facilities, Security, Legal, HCC, Lab Operations, Business Development, EHS&S and Portfolio Teams. 
 

Responsibilities:      

• Manage the Resident Companies through their residency at JLABS; from application to onboarding, to daily engagement, guidance, growth, and graduation. The Business Operations Manager is responsible to establish, implement, and manage the business operating model throughout this life cycle. You are responsible to continuously manage the incoming pipeline for your respective Region to ensure a consistent flow of companies. You will monitor the pipeline to ensure the appropriate growth opportunities are presented for high profile companies. You will advise the Site Head about companies who may be ready for graduation.  You will lead the process of footprint assignment for current and incoming Residents to ensure they are allocated the appropriate space to supplement their business needs.

• Lead new Resident Orientations, ensuring attendance from the broader JLABS team to provide a culture of support from all areas of the business to supplement the Residents successful onboarding.  You will facilitate the necessary connections at onboarding and offboarding to ensure ongoing engagement, customer support and growth opportunities as required.  Lead the execution of company required documentation, as it relates to background checks, security clearance, SOPs, legal permits, and other Regional required documentation. You are responsible to guide the residents on Business Registration to ensure the appropriate permits are in place and compliant. The Business Operations Manager is responsible to track company and team onboarding activities, specifically as they relate to facilities, equipment, EHS&S, security document management, training, and finances.

• Responsible for the business security on site which may include but not limited to background check approvals, badge activations, key administration, and management of the Front Desk.

• Responsible for negotiations and execution of all real estate agreements and contracts.  You will be drafting agreements, amendments, and contracts ensuring they are fully executed and legally binding. You will engage legal as necessary to seek guidance on inquiries received from potential companies that are outside of the business scope.  You will ensure all contracts are in good standing throughout a company’s residency at JLABS.

• You will partner closely with multiple J&J teams, stakeholders, and suppliers to manage the JLABS service delivery model including but not limited to, purchases, all soft services (mailroom, housekeeping, conference room management, shipping & receiving, etc.), security and IT services.  This is accomplished through applying proven leadership abilities, experience, and knowledge while strictly adhering to regulatory/compliance procedures and requirements.

• Responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction through the effective management of the customer service function and technology platform, the JLABS Help Center.  You are accountable for planning, organizing, and directing staff in providing timely responses to customer inquiries and resolving customer issues ensuring SLA’s and response targets are met.  You will survey the customer base to measure customer satisfaction, implementing controls and escalations as necessary to facilitate continuous improvements and service delivery.  You will manage your cases day to day and provide leadership routine reporting to ensure compliance to SLA’s, identify problem/gap areas and improvement opportunities. 

• You are responsible for customer relationship management, ensuring positive customer workplace experiences for all residents at JLABS.  Develop and sustain business relationships with JLABS resident companies including gaining and maintaining the respect of the scientific community. You are a key contact to communicate with J&J partners, a representative to attend external meetings organized by the local authority (as required) and a liaison to share information about local incentives that could be beneficial for JLABS Residents.

• Support the site revenue and capacity projections for the site, ensuring that a clear record of the current and future state of your facility is maintained, and proactive risk and mitigation strategies deployed. In partnership with Finance and the JLABS Site Head, he/she will facilitate monthly meetings to report out on revenue gaps and opportunities to Finance and JLABS Leadership, identifying plans for any reduction of capacity or revenue stream to further facilitate planning and financial forecasting.

• Manage key financial processes, including, but not limited to, performing account reconciliation, managing accounts payable and receivable, managing accounting tasks and activities to ensure an accurate and timely monthly close, and managing monthly VAT invoice issuance process based on the requirements of local regulations, and in collaboration with Finance and Tax team.  You will collect and analyze data to prepare routine management reports, including but not limited to Invoice Aging/AR Reports, Monthly Billing Spreadsheets, and License Agreement History Reporting.  You are responsible for the accuracy of all customer data entered in various online platforms and dashboards ensuring consistent documentation and reporting practices.

• Responsible to ensure ongoing compliance in all areas of the business by developing a thorough understanding of relevant regulatory standards to properly manage company regulatory permits, certificates, and trainings.  You will partner with key stakeholders within the organization (EHS, Security, Innovation Activation, Finance and Portfolio) to improve, develop, monitor, implement and update all Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s), Guidelines, Policies and Trainings as required.

• Lead local Site Audits from a Business Operations perspective to monitor for compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and J&J operating standards.  You will design and document audit plans and prepare reporting according to established policies and procedures. You will organize the audit flow, providing the required agenda and schedule to facilitate the audit in an orderly and productive manner.  You will monitor all corrective actions according to the business and follow up as necessary to facilitate compliance in required timelines.  You will routinely review internal controls/reporting results and will make recommendations for process improvements where appropriate.

• Proactively identify, recommend, and lead continuous improvement projects leveraging technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our processes.  This will include but not limited to global processes and technologies of existing and new platforms (JForce/Salesforce, HubSpot, Box, SharePoint, Gnosis, Juniverse, Yale, Sterling, iVisitor, Guidebook, Zendesk) both from a backend and user experience perspective to support seamless site operations. 

• Lead the process for Regulatory and Government reporting per site and/or local requirements and data gathering of JLABS company metrics such as job creations, funding, and partnerships on an annual basis. You will collaborate with state and/or provincial regulatory entities to maintain a database that provides the information to supplement the findings presented in the annual report. 

• Responsible to participate in strategic facility planning in collaboration with the Sr. Operations Manager and Site Heads to best support existing and prospective residents.  You will project manage facility projects/onsite modifications and act as a liaison/subject matter expert with Residents to ensure project is delivered on time, on scope, on budget.  You will be responsible to prepare company quotes and invoices and prepare amendments/agreements as required.  In collaboration with the Sr. Operations Manager, you will oversee the necessary approvals required via Building, Landlord, Licensor, or customer to maintain momentum of the project.  You are responsible to ensure all documentation is in order prior to the delivery of any service, working in collaboration with Finance to confirm the appropriate site budgeting is in place to compliment project execution.  You will review and recommend cost controls to ensure budget parameters are not exceeded and will deliver quarterly reports on operational expenditures as required.

• You will be responsible for assisting in planning and implementing the response to any major threat to life safety, security, or property by continuously identifying potential risks, prepare contingency and recovery plans, and manage resources. You may be the only J&J employee on site during times of crisis to maintain safety, compliance and ensure the site remains operational and customer needs are met.

• Responsible for the onboarding, training, and overall day to day management of onsite Contractor(s).  You will work with a third-party vendor to create the appropriate SOW/SOG and provide clear direction to the contractor(s) on expectations for the role.  You will develop and implement clear and achievable service levels with remediation and escalation procedures in place as necessary.

Additional Responsibilities:

• In partnership with the Sr. Operations Manager, you will participate in crisis management related activities from a Business Operations perspective.  You are responsible to attend CMT related meetings with the J&J organization as a representative of JLABS.  You will disseminate information as appropriate regarding updates to policies to ensure the health, safety and security of residents and team members onsite.  You will actively participate in the implementation of operational and facility requirements for the crisis at hand (signage, SOP assignment etc.). 

• You will be the face of JLABS to prospective companies, managing initial communications and information exchanges, leading tours as appropriate for prospective new companies to highlight JLABS’ offerings. You will demonstrate proficiency in the overall JLABS business model and offerings, key talking points and answer any follow up questions of the company. You will be responsible to create proposals as appropriate to provide options for occupancy to the prospective company to further the potential for a business relationship.

• You will be the backup person onsite to the Senior Operations Manager and be responsible to represent the company during regulatory inspections.

Principle Relationships:

Contacts Outside the Company:

• Regional Partners (e.g., Janssen, NYGC, TMC, UofT, Children’s National Hospital, Government of Ontario, MaRS Discovery, Shanghai Pharma Engine Company, Zhangjing Management Committee).
• J&J Partners, JLABS resident companies, Landlord, and regulatory agencies (where applicable).

Collaboration:

• Operations Leadership, Business Development, Procurement, Finance, EHS, Landlord, Legal, Innovation Activation, Marketing, and others as required.