Principal Business Development Specialist - Healthcare Innovation

About the role

Medtronic is looking for a Principal Business Development Specialist in Tokyo to identify, evaluate and advance external innovation and strategic partnership opportunities that create value for Medtronic in Japan and globally. The role builds trusted relationships across the healthcare innovation ecosystem and acts as a connector between startups, universities, research institutions, healthcare providers, investors, government organisations and internal Medtronic stakeholders. It also shapes strategy, assesses fit, builds business cases and supports execution of partnerships such as co-development, licensing, investment and potential acquisitions. The position is hybrid, mainly remote, with periodic presence at the Tokyo office.

Key responsibilities

• Identify innovative startups, technologies and business models in medical devices, digital health, AI, robotics, diagnostics and therapeutics, and monitor market, technology, customer and competitor developments.
• Build and maintain a network of startups, universities, research institutions, VC firms, accelerators, industry associations and government bodies, and represent Medtronic at conferences, pitch sessions and innovation programmes.
• Assess opportunities, run preliminary commercial and business due diligence, and develop evaluation frameworks, executive summaries and business cases.
• Cultivate long-term partnerships and advance models such as co-development, licensing, strategic investment and research collaboration, supporting negotiations and internal approvals.
• Engage internal stakeholders across business units, R&D, clinical, regulatory, legal, finance, marketing and operations, and present evidence-based recommendations to senior leaders.
• Manage a pipeline of opportunities and lead cross-functional projects from discovery through partnership formation.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience, or 5 years with an advanced degree, in business development, strategic partnerships, corporate strategy, management consulting, venture capital, startup ecosystems, healthcare innovation or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years' experience in the medical device, healthcare, life sciences or health technology industry.
• Japanese at native level or equivalent; English at business level or above.
• Experience evaluating startups and partnerships, leading complex cross-functional initiatives, and influencing decisions without direct authority.

Required skills

• Knowledge of medical device development, commercialisation and partnership lifecycles.
• Business case development, market analysis and basic financial analysis.
• Stakeholder management, negotiation and project and portfolio management.
• Preferred: experience with healthcare startups, VC, accelerators, M&A, licensing, alliance management, technology maturity and clinical value assessment, and international project experience.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and flexible benefits package.
• Childcare expense support of up to JPY 360,000 per year, six weeks of leave for family care or adoption, and access to babysitter and childcare matching services.
• Career development, mentoring programmes, e-learning and internal networks supporting women's development.
• Employee stock purchase plan, commuting, overtime and holiday work allowances, and standard working hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.