Sr. Director, Alliance and Program Management

About the role

The Sr. Director, Alliance and Program Management will serve as the primary operational and strategic partner to the Chief Operating Officer and leadership team at ProFound Therapeutics. This role owns the end-to-end execution of strategic pharmaceutical alliances, ensuring scientific, financial, and contractual commitments are met with the highest level of integrity. The hire will build and scale the company's portfolio and program management capabilities from the ground up, creating practical systems that bring structure to a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment. They will lead cross-functional coordination, drive accountability across matrixed teams, and translate strategic decisions into tangible, executable plans. This position requires exceptional judgment, operational rigor, and the ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority. The successful candidate will own the health of the alliance portfolio and establish the governance processes that enable predictable, disciplined execution.

Key facts

What you'll do

Lead the operational management of ProFound Therapeutics' strategic pharmaceutical alliances, ensuring alignment on scientific objectives, governance, and contractual deliverables.

Build trusted relationships with partner organizations, coordinating cross-functional teams including scientific, legal, finance, IP, and operational stakeholders to advance joint programs.

Own the preparation and execution of Joint Steering Committee (JSC) agendas, documentation, and follow-up, ensuring decisions are captured and acted upon.

Collaborate with the Business Development function to structure new alliances, translating commercial intent into actionable plans that de-risk execution.

Translate collaboration agreements into detailed operating plans, defining milestones, deliverables, timelines, and resource requirements with cross-functional input.

Monitor alliance performance and health, identifying risks and issues early, resolving conflicts constructively, and providing clear executive-level visibility.

Establish and improve ProFound's portfolio and program management capabilities, including governance models, tools, and operating processes that scale with growth.

Lead integrated program management across discovery and early development portfolios, ensuring visibility into progress, dependencies, and evolving resource needs.

Train and coach scientific and cross-functional teams on practical project management tools and consistent execution practices to enhance discipline and predictability.

Partner with scientific leadership to implement stage-gate processes and governance frameworks that align programs with strategic objectives and external partner expectations.

Champion data-driven decision-making, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative inputs to guide trade-offs and prioritize actions across a dynamic pipeline.

Serve as a credible and proactive representative of ProFound Therapeutics in all partner interactions, reinforcing the company's reputation for operational excellence.

Requirements

Candidates must possess a Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience, with a preference for advanced degrees in life sciences, business, or related fields.

Bring a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or related life science industries, with a demonstrated track record of managing complex alliances or programs.

Have at least 7 years of hands-on alliance or program management experience, leading cross-functional teams and managing multi-party agreements in a commercial or collaborative context.

Demonstrate deep expertise in alliance management, including negotiation, governance, and the ability to translate complex agreements into executable plans across diverse functions.

Show a proven ability to operate effectively in a lean, fast-paced, and evolving entrepreneurial environment, balancing strategic thinking with meticulous execution.

Possess strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex scientific and business information for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Exhibit sound judgment and the ability to make high-impact decisions in ambiguous situations while balancing competing priorities and stakeholder interests.

Must be comfortable working across highly matrixed organizations, influencing through collaboration, and driving accountability without direct authority.

Nice to have

Prior experience in early-stage biotechnology companies that have active or emerging collaborations with large pharmaceutical partners.

Experience implementing stage-gate processes, portfolio management frameworks, and practical program management tools in a life science R&D environment.

Familiarity with the nuances of discovery and early development programs in areas such as oncology, immuno-oncology, or rare diseases.

Track record of building and leading high-performing, cross-functional teams in a collaborative and mission-driven setting.

Practical notes

This is a full-time position based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, requiring occasional travel to meet with partner organizations and scientific collaborators.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship for this role.