Corporate Development Director - Strategy / M&A / AI

Guardant Health • Palo Alto, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on guarding wellness and giving every person more time free from cancer. Founded in 2012, Guardant is transforming patient care and accelerating new cancer therapies by providing critical insights into what drives disease through its advanced blood and tissue tests, real-world data and AI analytics. Guardant tests help improve outcomes across all stages of care, including screening to find cancer early, monitoring for recurrence in early-stage cancer, and treatment selection for patients with advanced cancer. For more information, visit guardanthealth.com and follow the company on LinkedIn , X (Twitter) and Facebook . Guardant Health's Corporate Development group is responsible for license, partnership, and acquisition strategy development and execution, long-range planning and strategy, and business intelligence insights. The group operates through advisement to the Guardant Health Investment Committee to set and execute traditional M&A, partnership, and investment strategies. In addition, this group facilitates the Company’s long-range planning process by guiding each function through key questions each year and ensuring quality control, in advance of leadership approval. Business intelligence and insights are integral to these responsibilities. Our Corporate Development Director- Strategy / M&A / AI will support all aspects of Guardant Health’s Corporate Development function. The role requires a self-starter with strong analytical, financial, and strategic skills, as well as the ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable recommendations for leadership. The successful candidate will help shape Guardant’s corporate development strategy by identifying industry trends, maintaining relationships with external partners, and sourcing, negotiating, structuring, and executing strategic acquisitions and investments across the Company’s geographies and businesses. The role will also contribute to the development of new business models and decision frameworks that leverage advanced analytics and emerging technologies to improve strategic insight and execution. Adaptability and strategic agility are essential in Guardant’s fast-evolving competitive environment.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in Corporate Development or M&A at a comparable healthcare company or Investment Bank.
• Undergraduate business degree, MBA, or PhD degree with a technical background in genomics, therapeutics, or oncology preferred.
• Demonstrated M&A partnering and equity investment experience, including negotiation, execution, and transaction closing.
• Intermediate or advanced understanding of the biotech, diagnostic, or medical device industry.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience using modern data analytics, automation, and AI-assisted decision tools to support strategy and valuation work.
• Ability to structure and manage complex projects and processes with multiple stakeholders at all levels, including Executive and senior leadership.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey data-driven insights clearly and persuasively.
• Ability to travel, both domestically and internationally, 10%–20% to conferences and meetings.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in Product, R&D, or Marketing a plus.
• Undergraduate business degree, MBA, or PhD degree with a technical background in genomics, therapeutics, or oncology preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the transaction due diligence process, incorporating data analytics and intelligent automation to streamline evaluation and improve decision accuracy.
• Develop business cases supported by advanced market, valuation, and financial analytics, including scenario modeling and trend forecasting.
• Support the Company’s growth strategy through the identification, assessment, and execution of M&A, investments, and partnerships, guided by data-driven insights and predictive intelligence.
• Maintain and refine structured processes to identify and evaluate strategic opportunities across multiple business areas, integrating both quantitative and qualitative assessments.
• Collaborate with business leaders to identify and prioritize opportunities in a systematic and informed manner, ensuring alignment with each unit’s objectives and long-term plans.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across business units to sustain an ongoing flow of high-quality strategic ideas and partnership opportunities.
• Partner with business leaders before, during, and after M&A activity to ensure strategic fit, long-term value creation, and smooth post-deal integration.
• Support cross-functional teams in developing acquisition business cases and executing transactions, coordinating with Finance, Accounting, Legal, Tax, HR, and other departments to ensure seamless diligence and execution.
• Continuously enhance analytical capabilities, incorporating modern data platforms, automation, and AI-enabled tools to improve sourcing, valuation, and post-merger performance tracking.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees