Director, Portfolio Strategy - Global Initiatives

Flagship Pioneering, Inc.•Cambridge, MA

2h•$172,000 - $236,500

About The Position

Flagship Pioneering is a scientific innovation engine that invents and builds companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps in human health, sustainability, and beyond. What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance biotechnology by uniting life science innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our team of scientists, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and create breakthroughs for the benefit of people and planet. Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture. Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies, and has been named four times to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. This is a high‑impact role at the intersection of science, strategy, and business, focused on shaping and advancing a differentiated BioMedicines R&D portfolio from early discovery through clinical development and commercialization readiness. The role partners closely with senior BioMedicines and Flagship Pioneering leadership to define portfolio direction, build new R&D programs, and drive high‑stakes investment and prioritization decisions. You will work hands‑on with scientific leaders, internal venture teams, and partnering colleagues to translate complex science into clear strategies, executable plans, and compelling executive narratives. Success in this role requires a roll‑up‑your‑sleeves mindset—owning analyses, building materials, structuring decisions, and moving work forward in a fast‑paced, ambiguity‑rich environment.

Requirements

PhD or MD in Life Sciences or a related field
5+ years of experience in management consulting (strategy and/or life sciences), biotech venture creation or investing, biopharma portfolio strategy, or related roles
Strong understanding of biopharma R&D, clinical development, and regulatory pathways
Experience working across multiple programs and stages of drug development
Demonstrated experience with portfolio construction, scenario planning, and risk‑adjusted decision‑making
Exceptional ability to synthesize complex data and communicate clearly with executives
Proven ability to influence senior scientific and business leaders without formal authority

Nice To Haves

Experience within the Flagship ecosystem is strongly valued

Responsibilities

Shape portfolio strategy and investment decisions across the BioMedicines pipeline, from preclinical inception through development
Build and advance new R&D programs, defining development paths, milestones, resourcing plans, and decision points
Develop integrated investment cases that synthesize scientific rationale, development feasibility, execution risk, and value creation
Lead portfolio reviews, scenario planning, and trade‑off analyses (e.g., indication selection, timing, resourcing, probability‑adjusted value)
Evaluate internal and external opportunities, including scientific, technical, strategic, and operational diligence of prospective assets
Identify portfolio risks, gaps, and opportunities and recommend actions such as acceleration, de‑prioritization, partnering, or termination
Translate complex scientific, clinical, and financial information into concise, executive‑level insights and decision materials
Collaborate across R&D, Clinical Development, Regulatory, CMC, Finance, Commercial, Partnering, and internal venture teams
Work directly with senior scientific and executive leaders (e.g., CSOs, CMOs, CBOs) to create and execute new programs
Support governance and decision‑making forums that enable speed, clarity, and accountability
Contribute to special strategic initiatives with the Head of Global Initiatives and SVP, Global Initiatives