Senior Director, Alliance Management

Profluent•Emeryville, CA

2d•$160,000 - $240,000

About The Position

Profluent is an AI-first protein design company. Founded in 2022, we develop deep generative models to design and validate novel, functional proteins to revolutionize biomedicine. Based in Emeryville, CA, we are backed by leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Bezos Expeditions, Spark Capital, Insight Partners, Air Street Capital, AIX Ventures, and Convergent Ventures, and have raised over $150M to date. Profluent Bio is seeking an experienced Senior Director, Alliance Management to serve as a critical bridge between our internal research teams and external strategic partners. This is a high-impact, multifaceted role requiring exceptional breadth: alliance management experience, project management discipline, deep gene editing knowledge and startup operational velocity, with growth opportunity into program leadership. You'll be the catalyst for our most important collaborations while ensuring internal cross-functional alignment on strategy and execution. Profluent currently has several active strategic partnerships with immediate plans to expand. This role will own operational execution across the existing portfolio from day one, with a clear path to building and leading the alliance management function as we scale. We need someone who can move quickly, and can hit the ground running, taking over crucial partnerships following a short (~4 week) onboarding and relationship-building sprint. Ideal Candidate Profile You are an operator who can flex broadly across alliance management, project management, and strategic program leadership - equally comfortable thinking strategically about five-year roadmaps and long-term partnership goals as you are diving into specific contract terms and Gantt charts. You have the scientific background to speak credibly with PhDs about gene editing mechanisms, the business acumen to negotiate with Big Pharma partners, and the project management discipline to keep complex programs on track. Ideally, you've done alliance management at a gene editing startup and managed pharma collaborations with meaningful upfront payments and biobucks, with experience in or passion for gene therapy (delivery and/or cargo). You'll need to be equal parts diplomat, strategist, and operator - someone who can jump between a board deck and relationship management, present appropriately to any audience, and put out fires before they start while rallying teams around ambitious goals.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry, with 5+ years in alliance management or similar roles managing cross-functional teams and strategic partnerships.
Bachelor's degree in life sciences required (biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related). MS or PhD strongly preferred; candidates without advanced degrees must demonstrate significant alliance management experience at gene editing or gene therapy biotechs with major pharma partnerships.
Strong scientific acumen; must be able to understand gene editing science at a level that earns credibility with our research teams.
Proven track record driving decision-making and creating collaborative dynamics across diverse stakeholder groups.
Experience working in fast-paced, early-stage biotech environments; comfort with ambiguity and rapid change; able to create fit-for-size processes.
Exceptional judgment and discernment about what issues require leadership escalation vs. independent resolution.
Outstanding communication skills with ability to translate between scientific, business, and partnership contexts.
Applicants must have ongoing work authorization in the United States that does not require employer sponsorship. Sponsorship will not be provided now or at any time in the future for this position.
Legal authorization to work in the United States is required. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired must verify their identity and work eligibility and complete the required employment verification form upon hire.

Nice To Haves

Gene editing startup experience with exposure to major pharma alliances
High emotional intelligence with ability to build deep trust with pharma alliance counterparts, sense and defuse issues before they escalate, and bring 'cheerleader' energy that rallies cross-functional teams while maintaining rigorous attention to detail
Proven ability to manage 4+ concurrent alliances without sacrificing quality or partner relationships
Experience in discovery and preclinical stages (clinical development experience is a plus)
Startup velocity: you thrive on moving fast and making things happen
Leadership potential: ability to build and lead a team of Alliance Managers as we scale
Navigating the complexities of both external partnership dynamics and internal cross-functional collaboration
Balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution
Building trust and credibility with scientists, business leaders, and external partners alike
Knowing when to drive decisions independently and when to bring in senior leadership
Creating order from chaos and implementing scalable processes
Operating with autonomy while keeping stakeholders appropriately informed
Exercising sound judgment about information sensitivity, confidentiality, and when to escalate vs. handle independently - critical for managing proprietary research with multiple pharma partners
Gene editing or gene therapy experience is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary interface and relationship manager for strategic alliance partners externally and participants internally, ensuring seamless collaboration and communication.
Lead Joint Research Committees (JRCs) and Joint Steering Committees (JSCs), owning meeting preparation, execution, and follow-through. Serve as the primary operational interface with pharma alliance counterparts.
Proactively identify and address partnership challenges, escalating to leadership when appropriate with clear recommendations.
Track alliance deliverables, milestones, and decision points; ensure both parties meet contractual obligations.
Facilitate productive partner meetings and ensure clear documentation of decisions, action items, and next steps.
Collaborate with internal research teams to define and drive partnered program strategy, goals, timelines, and decision points.
Facilitate collaborative decision-making discussions across research team leads and functional areas, ensuring alignment and clear communication of next steps.
Identify program risks and proactively develop mitigation strategies.
Serve as program spokesperson; regularly communicate progress, challenges, and strategic decisions to senior management and key stakeholders.
Manage relationships with external vendors and CROs supporting alliance activities.
Drive accountability across teams to ensure programs advance on time and on strategy.