Sr. Director, Business Development and Corporate Strategy

Dendreon Corporation•Seal Beach, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director of Business Development & Corporate Strategy will drive Dendreon’s growth through strategic partnerships, licensing, and corporate development initiatives. This role requires an experienced biotech or pharmaceutical business development leader with a track record of advancing innovative, late-stage (Phase II/III), first-in-class assets. The Senior Director will lead global opportunity sourcing, diligence, and deal execution, while partnering cross-functionally to evaluate international assets and collaborations, support CDMO business development, and engage with financial investment partners.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in business development in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry.
Demonstrated ability to lead BD, M&A, licensing, or investment transactions from sourcing through execution.
Advanced degree required: MBA, PhD, MD, or equivalent scientific or financial training.
Strong understanding of complex therapeutic modalities, such as ADCs, biologics, cell therapies, or other advanced platforms.
Deep financial acumen including valuation modeling, risk/return analysis, and deal structuring.
Executive presence and excellent communication skills with ability to build trust internally and externally.
Strong cross-functional leadership with proven ability to influence stakeholders across Clinical, Technical Ops, Regulatory, and Legal.
Deal Sheet Required.
Willingness to travel up to 50%+, including international travel.

Nice To Haves

Board-level exposure or experience presenting to board/investment committees.
Direct experience supporting or leading CDMO strategy or partnerships.
Strong network within the VC/PE community focused on early- to mid-stage biotech.
Familiarity with oncology, immunotherapy, urology, or cellular immunotherapies. Prior operating experience within a biotech or biopharma company.
Consulting or operating experience in high-growth biotech or commercial-stage biopharma environments.
Global experience with international partnerships, particularly the biotech or pharmaceutical environments in China.
Experience in venture capital, private equity, or investment banking within the life sciences industry.

Responsibilities

Serve as a key corporate strategist identifying high-impact opportunities for external innovation and investment.
Identify, evaluate, and lead strategic transactions and investments aligned with Dendreon’s business strategy, including first-in-class and differentiated therapeutic modalities (e.g., ADCs or other complex platforms).
Lead the search, evaluation, and acquisition of innovative clinical- to commercial-stage therapeutic assets, with emphasis on late-stage (Phase II/III), first-in-class programs aligned with Dendreon’s core therapeutic areas, including immunotherapy, urology, and oncology.
Evaluate complex therapeutic modalities, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) or similarly advanced platforms, assessing scientific differentiation, clinical risk, and commercial potential.
Conduct robust diligence with cross-functional support from Clinical, Regulatory, CMC, IP, Commercial, and Finance to drive informed decisions and maximize asset value.
Develop detailed market assessments, forecasts, valuation models, and scenario analyses for internal and external opportunities.
Partner closely with internal teams (R&D, Clinical, Regulatory, Commercial, Finance, Legal/IP) to perform scientific and commercial diligence, valuation modeling, and competitive landscape analyses.
Build and execute a business development plan to position Dendreon’s manufacturing capabilities as a CDMO partner for emerging and established biotech clients.
Identify and engage prospective CDMO partners, from early-stage startups to mid-size biotechs, structuring proposals and partnerships that leverage Dendreon’s technical and operational strengths.
Collaborate with Technical Operations, Quality, and Regulatory to ensure operational readiness and partner alignment on timelines and technical feasibility.
Represent Dendreon at relevant CDMO and manufacturing conferences and in client-facing discussions.
Lead the structuring, negotiation, and execution of term sheets and definitive agreements for BD and CDMO transactions.
Manage internal due diligence processes, coordinate with legal on contract development, and align stakeholders on deal terms and governance.
Partner with the CEO and Senior Leadership Team to refine corporate strategy and long-range planning.
Prepare and present executive summaries, board materials, and strategic recommendations based on external opportunity assessments.