Sr. Director/Director, Business Development & Corporate Strategy

Dendreon Corporation•Seal Beach, CA

18d•Onsite

About The Position

At Dendreon, we’re transforming the battle against cancer with personalized immunotherapy. Our flagship product, PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T), was the first FDA-approved immunotherapy for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, utilizing a patient’s own immune cells to fight the disease. If you’re driven by the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on cancer patients' lives, we invite you to join our team. With Immunotherapy Manufacturing Facilities in Seal Beach, CA, and Union City, GA, a strong Research & Development group in Seattle, WA, and a highly skilled Commercial team across the nation, Dendreon is at the forefront of cancer treatment innovation. The Sr. Director/Director of Business Development & Corporate Strategy will drive Dendreon’s growth through strategic partnerships, commercial contracting, and corporate development initiatives. This role is ideal for a business development professional with a proven track record of securing and managing successful partnerships or contracts within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical sectors, aligned with both commercial and clinical strategy. The Sr. Director/Director will lead the sourcing, diligence, structuring, and execution of transactions, including licensing agreements, strategic alliances, and commercial partnerships. Success in this role requires strong financial, scientific, and market insight, as well as the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders. In addition, the Sr. Director/Director will drive business development efforts for Dendreon’s CDMO services, positioning the company as a strategic manufacturing partner for biotech and pharmaceutical organizations from early development through commercialization.

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 knowledge of biologic/cell therapy or pharmaceutical product development, manufacturing, and commercializiation lifecycle
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.
Travel up to 50%+, including industry conferences, investor meetings, site visits, and internationally.

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 transactions and strategic investments aligned with Dendreon’s business strategy & focus.
Lead search and evaluation of clinical- to commercial-stage therapeutic assets aligned with Dendreon’s core therapeutic areas, including immunotherapy, urology, and oncology.
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 clients—ranging from seed-stage startups to mid-size biotechs—developing proposals and partnership structures that leverage Dendreon’s capabilities.
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.