VP of Operations

Gordian Biotechnology•South San Francisco, CA

50d•Onsite

About The Position

Your primary mission as VP of Operations is to build and run Gordian’s operating system, so our science can move fast, safely, and with clarity as we scale. As a member of the leadership team, you will partner closely with the CEO to translate strategy into operational priorities, set the operating cadence for the company, and drive cross-functional decision-making. You will also work hand-in-hand with our Director of Finance to ensure resourcing, planning, and risk management stay tight as we grow. You will own the strategy and outcomes across People Operations, R&D Operations, Facilities/EH&S, and Legal Operations. Practically, that means building the processes, infrastructure, and team capabilities that keep the organization aligned: talent systems that preserve and strengthen our culture; planning and execution rhythms that connect goals, timelines, and dependencies; a lab and workplace environment that is reliable and resilient; and external-facing workflows that enable partnering and regulatory interactions with minimal friction and cost. In your first 3 months, you will have taken clear ownership of the operational decision agenda, established a scalable operating rhythm, and delivered measurable reductions in friction across hiring/onboarding, cross-functional planning, and facilities/lab reliability. By 6 months, you will be operating as a true executive owner of Gordian’s operational backbone, anticipating constraints before they become bottlenecks, building leaders and systems that scale, and ensuring the company executes on ambitious R&D and business goals with speed, rigor, and a strong culture.

Requirements

You take full and independent accountability for outcomes, treating the role and its responsibilities as integral to your personal success—and you have the experience to operate at that level of ownership.
You can align with a CEO’s strategic vision, translate it into operational priorities, and communicate those priorities clearly across the organization.
You have deep experience running People Operations in a culture-driven environment, including hiring, compensation practices, and the systems that enable engagement, retention, performance, and development.
You bring industry-relevant expertise in biotech and drug development, including direct experience managing R&D operations in the context of major preclinical discovery/development deals and IND-enabling studies.
You have a strong command of project management and data management tools and principles, and you can independently set up systems required to track program timelines and critical data in the context of preclinical development, external collaboration, and regulatory submission.
You understand the physical operational needs of lab-based work, including facilities management, equipment maintenance and calibration, inventory systems, EH&S requirements, and the realities of running a high-performing lab environment.
You are fundamentally compatible with Gordian’s culture and values, readily able to adopt and contribute to what makes us Gors—and you can champion that culture within six months.