Director, Program & Alliance Management

About us:

Our purpose at Dispatch is to help create a world where all cancer patients can be cured. We’re humbled by the opportunity to work together as a team on some of the most pressing medical challenges of our time.

To achieve our purpose, we are dedicated to engineering a universal treatment across solid tumors. We’re committed to the development of novel therapies, leveraging first-in-class technologies in viral vectors, universal targets, and novel cytokine biology. Our therapeutic approach has the potential to enable us to treat significant numbers of cancer patients and make a real and lasting impact on the world.

Our company was founded on pioneering work carried out in the laboratories of Dr. Carl June (University of Pennsylvania), Dr. Kole Roybal (University of California, San Francisco), Dr. Christopher Garcia (Stanford University) and Dr. Andy Minn (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center).

At our company, you would become one of our early team members— not only playing a role in meeting our ambitious mission but also building our thriving culture. We are determined to deliver with urgency to discover new solutions and we always stay dedicated to scientific rigor; we have an ownership mindset because each and every one of us is integral to our success. Collaboration is core for us because we believe that by bringing people together with diverse perspectives, we make a stronger whole. And, we show we care about our work and each other by sharing feedback - ultimately in service of our vision to empower people to continue forward with their lives – cancer free.

The role:

The Director, Program & Alliance Management, will be highly impactful, with responsibility for overseeing the planning and execution of wholly owned and partnered drug development programs. Reporting into the Executive Director of Program Leadership & Management, this individual will play a pivotal role in providing operational leadership to cross-functional teams and will help establish and define a best-in-class program and alliance management function.

The successful candidate will have in-depth expertise across different phases of drug development (preclinical & clinical) and bring a solutions-oriented mindset within a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Key responsibilities:

Program & Alliance Management

• Provide best-in-class program management in support of Dispatch internal and partnered programs; plan and drive key cross-functional & clinical development forums, deliverables, and communications for assigned programs (meeting management, minutes, milestones, risk registers, etc.)

• Partner with Program Team Lead and Clinical Development leadership to drive Asset Team and Joint Collaboration Team execution ensuring delivery of predefined goals

• Develop and manage integrated project plans and timelines across all drug development stages, including preclinical, clinical operations, manufacturing, regulatory, etc.

• In collaboration with Alliance leads, drive strategic and operational plans and develop solutions for effective alliance operations

• Proactively identify, track, mitigate, and communicate overall program/alliance risks to key stakeholders and senior leadership

• Conduct scenario planning, identify potential acceleration opportunities and ensure timely attainment of project milestones and program delivery

• Partner with Regulatory Affairs and functional leads to ensure planning and execution of high-quality health authority interactions and submissions as needed

• Provide PM support for emerging portfolio & business development deliverables as needed

Operational Excellence & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of program management frameworks, tools, and templates

• Foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment across internal and external stakeholders

• Mentor and provide guidance to junior team members on PM best practices

• Provide regular updates to senior leadership and other stakeholders on program progress, challenges, and opportunities

Required experience & skills:

• BS, MS, PhD, PharmD, MD or equivalent in a scientific, engineering, or medicine-related discipline

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, with meaningful experience in program and alliance management.

• Exceptional organizational, communication, EQ, and interpersonal skills including working with partners across geographies and cultures

• Expert proficiency in project management tools (Smartsheet, MS Project) and project/program management best practices

• Detailed understanding of drug development processes, including preclinical, clinical, CMC, and regulatory pathways

• Proven track record of managing complex programs and/or partnerships in a fast-paced environment.

• Agile, positive attitude, and ability to influence without authority

Preferred experience & skills:

• Experience in cell therapy, oncology, or related therapeutic areas is strongly preferred.

• Background in startup or development-stage biotechnology companies.

• PMP certification or equivalent is a plus.

• Demonstrated ability to lead matrixed teams and influence team members, including senior leaders.

Our values:

Our values guide everything we do. While capabilities and skills are vital, understanding how a potential new colleague would embody our values is central to our hiring decisions.

Determined to deliver:

By working with focus and passion, we can provide patients with the solutions they need. 

Own every outcome:

We can reach new heights when we stay centered on our shared success. 

Collaboration at the core:

When we band together, our work is better. 

Feedback is fundamental:

Constructive and authentic positive feedback may be difficult to master but it is vital to our success.

Working here:

• We offer a highly competitive compensation package with meaningful ownership through equity

• Excellent coverage for medical, vision, and dental

• 401(k) with generous contribution

• Life insurance

• Flexible PTO policy

• Additional substantial benefits

We are an equal opportunity employer.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, national origin, or any characteristic protected under applicable law.