Associate Director, Research Portfolio Management & Scientific Operations

ModeX Therapeutics is seeking a highly skilled Associate Director or Director, Research Portfolio Management & Scientific Operations to partner closely with the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and scientific leadership team to translate scientific strategy into actionable portfolio plans, guide programs through governance processes, and align cross-functional research and translational activities with key program priorities.

The successful candidate will bring strong scientific judgment, industry experience in portfolio and program management, and a disciplined approach to execution across discovery, preclinical, translational, and early clinical development activities. This role will be responsible for driving alignment across program scope, timelines, budgets, resources, and key decision points, while also supporting high-quality scientific communications. The individual will help translate complex biological data into clear, compelling narratives for both internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Governance & Scientific Operations

• Partner with the CSO and R&D leadership to establish and maintain fit-for-purpose portfolio governance and operational processes.
• Coordinate portfolio review meetings, stage-gate processes, executive reviews, and cross-functional decision-making activities.
• Prepare governance agendas, briefing materials, decision logs, and action trackers.
• Drive alignment between scientific priorities, portfolio strategy, and resource allocation.
• Develop and maintain portfolio dashboards and reporting tools that summarize program status, milestones, risks, dependencies, and R&D budgets.
  
  

Research Portfolio & Program Management

• Support integrated planning across discovery, preclinical, translational, CMC, and early clinical-stage programs.
• Build and manage cross-functional program plans, including scope, timelines, milestones, resource assumptions, risks, dependencies, and decision points.
• Support portfolio prioritization, business development activities, scenario planning, and strategic resource allocation discussions.
  
  

Strategic Communications & Scientific Engagement

• Translate scientific and organizational priorities into executable plans and operating rhythms.
• Develop high-quality scientific and strategic presentations for executive leadership meetings, Board presentations, investor interactions, and partnership discussions.
• Support scientific publications, congress materials, grant applications, manuscripts, business development materials, and external communications in collaboration with functional leaders and Corporate Communications.
• Lead the planning and execution of Key Opinion Leader (KOL) and Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) interactions, including agenda development, content preparation, insight capture, and follow-up actions.
• Synthesize external scientific feedback into actionable recommendations for program and portfolio teams.
  
  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent advanced degree in Immunology, Oncology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related discipline.
• 8 years of relevant biotech or pharmaceutical industry experience in research, translational sciences, scientific operations, portfolio management, or program leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience supporting cross-functional R&D programs spanning discovery, preclinical, translational, and/or early clinical development.
• Proven ability to manage complex integrated program plans, timelines, risks, budgets, and governance processes.
• Strong scientific acumen with the ability to interpret and communicate complex biological and translational datasets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of executive-level presentations and scientific materials.
• Strong organizational, collaboration, and influencing skills with the ability to work effectively across matrixed teams.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving biotech environment with a high degree of ownership and accountability.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience in immunology, immuno-oncology, biologics, or related therapeutic areas.
• Experience supporting R&D governance, portfolio review committees, or executive decision-making forums.
• Familiarity with translational biomarkers, flow cytometry, immune profiling, and translational data interpretation.
• Experience in small or mid-sized biotech environments with demonstrated ability to build scalable, fit-for-purpose operational processes.
• Formal project/program management training, PMP certification, MBA, or equivalent portfolio management experience is a plus.
  
  

ModeX Therapeutics is an Equal Opportunity Employer