Sr. Director, Search & Evaluation

Position Summary:

Zenas BioPharma is seeking an experienced Senior Director, Search & Evaluation to proactively source and recommend external opportunities for potential partnering.  Reporting to the Vice President of Business Development, the Senior Director, Search & Evaluation is a highly visible role with a direct impact on Zenas BioPharma’s ambition to construct a robust pipeline of clinical/ nearing clinical stage immunology and autoimmune assets, building upon its lead asset, obexelimab.  This individual will drive initiatives to ensure Zenas BioPharma is knowledgeable of and well-connected to deal sources, lead partnering outreach efforts, and conduct rigorous initial assessments.   She/He will bring substantial immunology and autoimmune scientific expertise, knowledge of treatment landscapes, and a track record of successfully sourcing consummated transactions to this role.

Responsibilities:

• Source and deliver a selective and substantial continuous set of promising, well-vetted external opportunities in immunology and autoimmune areas for potential strategic collaborations including asset in-licensing or acquisition
• Determine and periodically update a list of Mechanisms of Action of highest interest in collaboration with R&D and Corporate Development & New Product Planning, reflective of the evolving immunology and autoimmune competitive landscape and emerging scientific trends
• Identify, develop, and nurture scientific and business relationships, resulting in enhanced connections with large Pharma, small Biotech, research institutes, and the finance community (VCs, I-Banks) such that Zenas is “first-in-line” when deal opportunities arise
• Represent and increase the visibility of Zenas BioPharma at key partnering conferences such as BIO International and JPM
• Actively monitor the potentially transactable immunology and autoimmune pipeline assets space, including periodic Scan & Screens
• Keep current with important scientific advancements (publications, abstracts) and attend scientific meetings, such as ACR, for important data disseminations and to identify partnering opportunities and assess competitive threats
• Proactive approach prospective partners, fully exploiting the non-confidential information and entering confidentiality, if warranted, for further independent early diligence
• Fully leverage one’s deep scientific expertise to rigorously and objectively ensure only the most scientifically promising opportunities, capable of addressing future remaining unmet medical needs, qualify for full cross-functional due diligence/ transaction consideration   
• Develop recommendations based primarily on the technical merits, while also investigating the other elements of business case viability from a high level (i.e., time and data requirements to the next value inflection point, and differentiation) 
• Prepare updates for Board of Director meetings; maintain a tracker/database of partnering opportunities that have been considered or are being considered 
• Support VP of BD and research, development, commercial, legal and finance teams on advanced due diligence/ transactional support 
• Support VP of BD in other ad-hoc strategic projects

Qualifications:

• PhD and/or MD in a relevant area (e.g., Immunology, Rheumatology, or Pharmacology) 
• Proven track record of successfully sourcing consummated transactions
• Substantial immunology and autoimmune scientific and/or Translational Medicine expertise; multiple publications in leading scientific journals
• Deep knowledge of immunology and autoimmune diseases, treatment mechanisms and emerging trends, as well as the drug discovery, development, approval and commercialization process 
• 10+ years’ experience in R&D, Technology Transfer, Venture Capital or similar role that requires considerable scientific expertise, inclusive of 5+ years’ experience in a Search & Evaluation role within a biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical company
• Adept at multi-tasking and working independently, as well as collaboratively, in a fast-paced and agile environment where “figure it out” behavior, clear recommendations, and a culture of TRUE Innovation is valued
•  Willingness to travel ~30-40% of time, mostly domestically

#LI-Hybrid

Zenas is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The base salary pay range for this role is $215,000 to $260,000. Actual compensation packages will depend on various factors, including, but not limited to depth of experience, education, skillset, overall performance and/or location. 

Zenas believes in providing a competitive compensation and benefits package to all employees. Our base salary is just one component of Zenas’ competitive total rewards strategy that also includes annual performance bonus, equity, full range of benefits and other incentive compensation plans.