Senior Director, Business Development

Philadelphia, PACategory: Corporate and MarketingType: Full-timeMin. Experience: DirectorSenior Director, Business DevelopmentHybrid / Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia, PACabaletta Bio (Nasdaq: CABA) is a late-stage clinical biotechnology company focused on developing and launching curative targeted cell therapies designed specifically for patients with autoimmune diseases. The CABA platform encompasses two complementary strategies which aim to advance the discovery and development of engineered T cell therapies with the potential to become deep and durable, perhaps curative, treatments for a broad range of autoimmune diseases. The lead CARTA (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells for Autoimmunity) strategy is prioritizing the development of rese-cel, a 4-1BB-containing fully human CD19-CAR T cell investigational therapy. Rese-cel is currently being evaluated in the RESET (REstoring SElf-Tolerance) clinical development program spanning multiple therapeutic areas, including rheumatology, neurology and dermatology. Cabaletta Bio’s headquarters and labs are located in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, please visit and connect with us on LinkedIn.Uniquely Differentiated. Rapid. Elegant.At Cabaletta, we are driven by the shared mission of developing cures, where a patients’ own cells are used to fight disease. We are building a culture grounded in the knowledge that successful cures can be achieved for patients if every member of the Cabaletta is focused on the success of the team. To nurture this, we make an active commitment to the well-being and continuous growth of each employee who joins the team. In this way, we are not only working to improve the lives of patients, but of everyone involved. #CabalettaCrew. We’re proud to be a Great Place to Work-Certified company! #GPTWcertified Check out what our employees say makes working here so great: Working at Cabaletta Bio Inc | Great Place to WorkAbout the PositionReporting to the Chief Business Officer, the Senior Director, Business Development will play a central role in identifying, evaluating, negotiating, and executing strategic partnerships that strengthen Cabaletta Bio's leadership in engineered cell therapies for autoimmune diseases.This individual will lead business development and alliance management activities across licensing, acquisitions, platform collaborations, and strategic partnerships while working closely with Research, Development, Clinical, Commercial, Legal, Finance, and Executive Leadership. The role requires exceptional scientific acumen, strong financial and strategic analysis capabilities, and outstanding transaction execution skills.The successful candidate will help shape Cabaletta's long-term growth strategy by identifying innovative technologies and assets that complement the company's mission of developing curative targeted cell therapies for autoimmune disease.Responsibilities IncludeBusiness Development StrategyIdentify and evaluate external opportunities including licensing, acquisitions, strategic collaborations, platform technologies, and co-development partnerships. Continuously assess the competitive landscape to identify emerging scientific and commercial opportunities aligned with Cabaletta's strategic priorities, including product expansion, geographic expansion, and lifecycle management strategies.Develop business development strategies that support both near-term pipeline expansion and long-term platform growth. Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, financing activity, and M&A transactions to inform corporate decision-making. Opportunity AssessmentLead scientific, clinical, commercial, operational, intellectual property, and financial diligence for potential transactions. Build integrated commercial and financial models to evaluate strategic fit, market opportunity, probability-adjusted value, and return on investment. Prepare investment recommendations and executive-level presentations for the Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors. Transaction LeadershipLead cross-functional transaction teams through all phases of partnering activities. Coordinate diligence efforts across Research, Clinical Development, Regulatory, CMC, Manufacturing, Commercial, Finance, Legal, and Intellectual Property. Support negotiation of confidentiality agreements, term sheets, licensing agreements, collaboration agreements, acquisition documents, and related contracts. External Relationship ManagementDevelop and maintain relationships with biotechnology companies, academic institutions, CDMOs and potential strategic partners. Represent Cabaletta at major partnering, investor and scientific/medical conferences along with at industry meetings. Build a broad network across autoimmune disease, cell therapy, gene editing, in vivo engineering, and immunology ecosystems. Alliance Management Serve as the primary business lead for strategic collaborations and licensing partnerships following transaction execution, ensuring alignment with Cabaletta's strategic and operational objectives.Build and maintain productive relationships with external partners, fostering transparency, trust, and effective governance throughout the lifecycle of each alliance.Participate / co-lead in Joint Steering Committees (JSCs), Joint Development Committees (JDCs), and other governance bodies, coordinating internal cross-functional participation and decision-making.Monitor alliance performance, contractual obligations, key milestones, financial commitments, and governance deliverables to ensure successful execution of partnership objectives.Collaborate closely with Research, Clinical Development, Technical Operations, Regulatory, Commercial, Finance, Legal, and Executive Leadership to proactively identify and resolve issues that may impact partnership success.Support amendments, expansions, and new strategic opportunities within existing collaborations, identifying ways to maximize long-term value for both Cabaletta and its partners.Ensure effective communication between internal stakeholders and external collaborators while serving as a trusted ambassador for Cabaletta in all partnership interactions.Required QualificationsAdvanced scientific or business degree preferred (PhD, MD, PharmD, MBA, or equivalent). Bachelor's degree in life sciences, business, finance, or related discipline required. 10+ years of progressive experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, management consulting, corporate strategy, or business development. Demonstrated experience leading licensing transactions, strategic collaborations, acquisitions, governance committees, cross-company collaborations following transaction execution, and corporate development initiatives. Strong understanding of biologics, cell therapy, gene therapy, immunology, and autoimmune disease drug development. Excellent financial modeling, valuation, strategic analysis, and commercial assessment skills. Experience performing multidisciplinary diligence across scientific, clinical, regulatory, manufacturing, commercial, legal, and financial domains. Outstanding executive communication and presentation skills with demonstrated ability to influence senior leadership. Proven ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed. Preferred QualificationsExperience in cell therapy, gene therapy, CAR-T, autoimmune disease, or rare disease. Prior experience executing licensing or M&A transactions. Existing network across biotechnology companies, venture investors, academic innovators, and strategic pharmaceutical partners. Experience supporting Board of Directors materials and Executive Leadership strategic planning. Familiarity with valuation methodologies, portfolio prioritization, and corporate finance principles. What You'll BringStrategic curiosity and a passion for identifying transformative scientific opportunities. Strong business judgment balanced with scientific rigor. Exceptional relationship-building and negotiation skills. Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to work independently while collaborating across diverse teams. Commitment to Cabaletta's mission of delivering potentially curative therapies for patients with autoimmune disease.Our name – Cabaletta – is derived from the operatic term that represents a rapid, repetitive, and technically challenging section of an operatic aria, designed to showcase the skills of the lead singer. Analogously, Cabaletta Bio strives to achieve rapid and repetitive product development, building on our indication prioritization and biologic platform that targets the driver of specific autoimmune diseases without the need for long-term immunosuppression.For more information, please visit most important asset is our people, and we offer competitive benefits, PTO, and stock option plans. Cabaletta Bio is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis protected by applicable law.Cabaletta Bio, Inc. does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with Cabaletta, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) must be executed and confirmed prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed MSA, Cabaletta shall not be responsible to any individual or entity for any payment relating to any form of fee or compensation.And, if a resume or candidate is submitted by a recruiter, an employment agency, or a staffing firm without a fully executed MSA, Cabaletta has the unrestricted right to pursue and hire any of those candidate(s) without any legal or financial responsibility to the recruiter, agency, and/or firm.#LI-HYBRID