Executive Director, Development Business Operations

Executive Director, Development Business Operations

Princeton, New Jersey

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world. It is Kardigan's mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve. Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan's co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020. We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients. At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals.

Driven by patients and their families, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authenticleading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries. These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.

Role Summary

The Executive Director, Development Business Operations establishes and leads development business operations across the clinical portfolio, including budgets and forecasting, metrics and analytics, resource planning, clinical procurement, and site contracts and budgets. This role ensures financial discipline, operational transparency, and data-driven decision-making across development.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning across all clinical programs
• Establish portfolio-level metrics, dashboards, and analytics to support operational and financial oversight
• Oversee clinical procurement processes, including CRO and vendor contracting, in partnership with Legal and Procurement
• Lead site contracts, budgets, and payment processes
• Partner with Finance to align development spend with corporate financial planning
• Support resource planning and capacity modeling across development
• Provide operational insights for EC and Board-level discussions
• Build scalable systems and processes to support portfolio growth
• Ability to assess and transform capabilities through AI and Automation solutions or strategies
• Up to 20-30% domestic and international travel as required

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, life sciences, or related field
• 12+ years of experience in development operations, finance, or business operations Or advanced degree (PhD, MBA, Masters) and 10+ yrs of experience
• Strong experience managing clinical budgets, vendors, and site financials
• Highly analytical with strong executive communication skills