Lead, APEX Strategy and Operations

Flagship Pioneering invents and builds companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps in human health, sustainability, and beyond. 

What sets Flagship apart is our ability to unite life science innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our team of scientists, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and create breakthroughs that generate exceptional value for people and the planet. 

Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity's most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture. 

Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE's “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies, and has been named four times to Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies. 

Position Summary 

Flagship Pioneering is seeking a highly motivated Lead, Strategy & Operations to join our growing APEX Group. Flagship undertakes dozens of complex, value-oriented transactions at any given time — including joint ventures and partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, licensing and collaborations, global fundraising, and business and corporate development initiatives. All of the activities associated with transactions at Flagship are led by a cross-disciplinary group, referred to internally as the “APEX Group.” APEX is an acronym for “Acquisitions, Partnerships, Equity and eXecution.” 

Where other roles on the team own the substance and negotiation of individual transactions, this role owns the engine that keeps the whole group running: the operating cadence, the pipeline visibility, the processes, and the follow-through that let a small, senior team execute a high volume of complex deals without dropping anything. This is an outstanding opportunity for a highly organized, strategic operator who wants close exposure to Flagship's Executive Leadership Team and to some of the most innovative transactions in life sciences, without needing to come from a deal or legal background. 

This individual will partner closely with APEX leadership and coordinate across Flagship's Executive Leadership Team, Business Development, Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, IP, and portfolio company leadership to keep strategic priorities, transactions, and initiatives moving on schedule. 

Responsibilities 

• Drive APEX's operating cadence, priority-setting, and internal communications on behalf of group leadership. 

• Own end-to-end project management across the APEX transaction pipeline: tracking status, milestones, risks, dependencies, and resourcing across dozens of concurrent transactions. 

• Design and run the group's strategy and operations processes, including planning cycles, goal-setting, budget and headcount planning, and performance reporting. 

• Build and maintain dashboards, trackers, and reporting that give APEX and Flagship leadership real-time visibility into deal pipeline, resourcing, and outcomes. 

• Develop and maintain playbooks, templates, and best practices to standardize and scale transaction execution across the group. 

• Coordinate cross-functionally with Business Development, Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, IP, and portfolio company leadership to remove bottlenecks and keep initiatives on track. 

• Prepare materials and drive agendas for APEX leadership meetings, offsites, and updates to Flagship's Executive Leadership Team and Board. 

• Lead special strategic projects and process-improvement initiatives on behalf of APEX leadership. 

• Manage onboarding, training, and knowledge-sharing for new APEX team members. 

• Identify inefficiencies in transaction execution and drive practical solutions to improve speed and quality. 

Qualifications & Experience 

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or other advanced degree a plus. 

• 8+ years of experience in project or program management, business operations, strategy, or management consulting; prior exposure to life sciences, biotech, or complex transactions is preferred but not required. 

• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-workstream initiatives across cross-functional, senior stakeholder groups in a fast-paced environment. 

• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with experience building and maintaining dashboards, trackers, and executive-ready materials. 

• Excellent executive presence and written/verbal communication skills, with experience preparing materials for and advising senior leadership. 

• Track record designing and implementing operational processes, playbooks, and best practices from scratch. 

• High degree of discretion, judgment, and professionalism in handling confidential and sensitive information. 

What Makes You Successful 

You are someone who: 

• Thrives in ambiguity and enjoys building structure and process where none exists. 

• Can move seamlessly between granular execution and big-picture strategy. 

• Builds strong relationships across diverse teams and senior stakeholders. 

• Is highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage many priorities simultaneously without letting things slip. 

• Is discreet, trustworthy, and comfortable operating in close proximity to leadership. 

• Enjoys working in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment where no two weeks look alike. 

Why Join Flagship? 

At Flagship, you'll have the opportunity to work at the center of groundbreaking transactions that help launch and scale pioneering science and technology companies. You'll gain exposure to company creation and building, venture financing, strategic partnerships, licensing, acquisitions, and innovative business models while working alongside leaders across science, investing, legal, finance, and business development. 

This role offers exceptional breadth, responsibility, and learning for someone looking to build a long-term career at the intersection of operations, strategy, and company building. As the APEX group grows, so do the range of career paths from it, whether into broader strategy and operations roles on the team or across Flagship globally and its portfolio companies, making this role as much a launchpad as it is an opportunity for remarkable impact. 

 Privacy Notice for Applicants: When you apply for a role at Flagship Pioneering or one of its portfolio companies, we collect and use personal information you provide (such as your name, contact details, work history, and application materials) to evaluate your application, communicate with you, and comply with legal obligations. Your application data is processed through Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system, and may also be reviewed using AI-assisted screening tools. We do not sell your personal information. California residents have rights under the CCPA/CPRA including to know, delete, and opt out of the sharing of their personal information. If you are located in the EU or UK, we process your data under GDPR and you have rights to access, rectify, and erase your data. To exercise your rights or for questions, contact privacy@flagshippioneering.com. 

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The salary range for this role is $128,000 - $203,500. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. Flagship Pioneering currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on Flagship Pioneering's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.

 

Privacy Notice for Applicants: When you apply for a role at Flagship Pioneering or one of its portfolio companies, we collect and use personal information you provide (such as your name, contact details, work history, and application materials) to evaluate your application, communicate with you, and comply with legal obligations. Your application data is processed through Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system, and may also be reviewed using AI-assisted screening tools. We do not sell your personal information. California residents have rights under the CCPA/CPRA including to know, delete, and opt out of the sharing of their personal information. If you are located in the EU or UK, we process your data under GDPR and you have rights to access, rectify, and erase your data. To exercise your rights or for questions, contact privacy@flagshippioneering.com.